HELP-SOS-Haven't started hiking yet, & we're lost

eykhoda

9 posts
new member

May 16, 2011 - 3:05 PM

My friend & I arrive in Geneva on June 24, for 10-day tours and day-hikes around the Alps, just ourself, no tour group, no tour guide.

The plan is to go to Chamonix for a few days, then spend a few days traveling around Mont Blanc on a train or bus, taking in a few day hikes in Courmayeur, and Champex. Then traveling east on a train to get a few more day-hikes, so we can enjoy Eiger and Matterhorn as close as possible. Terribly ambitious, perhaps? But it could also serve as a scouting of the place, with the hope that we can return another time, for more.

ANYWAY, We desparately need help to figure out the following, as soon as possible:

Given our itinerary, can we get around on trains and buses? i.e. is there public transportation between the cities we have picked?

If yes, what would be the best/most economical pass for us to buy?

OUR ITINERARY:

JUNE 24- Arrive at Geneva International airport.

HOW DO WE GET FROM GENEVA TO CHAMONIX WITHOUT A RENTAL CAR?

JUNE 25, 26, & 27: Day hikes in Chamonix

HOW DO WE GET FROM CHAMONIX TO COURMAYEUR WITHOUT A RENTAL CAR?

JUNE 28 & 29: Day hikes in Courmayeur

HOW DO WE GET FROM COURMAYEUR TO CHAMPEX WITHOUT A RENTAL CAR?

June 30 & July 1: Au Bivouac de Napoleon hotel, Route-du-Grand-St-Bernard, 1946

What town to stay at on July 2nd and 3rd, FOR MOST BREATH-TAKING DAY-HIKES?

JULY 4 Staying at hotel in Zermatt for

JULY 5 day hike(s) near Materhorn/Eiger?

Train back to Geneva International airport evening of the 5th July.

July 6 at noon: Fly home.

Arno

16099 posts
expert &
moderator

May 17, 2011 - 3:20 PM

Hi eykhoda,

Sounds like a great plan! Don't worry about public transportation. You really don't need a car in Switzerland except for very remote locations or if you like to drive on mountain passes. There's a dense network of trains, buses, lifts, etc. Since you have such detailed ideas of where to go, a way to plan for your trip is to:
1) check the detailed map of Switzerland at map.search.ch. It shows bus stops and train stations as well.
2) check the timetable to see how to get there.

A suggestion: on July 2, travel via Montreux - Zweisimmen - Spiez to Interlaken (Golden Pass route) to stay somewhere in the Jungfrau region (e.g. Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren). From there, you can get close to the Eiger and do many other hikes. On July 4, travel to Zermatt via Spiez - Kandersteg - Goppenstein - Brig. Zermatt is right next to the Matterhorn.

Of course this only leaves you with a couple of days in each region, while you could easily spend 2-3 weeks in the Jungfrau region alone. So another option is to skip a region and take more time for the one left.

As for a pass: I think you may want to look into a Swiss Saver Flexi Pass. As you do some short and some longer trips, this pass seems to be a good fit.

MySwissAlps.com recommends to read this:
How to travel in Switzerland

Last modified on Nov 1, 2018 - 4:17 PM by Arno

eykhoda

9 posts
new member

May 17, 2011 - 4:57 PM

Arno: my gratitude for your guidance is immense. I will spend some time studying the sites you forwarded. We will skip Zermatt and just spend the 2nd part of the trip in the Jungfrau region. Is that in line with your idea? Does that sound like a better plan? I hope you don't mind me getting back to you in the next couple of days, once I have studied the 2 sites you forwarded. Maybe I'll find out how to get from Chamonix to Courmayeur, Italy, and then back to Champex, Switzerland. I don't think we should spend our time in Chamonix trying to figure this out. Right?

Vlasta

58 posts
active member

May 17, 2011 - 7:02 PM

I just wanted to add my thoughts about Zermatt! It is pretty awesome to be near the Matterhorn, the train trip to Zermatt is beautiful, and the hiking was fabulous. We took the train up to Gornegrat and then hiked down from Riffleberg to Rifflealp. For me the hike down was truly spectacular!!
Vlasta

eykhoda

9 posts
new member

May 18, 2011 - 12:10 AM

Thanks Vlasta. Really appreciate the input. I guess we're gonna have to pick between Jungfrau and Zermatt? And, which way to go, given our remaining 4 days and 4 nites?

Annika

7338 posts
expert &
moderator

May 19, 2011 - 3:55 AM

Hi eykhoda. Deciding between either the Jungrau region or Zermatt is difficult. You don't have to choose between one of them though: as Arno pointed out, you can cover both regions in your stay if you wish and visit both the Jungfraujoch and Zermatt. But if that involves too much traveling for you, it seems more logical (looking at the rest of your itinerary) to stay on the southern side of the Alps and focus on the Chamonix and Zermatt regions. Whatever you decide, you won't regret it, as it's all wonderful.

eykhoda

9 posts
new member

May 19, 2011 - 7:33 AM

Thank you Annika. If a person could die of too much happiness and beauty, I guess I might die during this trip!!! I will check out accommodations along the routes and places that the 3 of you gave me, and see where it leads. Thank you again for giving me more to chew on!:-)

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