Hotel suggestions in Zermatt & Interlaken in Sept

  • Duck
    Participant
    13 posts
    15 March 2022 at 14:28:10 #826661

    At the risk of sounding petty, just cancelled European April vacation and now rushing to put together September Switzerland 8 days. USA senior citizens experienced travelers but always used automobile to get around. Mainly working on accommodations but will sneak in a couple of train questions as well.

    Love 3/4 star inns/hotels with European flair (no Holiday Inns) in the $300-$400 / night range Please give me some suggestions on hotels that are walkable or taxi distance from hotels. Trying to simplify (well a little)..

    1. Zermatt: looking at Bellerive, Salzano, Sonne, Matterhorn Lodge, Zermama, Firefly, etc. These are just so you can see what appeals to us. Any thoughts on these and new hotels not listed?

    2. Interlaken: Looking at Seiler Au Lac. Same question.

    Trains………taking trains from ZRH to Lucerne, from Lucerne to Chur to board the Glacier Express and then on to Zermatt, from Zermatt to Interlaken, Interlaken to Zurich and finally couple trips between Airport Hilton and Zurich.

    1. Is the Swiss Travel Pass or the Half Fare Card the best (1st class) for this schedule?

    2. By catching the GE at Chur (instead of St. Moritz) are we going to miss a key/beautiful segment? It seems almost impossible to travel from Lucerne to St. M that morning in time to board the GE.

    I am new to myswissalps and looking forward to hearing your recommendations.

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    Anna
    Moderator
    6274 posts
    15 March 2022 at 21:40:06 #939542

    Hi Duck,

    Welcome to the forum, thanks for joining us!

    I’m sorry you had to cancel your April trip. But good to know you are making new plans 🙂

    There are plenty of accommodations in Zermatt and Interlaken that are walking distance from the train stations. The following links can help you with your search. You can use the filter to narrow down your choice based on your preferences.

    Based on your travel plans, getting a railpass will be practical to avoid paying expensive full-price point-to-point tickets even if you plan to drive during this trip. The Swiss Half Fare Card provides discounted travelling for mountain excursions, and if you plan to travel with the trains at some point. Further details including purchase options here: http://www.myswissalps.com/swisshalffarecard

    The Glacier Express route is explained in detail here: http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress/gettingthere The section between Chur and St. Moritz includes crossing the spectacular Landwasser Viaduct. The other sections are similarly interesting especially as you cross the Oberalp Pass between Chur and Andermatt. Be sure to make your seat reservations before your trip: http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress/tickets

    Hope this gets you going again with your trip planning. Let us know if you need more info.

    Regards,

    Anna

    taurus0515
    Participant
    105 posts
    15 March 2022 at 21:41:10 #939543

    My 2 cents:

    Train from ZRH -> Luzern -> Interlaken -> Zermatt (via Kandersteg) -> GE to Chur

    Please see map attached.

    Duck
    Participant
    13 posts
    15 March 2022 at 23:59:44 #939544

    Extremely helpful – thanks!

    “taurusa515”. Let me show my stupidity and lack of knowledge. Could you please give me some details/sources/etc. to understand how counterclockwise will be easier /solve problems than clockwise. I am anxious to see if the train schedules are better (but I am not sure how to check train schedules). Thank you so much.

    Philip

    pkerr
    Participant
    265 posts
    16 March 2022 at 2:19:18 #939545

    For my Zermatt stay we stayed at the Hotel Julen. What a great place with a excellent Swiss feel. Rooms with a Matterhorn view, great meals, and very personable staff. And they even pick you up at the train station…

    I’d go back again in an instant.

    http://www.julen.ch/de/romantik-hotel-julen/

    taurus0515
    Participant
    105 posts
    16 March 2022 at 2:52:49 #939546

    Hi Philip:

    I am no expert on Switzerland. I am also trying to put together a plan for later this year. In doing so, I have been playing around with the sbb.ch website for the past few months.

    On the sbb.ch website, you can click on “Timetable” (top left), then “Advanced Search” and then click on “Add Via” to add routing. You can click on “Add Via” several times to add multiple routing options (but limited).

    After you enter your dep time etc, click on “Search for Connection”. Then choose one route and then click on “Show on map” on the right.

    Luzern to Chur with 1 change at Zurich takes 2 hr 14 min.

    Luzern to Chur without changes (long route) takes 3 hr 39 min.

    You can play with sbb.ch and see for yourself.

    Attached is the clockwise map. You will be travelling back from Luzern to Zurich and then to Chur if you do the clockwise route.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    16 March 2022 at 7:50:17 #939547

    Hi Philip,

    if you haven’t used the SBB timetable yet, make sure to visit first this page: http://www.myswissalps.com/timetable. That helps you to understand the SBB timetable better.

    Ildiko

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    16 March 2022 at 10:20:45 #939548

    Hi Duck,

    Will you be traveling with public transportation only this time? In that case an 8-day Swiss Travel Pass would be the easiest solution by far: https://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass. This page explains how to calculate which rail pass suits your itinerary best: https://www.myswissalps.com/train/ticketspasses/practical/chooserailpass.

    taurus0515
    Participant
    105 posts
    16 March 2022 at 13:25:35 #939549

    Hi Philip:

    Your 8-day trip will probably look like this:

    Day 0: Depart from the USA

    Day 1: Arrive in Zurich, Train to Luzern (2 nights in Luzern)

    Day 2: Luzern

    Day 3: Golden Pass to Interlaken (3 nights in Interlaken)

    Day 4: Interlaken

    Day 5: Interlaken

    Day 6: Train to Zermatt via Kandersteg (2 nights in Zermatt)

    Day 7: Zermatt

    Day 8: Glacier Express to Chur and then to Zurich (Overnight in Zurich)

    Day 9: Flight back to the USA

    Duck
    Participant
    13 posts
    16 March 2022 at 17:12:46 #939550

    Before I get started, as a new poster, I wanted to say how nice it is to find this website and the helpful responders. We have visited around 50 countries and what a pleasure (and helpful) to read the responses.

    Counterclockwise it seems to be…… tauruso515 We actually have one day shorter than your itinerary Where would you drop a day?

    Again thanks!

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    16 March 2022 at 17:18:38 #939551

    Hi Philip,

    thank you for your kind words regarding the forum and MySwissAlps.com. 🙂

    If you have 1 day less, I would stay 1 day less in Interlaken. But it is a difficult choice as every place in your itinerary will be beautiful. 🙂

    Ildiko

    taurus0515
    Participant
    105 posts
    16 March 2022 at 20:11:23 #939552

    Hi Philip:

    Yes, you might want to drop a day in Interlaken.

    Next, please think about what you want to do in each of these places.

    I hear that Switzerland weather is unpredictable 🙂

    Day 0: Depart from the USA

    Day 1: Arrive in Zurich, Train to Luzern (2 nights in Luzern)

    Day 2: Luzern

    Day 3: Goldenpass to Interlaken (3 nights in Interlaken)

    Day 4: Interlaken

    Day 5: Train to Zermatt via Kandersteg (2 nights in Zermatt)

    Day 6: Zermatt

    Day 7: Glacier Express to Chur and then to Zurich (Overnight in Zurich)

    Day 8: Flight back to the USA

    Duck
    Participant
    13 posts
    18 March 2022 at 13:41:02 #939553

    I hate to sound repetitive but thanks all again.- have refined.

    Couple things: on waiting list for Hotel Julen (they are closing down one of their sister hotels and moving customers to Julen). They don’t know how many rooms they will have. l Made reservations at Hotel Firefly. Counterclockwise works great with our time limitations. I am (FYI) using points with Delta and they are generally crazy with mile requirements/changes. Dropped one night in Interlaken (sorry to say).

    Interlaken hotel small challenge. Right now waiting on reservation with Hotel Salzano.

    I have graduated to 3rd grade in working sbb.ch. I am getting there (need pocket translator).

    To Dos – thinking:

    Lucerne – Mr. Titlis or Mt. Rigi?; boat ride, explore city Eat Bellini Locanda Ticinese

    Interlaken: – Jungfrau, Lake Thun Eat Arcobaleno , Luegibrueggli or Itusi Bierhaus

    Zermatt – Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, explore city Eat ???

    Zurich – staying Hilton at airport and will walk Old Town Eat ???

    Anna
    Moderator
    6274 posts
    18 March 2022 at 18:39:44 #939554

    Hi Duck,

    I’d pick Mt Rigi if you’d like to combine a mountain excursion with a boat trip on Lake Lucerne. You can find details on how to do this here: http://www.myswissalps.com/rigi/gettingthere

    Best places to eat in Zermatt. Have a look at this thread. It’s pretty recent and might give you some useful insights: http://www.myswissalps.com/forum/topic/best-restaurants-in-and-around-zermatt

    Regards,

    Anna

    Duck
    Participant
    13 posts
    20 March 2022 at 17:17:02 #939555

    Please give me your opinion and suggestions for senior citizens for Swiss trip this September:

    Interlaken – hotels: currently have reservations at Salzano. Can you suggest other options that: are 3 or 4 stars, pick up and take back to train station (Ost or West), heart of town, quaint architecture (no Holiday Inn for example) be nice to have heated pool (I am a lap swimmer) and/or spa.

    SBB website – have graduated to Junior High but: for example, unsure of how to buy the Swiss Travel Pass and then make reservations (without paying again); mechanically how do I buy/obtain tickets, say, from Interlaken to Grindelwald, followed by the Eiger Express, then the cogwheel train to Jungfraujoch? Returning to Interlaken via Wengen? Way above my pay grade.

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    20 March 2022 at 19:21:13 #939556

    Hi Duck!

    Our preferred hotels in Interlaken can be found at https://www.myswissalps.com/interlaken/hotels. We mention recommendations for several of your criteria there. You can also scroll down to the hotel list and select criteria to narrow down your search. Overall, Hotel Interlaken, Hotel Beausite and Hotel Royal St. Georges may be good options for you: appealing atmosphere and within walking distance of a rail station. Hotel Royal St. Georges has wellness facilities.

    You can buy your Swiss Travel Pass through any of the resellers at https://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass/price. You don’t need reservations for most trips. This is only necessary for a few panoramic trains. All details are at https://www.myswissalps.com/train/reservations.

    I also recommend these pages:

    Information about tickets to Jungfraujoch can be found at http://www.myswissalps.com/jungfraujoch/tickets. You can get them at a rail station right before boarding. Just show your Swiss Travel Pass to receive your discount. You can also get tickets including your Swiss Travel Pass discount online at https://www.myswissalps.com/jungfraujoch/tickets. Scroll down for purchase options. Here’s a direct link: https://shop.switzerlandtravelcentre.com. Such tickets are valid for all routes to and from Jungfraujoch. So if you get a return ticket from Interlaken, you can travel up to via Grindelwald-Eiger Express and down via Kleine Scheidegg-Wengen, just as you like.

    Does this answer your questions?

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