How to do scenic train routes in 4 days

Hi,

I have a few questions regarding our travel to Switzerland from Amsterdam. We are family of 4 - myself, spouse and our 2 children aged 13 & 15. We will arrive in the morning of 6th June, 2016 and have reserved hotel in Interlaken for 2 days (on June 6 & 7) and planning to visit nearby Jungfraujoch and Mt Titlis. Thereafter we would like to do two scenic train routes - the Golden Pass line and Glacier Express but have just another 4 days. We would like to see Lucern too before taking the train but unsure which route to take, where to stay and places to see once we get going from Interlaken. We are flying back from Zurich to India on June 12th morning so need to complete both these train routes if not fully at least in part between June 8-11th. Kindly advise. Would appreciate your valuable recommendation.

Welcome to MySwissAlps, rajababu!

If you want to see Lucerne, you'd best combine it with your visit to the Titlis. It will be a long day from Interlaken, but in all I think it's the easiest option. After your stay in Interlaken, an itinerary containing both the Golden Pass and the Glacier Express in 4 days could look like this:

• travel to Montreux using the Golden Pass and spend the night in Montreux;
• travel to Zermatt and spend the night in Zermatt;
• take the Glacier Express to St. Moritz and spend the night there;
• travel back to Zurich or Zurich Airport.

The links inserted above, plus the Swiss timetable, will allow you to plan your train transfers in detail and to find suitable hotels.

With this amount of traveling, a rail pass like the 8 day Swiss Travel Pass would be very convenient. Both of your children will travel along for free with the free Swiss Family Card. You may want to compare other options too. How to do so is explained here.

Thanks Annika for your reply.

I was checking the Swiss map. While going from Interlaken to Mt Titlis, do we have to get down at Hergiswil station and change train for Engelberg? Or is there any other route ? Is this going to be a full day tour then we will hardly get any time to see Luzern.

Although I have done the hotel booking in Interlaken ( on free cancellation before arrival day), I feel Engelberg will be a better option to stay for 2 days for touring Mt Titlis and Jungfraujoch. Kindly advise

Hi rajababu,

You don't have to change trains in Hergiswil. Details on all connections can be found by entering your trip in the timetable I referred to in my previous post. Enter "Kleintitlis" as you destination. As you'll see, you'll have to switch trains in Lucerne only. Further details on the trip to the Titlis can be found here.

It will be a full day tour from Interlaken indeed, but if you leave early and don't spend hours up at Titlis, you will be able to spend some time in Lucerne. The picturesque old town centre can easily be reachd on foot from the railway station.

It doesn't really matter whether you spend the night in Engelberg (or Lucerne) or Interlaken. Titlis is closer to Engelberg/Lucerne, but the Jungfraujoch is closer to Interlaken. Interlaken is located centrally and provides all tourist facilities, so no need to cancel your hotel bookings I'd say.

hi annika,

According to your post, we have decided to travel from Interlaken to Zermatt by train on June 8th. I have a few questions to ask you.

1. Just I was checking the possibility of doing a part of this train journey on Golden pass train scenic line. Is this possible? WE wish to arrive in Zermatt by noon same day and go up the cable ride to Klein Matterhorn. Is this all possible in a day - checking out from Interlaken, taking the train route with/without the Golden pass route and sight-seeing at Zermatt with Matterhorn visit? Please advice whether we should or should not take the Golden Pass route and the normal train travel from Interlaken to Zermatt is also scenic enough. We would spend the night at Zermatt.
2. The next morning we will check out from our Hotel in Zermatt and board the Glacier express with reserved seats, but since I am not getting a suitable hotel in St Moritz, I wish to do a part of the travel ( or as much scenic panorama views to see as possible ) and return to Luzern by early evening. Kindly advice at which station should we get off on the Glacier Express route for a convenient train connection to Luzern.

Thank you

Hi rajababu,

1. Yes, you can take any part of the Golden Pass route. E.g. Interlaken - Zweisimmen - Montreux - Visp - Zermatt. Please check the timetable to see if this fits in one day.
2. In that case you can get off the Glacier Express in Chur.

Hi Rajababu-

In my opinion, you seem to be pushing hard to fit in as much as possible. Might be better to cut back a bit, and spend more time at some of the named destinations, , for example Luzern.

www.myswissalps.com/lu cerne

Give the kids a chance to get off the trains and exercise a bit.

Your children may be too old for the playground at the lake side near the transport museum in Luzern, but you could walk to it, and they might like the transport museum, the Lion , and the Bourbaki Panorama.. Just another option

Slowpoke