[Removed user]

25 September 2017 at 20:32:22 #813359

Hi good people,

Me and the missus making our first visit to Switzerland next June, lot’s of planning and preparation to do but would appreciate any useful itinerary tips to get us off to a good start.

Will be heading over from the UK via Eurostar so will be arriving late evening in Lucerne…a look around town and meal on the first evening then thought maybe Mt Titlis on our full free day. Any ideas for the next half day before we head to Wengen?

Suggestions for best use of time in Wengen? We’ll want to do some hiking some/most days. Definitely want to do Jungfraujoch, probably Lake Brienz cruise. Is Glacier 3000 a worthwhile trip in the summer? Any must see villages etc nearby?

Was thinking an 8 day Swiss Travel Pass each, haven’t crunched the numbers yet but would that seem overkill or worthwhile?

All help gratefully received 🙂

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[rockoyster]

25 September 2017 at 21:57:56 #870209

Hi domjon and Welcome to MySwissAlps,

Here’s the definitive guide to Wengen for starters – http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/tips-about-wengen-and-the-jungfrau-region-by-kim

[Removed user]

26 September 2017 at 6:09:12 #870210

>> first visit to Switzerland next June … Suggestions for best use of time in Wengen? We’ll want to do some hiking some/most days.

The higher trails often don’t open until the second half of June, but you can check with the local tourist office re which trails are open when you are there.

>> Any ideas for the next half day before we head to Wengen?

You can look for ideas on the Luzern page, and work out how feasible they are, given your time constraints, by using the Swiss Timetable. You could leave your luggage in the lockers at Luzern station:

http://www.myswissalps.com/lu cerne/activities

http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

>> Is Glacier 3000 a worthwhile trip in the summer?

From Wengen, it would take 4 to 4.5 hours travel time each way. Whether that is worthwhile is something to decide for yourself 🙂

>> Any must see villages etc nearby?

Mürren, Grindelwald and the Lauterbrunnen Valley of course, as well as Wengen.

In addition to the wealth of information in Kim’s documents about Wengen (to which rockoyster supplied the link above), other ideas are here:

http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion/activitie s

One of the scenic PostBus trips might interest you. I have written trip reports about them:

Round trip from Meiringen over 4 passes of the Central Alps (runs 23 June to 14 October 2018)

http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/postbus-through-four-passes-of-the-central-alps

Grindelwald to Meiringen over the Grosse Scheidegg (or vice versa) (runs 19 May to 21 October 2018)

http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/trip-report-over-the-grosse-scheidegg-by-bus

>> Was thinking an 8 day Swiss Travel Pass each, haven’t crunched the numbers yet but would that seem overkill or worthwhile?

If you will be out-and-about every day on trains, buses, cable cars or boats, a Swiss Travel Pass is likely to save you a lot of money. However, there is only one way to know for sure: add up the full-fare cost of all trips you intend to do by train, bus, cable car and boat and compare the total cost with the cost of doing the same trips with a Swiss Travel Pass or other pass.

There is information and a spreadsheet here to help you:

http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass

Alpenrose

[Removed user]

26 September 2017 at 7:58:35 #870211

Just to pick up on your request for ideas during your stay in Wengen:

A more local activity which is similar to visiting Glacier 3000 is a visit to the Schilthorn Peak – at a height of 2970m above Murren. By late June it might be possible to hike up/down, but you’d need to check with the local tourist office to check conditions. The Lauterbrunnen valley is great for hiking, especially the rear area with its UNESCO World Heritage Themed Hikes starting in Stechelberg.

[Removed user]

26 September 2017 at 8:24:56 #870212

Thanks everybody, plenty for me to get stuck into there. I’ll rule out Glacier 3000 then as that’s more traveling than I desire. Arriving in Wengen 23rd June so hopefully most hiking trails will be open then…I’m sure I’ll be spoilt for choice anyway.

[Mark]

26 September 2017 at 15:59:11 #870213

Since you will be in Wengen for 5 days you may want to look into Swiss half fare card plus Jungfrau pass. The Swiss travel pass will only give you a discount on many of the cog trains and gondolas around Wengen while The Jungfrau pass includes most of them except Jungfraujoch. I believe the hiking around Wengen is world class but you did not specify what length or difficulty you preferred. The hikes range from very easy like Mannlichen to Klein Scheidegg to difficult like Schynige Platte to First. Fortunately they are all beautiful. Your hotel will likely have maps detailing the expected duration of the various hikes( our hotel staff at Beausite Park hotel was very helpful too). You also will need to decide if you prefer up hill or downhill. For instance the Eiger trail is moderate to easy downhill but quite a bit harder going uphill from Alpiglen to Eigergletcher. Regardless I think you will find the sights amazing. Mark

[Removed user]

26 September 2017 at 16:22:34 #870214

Thanks Mark, very useful info there, i was unsure of the relative merits of the national and local travel passes…will do the math before ccommitting.

We aren’t what you’d called experienced hikers but both relatively fit 30s/40s and a couple of walking breaks in the lake District have whetted the appetite. 5-10 milers were order of the day there though of course at an easier altitude. Had a quick scan of Kim’s guide and looks some fantastic info in there.

[Slowpoke]

27 September 2017 at 8:44:32 #870215

Hi domjon-

May be redundant, but I think that no one has mentioned this link:

http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king

I find this useful:

http://www.alpenwild.com/stat icpage/trail-signs-in-the-swiss-alps/

If you are serious about maps you’ll have fun with this one:

map.geo.admin.ch/?topic=ech&lang=en&bgLa yer=ch.swisstopo.pixel karte-farbe&layers=ch.bav.ha ltestellen-oev,ch.swisstopo.swiss tlm3d-wanderwege&layers_visi bility=false,true&X=16 1659.57&Y=638061.25&zo om=6

I have turned on “hiking trails” in the menu.

Also-

http://www.swissholidayco.com /Public/Assets/User/fi les/Map-of-Jungfrauregion1.jpg

Slowpoke

[Removed user]

27 September 2017 at 8:56:01 #870216

Thanks for tthose.

Actually considering cancelling my Lucerne hotel and just spending the full week in Wengen… looks more than enough to do. Could then just get the basic transfer pass + Jungfrau travel pass.

[Slowpoke]

27 September 2017 at 9:13:50 #870217

A week in Wengen is good if the weather is great, and may be necessary to get some clear days in June.

Luzern has more options for mediocre weather, and, at lower altitude, will be much further along into Spring. June is a transition month in Wengen, and is winter-like in the early part of the month. Depends on the weather….each year is different…but the Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg trail usually is not open until mid June, and there will be possible closures due to snow slides as the trail goes around Tschuggen.

.There is good hiking around Lake Lucerne ( der Vierwaldstättersee.) There is a whole lot more cultural stuff in Luzern, if you care. Useful for bad weather.

http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/the-swiss-path-and-southern-lake-lucerne

Slowpoke

[Removed user]

27 September 2017 at 9:21:36 #870218

Ooh ok. More food for thought.

[Slowpoke]

27 September 2017 at 9:31:54 #870219

Hotels are not all open in Werngen in early June. They are not crowded as they open up during the month. nd of June is pretty much the start of the Summer season. Y

You can stay in Luzern and make a decision to move to Wengen if the weather is good there. It is a possible day trip, but not a good one (too long) if you want to do do some hiking there.

That is one option.

Use the timetable…it is really useful for trip planning, especially for time consumed. Remember that the trains in the Jungfrau region are slow….mountainous terrain. And, the train over the Brunig is not super fast, either. Nice ride, though.

Slowpoke

[Mark]

27 September 2017 at 11:14:50 #870220

I have only been in Wengen in July and September. we had good weather and were able to hike all trails but the weather can vary widely from day to day. This past September it snowed 1 night and made First to Fauhorn trail difficult to see for a day so we hiked First to Gross Scheidegg instead. I would guess you can find enough open trails in late June but Slowpoke is right the weather is always an issue. Wengen is very close to Lauderbrunnen valley and Interlaken to find much to do there as well if snow an issue Mark