June trip – places to visit near Zurich, Geneva

  • Loyds
    Participant
    7 posts
    23 January 2020 at 21:22:25 #824974

    Hello!

    I’m planning a trip to Switzerland with my husband arriving Zurich Saturday in mid June. Staying in Zurich for four days & taking day trips by train to Lucerne, Rhine Falls-Schaffhausen & Stein am Rhein. I would also like to take a train ride to the Alps but am unsure what my best option is. Then on Wednesday I plan to take the train to Geneva and stay for two days. Still debating on wether to take the train to Paris then Eurostar on to London or simply fly there.

    -Would that Saturday I’m arriving be enough to explore Zurich Old Town?

    -Do attractions have a shorter opening schedule on Sundays? Would visiting the places I mentioned on Sunday be ok?

    -At a loss what to do once in Geneva. Spend the two days in the city or also explore close by?

    -Swiss Travel Pass sounds like the best option but if I’m arriving Zurich on Saturday & leaving Geneva on Friday how many days should I buy the Swiss Travel Pass for?

    This will be our first time in Switzerland & am sure we will love everything! We’d like walking the old towns wandering about & exploring, marveling about the architecture, visiting a watch museum, taking a boat cruise on the lake, taking a ride to the mountain, simply enjoying & soaking up the scenery!

    I would greatly appreciate any & all suggestions & advice you share. Thank you!

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    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    24 January 2020 at 0:54:55 #928558

    Hello Loyds and Welcome to MySwissAlps,

    -Would that Saturday I’m arriving be enough to explore Zurich Old Town?

    Probably. There is a good walking route described at http://www.myswissalps.com/hiking/zurich.

    See also http://www.myswissalps.com/zurich/activities.

    Do attractions have a shorter opening schedule on Sundays?

    Not the ones you mentioned.

    – Would visiting the places I mentioned on Sunday be ok?

    Sure.

    -At a loss what to do once in Geneva. Spend the two days in the city or also explore close by?

    Do you have some reason fro going to Geneva other than it being your departure point? Have you considered Montreux? It is only about an hour from Geneva and has plenty to do. It is also the end point of the Golden Pass train route from Luzern which would be a nice scenic route on you way from Zurich to Geneva.

    – Swiss Travel Pass sounds like the best option but if I’m arriving Zurich on Saturday & leaving Geneva on Friday how many days should I buy the Swiss Travel Pass for?

    Based on your personal itinerary you should read “How to choose the best travel pass” (http://www.myswissalps.com/train/ticketspasses/practical/chooserailpass), download the handy spreadsheet calculator and do the math. The spreadsheet also includes links to the “Where it’s valid” page for all available passes. Be sure to check those pages for each pass you are considering. Study the map AND read all the text on those pages to fully understand what is covered by the respective pass.

    For checking timetables read this.

    Anna
    Moderator
    6279 posts
    24 January 2020 at 9:35:38 #928559

    Hi Loyds,

    Based on your travel plans, the Swiss Travel Pass may just work best for you. Or you might want to consider getting the Swiss Half Fare Card. More details about these railpasses from the links below:

    To work out which railpass works best, use the link provided by rockoyster earlier, and plan your journey using the SBB timetable (http://www.myswissalps.com/timetable).

    I hope you’ll also find the following links useful:

    Regards,

    Anna

    Loyds
    Participant
    7 posts
    30 January 2020 at 19:26:22 #928560

    Hello!

    Thanks so much Rockoyster and Anna, appreciate your responses and pardon my late reply. Have been reading into your suggestions.

    Chose to stay in Geneva for easier return to London. Now that I’ve read about Montreux I I want to take a day trip there!

    Want to share my itinerary so you can please comment.

    Saturday when I arrive walk around Zurich Old Town.

    Sunday take day trip to Schaffhausen, Rhein Falls and Stein am Rhein. * These two days I was planning on buying point to point train tickets. I’ve had trouble getting prices for cruise on Lake Zurich or Limmat River so I can compare with getting the Swiss Travel Pass for four or eight days.

    If I buy the four day Swiss Travel Pass, Monday visit Lucerne Tuesday go to Rigi Wednesday travel to Geneva and explore there Thursday visit Montreux. Could I also visit Vevey and Chillion Castle the same day?

    Friday decided to fly to London, less hassle than changing train stations in Paris!

    I’ve read that to better enjoy the train to the mountains you need a clear day. My trip is in June, which I’m guessing will be good weather but any other suggestions for a day trip from Zurich if the trip to Rigi is not possible?

    Thanks again and best regards,

    Loyds

    Anna
    Moderator
    6279 posts
    31 January 2020 at 9:06:34 #928561

    Hi Loyds,

    Yes, you can certainly do a day trip to Montreux from Geneva and combine it with a side trip to Chillon Castle and Vevey on the same day. A good option is to take the boat to Montreux but you can also take the train, which is faster and more regular. Montreux is pretty small, the walk along the lake to the Chillon Castle is very scenic. If you have time, you might want to consider visiting the local mountain Rochers de Naye before continuing your ightseeing in Vevey. More details in the links below:

    A rainy-day alternative to Rigi – If the weather is not favourable for a visit to the mountains, I would recommend a day trip to Bern or Basel. I’m hopeful the weather will be nice in June 🙂

    Regards,

    Anna

    Loyds
    Participant
    7 posts
    1 February 2020 at 17:30:34 #928562

    Hello and thank you for the suggestions.

    Everything I read looks so beautiful, wish I could do it all! These has all been so helpful, making my research so much easier!

    Would you recommend I get the Zurich Card? I’ll have a half day there.

    My Sunday visit to Rhine Falls and Schaffhausen, do you think getting point to point train tickets is good idea?

    Then having the Swiss Travel Pass for the next four days?

    Thanks,

    Loyds

    Anna
    Moderator
    6279 posts
    1 February 2020 at 19:04:05 #928563

    Hi Loyds,

    At CHF27 for 24 hours, I think the Zurich Card is a good deal but I’m not sure you need it if you only plan to be in the city for half a day. What are your plans in Zurich? If you are only sightseeing in the city, most of the main tourist attractions are best reached by foot.

    http://www.myswissalps.com/hiking/zurich/route

    http://www.myswissalps.com/bahnhofstrasse

    For your trip Zurich HB-Rhine Falls-Schaffhausen-Zurich HB, if you get the point-to-point tickets, it will cost you roughly CHF56. If possible, consider getting a Saver Day Pass that is close to that price. http://www.myswissalps.com/saverdaypass

    Then you can use the 4-day Swiss Travel Pass for the rest of your trip. Be sure to check the validity map and use the timetable to plan yor journey.

    Regards,

    Anna

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