[Removed user]

18 December 2018 at 18:34:38 #819216

Hello again

I have now hopped across from the accommodation forum. I am trying to find information for a Lake Geneva day. We would like to do a boat trip on the lake and from what I can see it is quite a big lake so am thinking we may be best to do one way on the boat and come back on a train. Is this a good plan and if so which locations is it best to go from on the boat and back on a train to get the most out of the day. I would imagine as we are coming from Grachen we would get a boat in Montreux? Thanks Sharon

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[Removed user]

19 December 2018 at 7:26:16 #900561

Montreux would be a good hop on point for the boat cruise on Lake Geneva yes. Or Chillon Castle could work too.

If you wanted a round-trip on the boat, going to Lausanne and back would work. A longer one-way trip to Geneva could also work with a return by train. There are several route options for you to choose from.

Our Lake Geneva page goes into details on your options and links to the official timetable.

http://www.myswissalps.com/bo atlakegeneva

[Removed user]

19 December 2018 at 8:17:10 #900562

Morning Lucas

So glad I asked as would not have realised we can get on a boat at Chillon Castle. That would be ideal as we do want to go there. I will check out the details in your Lake Geneva link and possibly look to do a trip on the boat one way with possibly an option to get on and off and then get a train back.

[Removed user]

19 December 2018 at 9:05:59 #900563

Having looked I now gather there is no boat that goes all the way from Montreux to Geneva plus I did not realise just how far it is. Also I have read that Chillon Castle can take up a couple of hours looking around. So I am thinking drive to the castle park nearby spend time there get a boat/ferry to Lausanne and a train back and on return have some time in Montreux. Does this seem a good plan?

[Arno]

19 December 2018 at 9:44:35 #900564

Hi Sharon,

Geneva would indeed take many hours on the boat, plus a change to another boat in Lausanne (Ouchy). You could consider to do things the other way around: go to Ouchy (or Vevey for a shorter ride) first, then take the boat to Chillon Castle. That way the departure time of the boat won’t be limiting your sightseeing time at the castle. It’s a large castle and two hours is the minimum for a very quick look around. Could be half a day as well.

Also you could park much closer to your accommodation, in Visp for example. That way you could train straight to Lausanne without parking near the castle, take the metro down to Ouchy and catch the boat. Also I think parking near the castle is free, but also time limited so you may not be able to park there all day.

[Removed user]

19 December 2018 at 10:12:12 #900565

Good suggestions thank you. I am now beginning to get more of a plan.

[Removed user]

19 December 2018 at 13:56:45 #900566

I have been having a look look around the area and will definitely take up the option of train to Lausanne and boat back to look around the Chillon Castle. Regarding the car I have been doing a virtual tour of Villeneuve and can see lots of car parks. It looks a quieter town than Montreux and parking appears easier, would it be expensive? The reason for this choice is when we get back I would like to drive back as we like stopping and looking at things as and when we want rather than leave the car in Visp and be on a train. I see it is only a short walk from Chillon to Villeneuve. I did check out the Chillon parking and it is free but 4 hours maximum using a blue ticket. I am going to check these out as I think they can be obtained and used in other places

[Arno]

19 December 2018 at 14:41:20 #900567

It’s less than half an hour to walk from the castle to Villeneuve. An easy path along the lake: http://www.myswissalps.com/chilloncastle/gettingthere. The blue parking disks are used all over Europe so good to have: http://www.myswissalps.com/ca r/parking. Rental cars should have one too I’d expect.

[Removed user]

19 December 2018 at 15:01:51 #900568

Apparently there are also red parking discs which allow up to 15 hours parking, but I would imagine the red zones are few and far between. I believe the blue ones allow an average of 2 hours free parking. I will definitely get at least a blue one which I am sure will do us fine as we do not intend to spend a lot of time in towns when in the car will mostly be exploring out of town locations mainly the passes and will probably use trains for more urban travel. As you say easier.

[Removed user]

20 December 2018 at 1:29:19 #900569

You will see my comments about travel on your accomodation thread – should move them to here really!

Personally I would take the train from Sion or Martigny to St Gingolph and get the boat from there.

Just this very moment I have posted on another thread about the size of the lake!

From Grächen think about parking at one of the smaller station such as Raron (1 station west from Visp). That can be a nice way of getting onto the train network

PDF for the lake boats eastern end:

http://www.fahrplanfelder.ch/ fileadmin/fap_pdf_fiel ds/2019/3100.pdf

By the way I always use Swiss Geo official mapping, at the largest blow up you will be able to identify your holiday chalet individually!

map.geo.admin.ch/?lang=en&topic=ech&bgLa yer=ch.swisstopo.pixel karte-farbe&layers=ch.swisst opo.zeitreihen,ch.bfs. gebaeude_wohnungs_regi ster,ch.bav.haltestell en-oev,ch.swisstopo.swiss tlm3d-wanderwege&layers_visi bility=false,false,fal se,false&layers_timest amp=18641231,,,&E=2631 425.20&N=1116231.80&zo om=5

[Removed user]

20 December 2018 at 8:09:34 #900570

Hello 1960man. Is there a reason you suggest parking at Sion rather than Villeneuve as we really would prefer to drive back to Grachen and stop and start as we want. As per my other post on the accomodation thread definitely will have some car free days specially when visiting Zermatt.