[Removed user]

15 March 2012 at 11:52:18 #805042

Hi there,

I amplanning for my 7D 6N trip to Switzerland in April and will like to have someexpert advices if my brief itinerary is workable or not.

I will bespending 3 nights in Lucerne and another 3 nights in Interlaken

[u]Day 1 [/u]
Arrived theprevious night and will be staying @ Zurich.
– Are thereany suggestions on how can we spend the day at Zurich?
I had readabout the Lindt chocolate factory but there doesn’t seem much reviews about it.Does the factory tour still exist?

Afterspending the day at Zurich, we will travel to Lucerne and spend the rest of theday around Chapel Bridge, Water Tower, Water Spike and Old City Square etc.

[u]Day 2[/u]
– MorningWeekend Market
– 9 Towers
– Swiss TransportMuseum

I’mskipping Mount Tiltis as I will be already planning for Jungfraujong
Are thereany other “Must-Do” stuffs which I missed out?

[u]Day 3[/u]
– MountRigi – Do we actually need to spend a total of 5-6 hours, including the ferryrides?

[u]Day 4[/u]
Arrival@ Interlaken at about 230pm
– Spend therest of the day in the town of Interlaken

[u]Day 5[/u]
Train ridefrom Interlaken to Jungfraujoch via Wengen.
We willlike to stop over and tour around the following stops:
– Lauterbrunnen(Water Falls)
– Wengen
– KleineScheidegg

What is theestimated time one would spend at each area?
Back to Interlakenvia Grindelwald. Any interesting stops onthe way back?

[u]Day 6[/u]
Travel to Gruyeresto visit the Cheese factory and castle in the early morning.
Afterlunch, travel to Broc Fabrique to visit the Cailler Chocolate factory and thenback to Interlaken.

For thistrip, I will be spending about 5-6 hours on the train. Is this worth it?
Or is itmore worthwhile staying at Interlaken and visit the nearby attractions (E.g. LakeThun / Brienz)

Alternatively,is it advisable to visit Gruyeres from Lucerne instead?

[u]Transport[/u]

I will alsolike to ask if it is a good choice to opt for the Swiss Half Fare Card for my possiblejourneys. Will I be able to get 50% for all the trips?

– FromZurich to Lucerne
– Boat Ridefrom Lucerne to Vitznau
– Return Tramride from Vitznau to Mount Rigi
– Boat Ridefrom Vitznau to Lucerne
– TrainRide from Lucerne to Interlaken
– TrainRide from Interlaken Jungfraujoch via Wengen
– TrainRide from Jungfraujoch to Interlaken via Grindelwald
– TrainRide from Interlaken/Lucerne to Gruyeres
– TrainRide from Gruyeres to Broc Fabrique
– TrainRide from Broc Fabrique to Interlaken/Lucerne
– TrainRide from Interlaken to Zurich

Sorry forthe long write-up and numerous questions!
Thank you!

BestRegards,
Pokoyo!

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[Annika]

17 March 2012 at 4:27:17 #835234

Hi pokoyo! Yes, your itinerary is doable. Some longer trips are included, but they can still be completed all within one day. I think you’ve already discovered the timetable, allowing you to check traveling times for each trip, right? Some further answers:

• There’s a chocolate factory at Flawil, but I’d rather spend my time in Zurich if I were you. Browsing this forum and visiting the Zurich tourism website will provide you with lots of tips.
• A visit to Rigi from Lucerne will take about half a day.
• You could spend about one hour each at Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Kleine Scheidegg and Grindelwald on day 5. That will result in a complete day trip, but it’s worth your time, especially if weather is nice.
• The trip to Gruyères can best be made from Interlaken, not from Lucerne. It’s hard to say whether you should go for that ride, or enjoy the scenery near Interlaken; both are great and it’s a matter of personal preference. You can decide on the spot, depending on weather circumstances in both areas.

As for rail passes: will you be traveling by yourself of with someone else? If you’re not on your own, you’re better off profiting from the current 2 for 1 offer on the 4 day Swiss Saver Flexi Pass. It allows 4 days of free traveling, to be used for your first and last day and for two other days in between (in your case, I’d say you should use day 1, day 3 – Rigi is for free on a free travel day -, day 6 and your last 7th day as free travel days). On the remaining days, a 50% discount will be granted. Further specifics and a downloadable map showing the area of validity can be found at the Swiss Flexi Pass page.

If you will be traveling by yourself, the Swiss Half Fare Card is a good choice indeed. The trips you list are covered. Please refer to the Swiss Half Fare Card page and the validity map too.

You may also be interested in our selection of affordable and/or centrally located hotels near Zurich Airport, in Zurich, in Lucerne and in Interlaken.

[Removed user]

19 March 2012 at 12:01:11 #835235

Hi Annika,

Thank you so much for your advices!

Yes. I am travelling with my partner and after making a rough calculations, the 2 for 1 offer on the 4 day Swiss Saver Flexi Pass is definitely a much cheaper option!

I have the some enquiries on the Swiss Saver Flexi Pass:

1) Do i have to purchase the 2for 1 offer on the 4 day Swiss SaverFlexi Pass online and not when I arrived in Switzerland?

2) I saw the following in the features of the Swiss pass :”Wengen/Grindelwald – Kleine Scheidegg – Jungfraujoch: 25% discount”
Can i confirm if the 4 day Swiss Saver FlexiPass will entitle us to a 50% discount for a return train ride fromInterlaken to Jungfraujoch? Or is the discount only 25%?

3) How do I activate a free travel day? And when do I need to decide which is afree travel day?

Thank you!

Best Regards,
Pokoyo!

[Annika]

20 March 2012 at 15:56:04 #835236

Hello pokoyo! The 2 for 1 offer should be purchased online indeed. The Swiss Flexi Pass offers free traveling (on a free travel day) or a 50% discount (on remaining days) up to Wengen/Grindelwald. Between Wengen/Grindelwald and the Jungfraujoch, a 25% discount applies. These and other specifics, including a downloadable validity network map, are listed at the Swiss Flexi Pass page.

You can activate a free travel day by writing down the date at your pass or have it stamped at a railway station (instructions will be enclosed). You should do so before boarding your first train/bus/boat on a free travel day, so you can decide shortly in advance.