[Removed user]

24 March 2019 at 9:56:03 #820567

I have a 5 night stay in Swiss. Entering Swiss into Basel Airport and exiting Swiss on 6th day from he same airport. We are a family of 4 people including 2 kids aged 18.

Our interest are only in sightseeing the mountains and alps and a few local panoramic rides. We prefer staying at one place only for all 5 nights. Hence is Interlaken a better option to stay or Luzerne?

Since we are here for 5 days and only keen in doing mountains and nearby scenes should I buy Swiss flex pass (since we are here for complete 5 nights)? Please guide.

regards

Palani, from India

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[Removed user]

24 March 2019 at 11:22:05 #907406

Hello Palani and Welcome to MySwissAlps.

Nice to hear you’re coming to Switzerland. Please note that the country is called “Switzerland”, Swiss is the nationality. Thanks for using this correctly.. 🙂

Regarding your questions, both Lucerne and Interlaken are good base cities to visit mountains, whereas Interlaken is rather a village than a city. Find details below:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/lu cerne
– http://www.myswissalps.com/la kelucerne
– http://www.myswissalps.com/in terlaken
– http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion

In the “What to do” section of these links you will find the best day trips, mountains and activities for each place.

You will be able to visit both areas during your stay as Lucerne and Interlaken are just below 2 hours train ride apart so you can make day-trips.

To find out about detailed travelling times use our timetable link:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

I hope you get some inspiration from this. Get back to us for any further details required.

Best,
Steph

[kim11]

24 March 2019 at 17:56:24 #907407

What time of year are you traveling?

For mountains you are better off basing in one of the Swiss mountain villages such as Wengen. But it depends on time of year.

[Removed user]

25 March 2019 at 2:46:21 #907408

Thanks Steph and Kim, appreciate your detailed information. This helps.

I shall be arriving in Switzerland during first week of May 2019 and honestly haven’t done any planning for my activities, except for my entry and exit flight tickets to and from Switzerland.

Now that I got a fair idea from the above 2 feedbacks about my stay location am still awaiting feedback on my travel pass. Since the number of nights at Switzerland would be 5 nights, would a flex pass be more convenient or Is there a need to buy a pass in the first place.

Entry into Basel airport would be 8 am on first day and exit from Basel airport on 6th day would be around 16:00 hours.

Thanks

Palani a.k.a Poly

[Removed user]

25 March 2019 at 10:21:14 #907409

Hello Palani,

Sorry for missing the rail pass question.

Assuming you move around Switzerland with public transportation it is normally recommendable looking into the available rail passes, they practically always offer benefits.

To be entirely sure which benefits the passes provide you first need to know your itinerary to be able to calculate details.

For an overview of the available rail passes use the link below:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses

Popular passes for exploring Switzerland are e.g. the Swiss Travel Pass (normally the consecutive one makes more sense) and the Swiss Half Fare Card. But as said, this depends on your itinerary and activities.
– http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass (consecutive)
– http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpassflex
– http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isshalffarecard

Here two links for arrival and departure via Basel:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/ai rports/basel
– http://www.myswissalps.com/ba sel

We’re here for any further support.

Best,
Steph

[Removed user]

25 March 2019 at 10:29:11 #907410

That’s super fast response, Steph. Thanks.

I haven’t built an itinerary yet, but seems the Swiss Rail pass itinerary would fit in best based on materials provided by you. Having said that, Can I use the panoramic Golden pass train and hip on hop off just between Interlaken and Lucerne or to some other rail station and return back in same train while coming back to Interlaken… In short can I hop on hop off in golden pass train using Swiss rail pass?

Thanks though for answering all my quriesq, this indeed will help built my itinerary.

Cheers

Palani

[Removed user]

25 March 2019 at 10:40:19 #907411

Hi Palani,

You are more than welcome, that’s what we’re here for, to support you set up your itinerary.

The answer to your question about hopping off and back on to trains between Lucerne and Interlaken holding a Swiss Travel Pass is simply – YES!

Check:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass/validity
– http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass/tickets

Happy planning. We’re here for further input.

Best,
Steph

[Removed user]

25 March 2019 at 11:18:02 #907412

Thanks Steph, shall circle back shortly after I draft an itinerary and then shall send it across for addition/deletion from your end based on your expertise.

Best

Palani

[Slowpoke]

26 March 2019 at 1:35:17 #907413

Early May in the high Alps is not the best time to travel there. Between seasons… Winter hangs on, but not gracefully. How well it will work for you depends on the kind of activitis that you plan.

Slowpoke

[Removed user]

26 March 2019 at 4:14:36 #907414

At the outset, thanks for the feedback. Our activity is to indulge in sightseeing and not of much sports, hope this activity will befit is during May, correct?

[Arno]

26 March 2019 at 6:58:49 #907415

Hi Poly,

For sightseeing May is fine as long as you’ve checked opening/operational hours of the things you want to visit. I went in May several times too.

http://www.myswissalps.com/be sttimetovisit

[Slowpoke]

26 March 2019 at 10:32:12 #907416

Many cableways and high mountain transport do not operate until mid to late May. And, very much dependent on the Winter’s snow pack, higher trails..above 1500 to 2000 meters may still be closed.

So, if, for example, you wish to go from Wengen to Männlichen , check the timetable on your specific days to see if that cableway is running.

Major sight-seeing locations will be open ( Jungfraujoch, Schilthorn) , and transport to them will be operating, as Arno noted. Also, check the timetable, to confirm.

Many hotels and restaurants but not all will be closed for the between seasons break. It is still the tail end of Winter at high altitudes, but the snow is too far gone for skiing, and not gone enough for many of the higher altitude hikes. So, not so many visitors.

I go to Switzerland every year in mid to late May, but I don’t try to go up in the high mountains then. For that, I wait until September.

Slowpoke

[Removed user]

26 March 2019 at 11:38:22 #907417

Thanks Arno and Slowpoke, All information provided by you definitely helps.

we will be stationed in Interlaken as base for all 5 nights of our stay i nn Switzerland, any probable itinerary you want to recommend ?

Thanks

[Removed user]

26 March 2019 at 14:39:36 #907418

Hello Poly,

If you search trough the links provided for Interlaken and the Jungfrau Region I’m sure you will find enough to do during your stay.

Check below link for additional inspiration
– http://www.myswissalps.com/on edayjungfrauregion

Happy planning.

Best,
Steph