[Removed user]

20 July 2019 at 16:17:30 #822953

We are a family of three grown children, two of whom are married, so seven adults. By the time we take our trip in July 2020 we will have three infants-one ten month old and twins who will be six months old.

We will be leaving Strasbourg via train next July 8 and picking up two rental vehicles somewhere in Germany. (Vehicles will be returned in Munich two weeks later after visiting the Passion Play and Salzburg. We want to pick up vehicles in Germany to avoid the extra fee.)

Once we have our cars we want to spend six days seeing parts of Switzerland including Interlakken (with a day trip to Lucerne), the Zermatt area, and any other nearby places. Suggestions?

We enjoy moderate hiking, want to take the trains/ gondolas near the Matterhorn, and stroll around quaint villages. I realize no cars are allowed in Zermatt. Is there an area to park right outside the village?

I have VRBO and Airbnb accommodations in Strasbourg, Oberammergau, Salzburg, and Munich for 2-3 nights each. These are before and after our time in Switzerland. We have traveled quite a lot but our children haven’t spent any time in Switzerland yet. My husband and I have only spent time in Lucerne and Innsbrook on a tour thirty years ago.

i am looking for suggestions on which towns to stay in, how many nights of the six in each town, or perhaps just staying somewhere that has access to all of our desired places with reasonable day trips. I was thinking three nights in Interlakken and then two nights near Zermatt in a vehicle-friendly town. We will have two vehicles.

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[Removed user]

21 July 2019 at 0:14:43 #918254

For Zermatt you park at Täsch:

http://www.zermatt.ch/en/arri val/mtt/Matterhorn-Terminal-Schedule-Prices

However, this is mainly best if you are staying a long time in Zermatt (such as a ski week). If you have a car and are visiting Zermatt, it could be more economical to stay in Brig or Visp or one of the villages on the Visp – Zermatt railway and take the train to Zermatt for the day.

There are chalet rentals in the valley in Täsch and Randa for example.

[Arno]

21 July 2019 at 8:04:36 #918255

Hi Rssmile,

Another option to consider is to stay in or around Interlaken for all 6 days. The area has plenty to offer for weeks and is centrally located. A day trip to Zermatt is doable from there: it takes a little over 2 hours by train, which is faster than by car and you’d avoid parking fees. With a large group like yours it might be more comfortable to have one base and avoid moving to a second one for a very short stay.

You could even consider not renting a car at all for Switzerland, as public transport allows you to go nearly everywhere and several day trips will even be more flexible without a car.

More information can be found here:

• http://www.myswissalps.com/in terlaken
• http://www.myswissalps.com/ze rmatt
• http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain
• http://www.myswissalps.com/ca r

[Mark]

21 July 2019 at 12:41:38 #918256

Hi Rssmile

I think most all the regular forum contributors would advise using the trains and other public transportation in Switzerland. I think you would find it overall more convenient and much more pleasurable. With 3 small children I would definitely look for lodging close to the train stations. There should be plenty of options in Interlaken, Grindelwald, or Lauterbrunnen in the Jungfrau area.

A day trip to Zermatt is a good idea. The train to Gornergrat is just across the street from Zermatt’s main train station. But there are many hotels (and i suspect rentals) in Zermatt very near the station, however likely pricey.

Mark