Planning 3 nights in Lucerne & 3 in Interlaken

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    17 October 2018 at 18:18:08 #818726

    we will be coming from Paris, will spend 5 full days in switzerland in Lucerne(3 nights), Interlaken(3 nights) then need to go to Venice from switzerland

    Plan to visit 1. Mt. Rigi, 2. Mt. Titlis/pilatis, 3.Mt. Shihorn, 4. Jaugfrau, 5.chocolate factory & cheese factory

    My questions are:

    — I only find swiss travel pass for 4 days then the next one is for 8 days, what are the options to travel on our 5th day?

    — should we come to Bern from Paris via TGV- Lyria then buy point to point ticket from Bern->Interlaken, spend 3 nights, then travel interlaken–>Lucerne, spend 3 nights then take train to Zurich so we can take direct route to Venice? Is there other better options?

    –Can we cover Mt. Shihorn, Jaugfrau, chocolate factory & cheese factory basing in interlaken, plan is to return to Lucerne after doing the chocolate train day trip. Is that possible?

    –Do we get discounts on point to point tickets if the day of travel is not swiss travel pass days(consecutive), for out case the ticket from Bern to interlaken is point to point ticket as we will start the travel day the following day when we are in interlaken.

    — Do we need to visit both Mt. Rigi and Pilatis/Titlis or they give similar experience/views?

    –Do we need to do both Juanfrau and shilhorn? Or skip any?

    –If the weather is not good what are the other options?

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    18 October 2018 at 10:22:39 #898065

    Hi Ovee27 and welcome to MySwissAlps!

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    18 October 2018 at 18:16:51 #898066

    Thanks that is helpful.

    So in that case we can do Rigi and titlis …as Juagfrau it self is most expensive trip. Me and my husband along with our sons 7 and 12 travelling with me, so we plan for chocolate train. Do I need to pay extra for the chocolate train if I have swiss travel pass?

    Also for any mountain trip when do we buy the tickets? Should we buy from station when we are there?

    If I buy point to point local/international ticket do I need to still reserve the seats?

    How much earlier do I buy the local point to point tickets? can I buy at the station on the day and still get same price if I buy 3/4 months early? I know international point -to -point tickets are cheaper if bought earlier.

    For scenic trains that are covered with swiss travel pass do I need to reserve the seats for the days of the travel?

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    19 October 2018 at 7:07:54 #898067

    If you get the Swiss Travel Pass for the adults, then you can add on the free Swiss Family Card for the kids and then they travel free everywhere you travel on the Swiss Travel Pass.

    Yes, typically people buy the ticket at the mountain station itself, before boarding the train or cable car etc. Even if the trip is covered by the Swiss Travel Pass you often need a ticket to board a cable car (scanning a barcode).

    International tickets have mandatory reservations, travel within Switzerland does not require reservations except on panoramic trains where they are mandatory for everyone: http://www.myswissalps.com/ac tivities/scenictrips/t rain – click the train you are interested in and then the packages tab for reservation details.

    Ticket prices for domestic Swiss trains do not fluctuate at all. International tickets do so best to buy them as early as possible in most cases.

    The Chocolate train is discounted for Swiss Travel Pass holders: http://www.goldenpass.ch/en/g oldenpass/offer/view?id=15

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    19 October 2018 at 14:40:54 #898068

    For chocolate train there is 2 price for Swiss travel pass 49 CHF OR 59 CHF, also do I need to pay for kids? as I see they say children are 49 CHF for junior card holder, I guess we will get family card with the swiss travel pass for kids. Do we still buy tickets for kids for chocolate train? How far in advance I can book this train? can I start the journey from interlaken or lucerne? In the booking page they ask to selec Montreux and Broc chocolat but i am not sure from where to board the train?

    For saver pass I could not find any link to book without a half fare card, we would like to use the saver pass to go in bernina express train from chur to tirano to arrive in Itly on our ;ast day in switzerland. I beleive saver pass cover this. please provide link for saver pass without half fare card and saver pass link for kids.

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    19 October 2018 at 15:07:00 #898069

    Hi Ovee,

    The Chocolate train runs just between Montreux and Broc, so you’d board in Montreux. Children are not free on this train (this is a day long tour essentially). Booking options and fares are on the link I gave above.

    If you don’t take the chocolate train (but take any regional train to Broc, from Montreux or any other town) you and your whole family would travel free on the Swiss Travel Pass and Swiss Family Card. You would also get free entrance to the chocolate factory in Broc and cheese factory in Gruyeres.

    Something to think about if you want to save some money, depending on how important the actual chocolate train is to you.

    The link for the Saver Day Pass I gave on my first reply has links to buy the Saver Day Pass (no Swiss Half Fare Card required). Click on the link on that page under More on other websites.

    The Swiss Family Card does not work with the Saver Day Pass so you must buy a one day travel pass for kids (http://www.myswissalps.com/on edaytravelpass) for the kids on the Bernina Express trip.

    Seat reservations are extra and mandatory for everyone. http://www.myswissalps.com/be rninaexpress/packages

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    22 October 2018 at 15:32:35 #898070

    Thnak Lucas, I did not know you can visit to the chocolate factory and cheese factory with out the chocolate train, I looked at the routes from interlaken–>Broc, it shows 2.5 hours one way and some construction on the via stations, is it okay to travel through those stations with construction, also there is 10-15 min interval on next train for different platform do you think we will be able to catch the next trains? Also when we arrive Broc or Gruyeres what is option to go to the factories? do we need to UBER/Bus/other options?

    Also can you provide some link for hotels(interlaken and lucerne), we are not looking too to have attached washrooms in hotels/apartments, mid range like 3-3.5 starts.

    as on last day we will travel to italy(tirano) from chur, what is the best way to get to chur? also I beleive i need to reserve for Bernina. Do I need to go via Zurich? do I need to reserve seats to chur from Lucerne?

    day 1:arrive in interlaken from Paris(point to point ticket via TGV Lyria) around afternoon and explore the area where we stayover that night

    Day 2: start using the STP 4 day pass , schilhorn/juanfrau/any other options than mountain?

    Day 3: chocolate and cheese factory

    day 4: arrive in lucerne and visit Rigi

    day 5: mount titlis

    day 6: use the saver day pass and bernina express from chur to tirano

    Does it sound reasonable? also as you mentioned i could do either titlis or juanfrau i am now open to anything else too if you can suggest.

    On day 4 if we travel from interlaken to lucerne is it still possible to do Rigi? or we should come Lucerne the night before?

    Is there anything else that I could fit in this itenary that will be doable ?

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    22 October 2018 at 15:34:57 #898071

    we are looking hotels with attached washrooms

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    22 October 2018 at 18:38:09 #898072

    Yes, travel to those stations would still be accessible with construction – as long as it gives you a connection on the timetable then it is ok.

    It would be a short walk from both Broc and Gruyeres stations to the chocolate and cheese factories respectively – though buses are available. You can enter the address right into the timetable and it will show you how to get there.

    Our hotel suggestions for those towns are on our website here: http://www.myswissalps.com/in terlaken/hotels // http://www.myswissalps.com/lu cerne/hotels

    Yes, the itinerary does look reasonable. Just make sure it is reasonable for you with the travel times by checking the timetable. IE for Interlaken to Lucerne to Rigi – it would be fine to me to do that in one day yes. But again, check the timetable and see if the timing and duration would be ok for you and your group.

    I don’t think I’d try to fit anything else in on each day. But be sure to look through our activity page on each town you visit and make a backup plan (in case weather forces to cancel original plans or you find you have more time than you thought and what to add something on one of your days.

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    25 October 2018 at 14:53:08 #898073

    Lucas,

    Can you please advice on:

    “as on last day we will travel to italy(tirano) from chur, what is the best way to get to chur? also I beleive i need to reserve for Bernina. Do I need to go via Zurich? do I need to reserve seats to chur from Lucerne?”

    I am trying to compare prices for half fare card as well as the card is valid for 1 month which could be saving money for 5 days.

    Can you please let me know how to book for Rigi? round trip we will do from lucerne. we plan to take boat not sure from where/which station to vitznau, then Cable car/cogwheel train to Rigi(kulm/staffel/katbald?) then aerial car down to weggis, do we need to take boat again? it appears to be complicated how to book such trip?

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    25 October 2018 at 16:06:35 #898074

    also to visit from chur to Tirano can I use half fare card for Bernina express?

    It shows chur switzerland–>Tirano switzerland. I thught Tirano is in italy so i could take local to milan/venice?

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    25 October 2018 at 16:24:52 #898075

    What do you mean by the best way to get to Chur? The timetabe (http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable) will give you the most direct route from the town you are starting your trip from.

    Yes, you will need reservations (mandatory) on the Bernina Express: http://www.myswissalps.com/be rninaexpress/packages

    You can read how to compare rail pass costs on our page here (with a spreadsheet to help with the math): http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass

    Rigi does not need to be booked. You can buy tickets from any rail station if/when you decide to go. If you get a Swiss Travel Pass though you won’t need any ticket (as it is covered 100%).

    For details on how one can get to Rigi visit our Rigi page here: http://www.myswissalps.com/ri gi – there are several options. You can also enter Lucerne to Rigi on the timetable and it will give you the most direct route and connections.

    The Swiss Half Fare Card does get you 50% off the ticket on the Bernina Express from Chur all the way to Tirano (do discount on the reservation though). Yes, Tirano is in Italy and it is one of the exceptions to Swiss rail passes covering a route outside of Switzerland. You can see on the PDF map here the routes covered by the Swiss Half Fare Card: http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isshalffarecard/validi ty

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