[Removed user]

27 June 2016 at 7:45:04 #809544

Hi gyus,

I am planning to visit Switzerland for 4 days in 2nd week of Aug. I am not able to finalize my itinerary. My (as of now) starting point will be Lausanne (I will be coming from Toulouse, France), and will start for Milan, Italy from Zurich (will either take Bernina Express or local on same route) on 5th Day. Current high level itinerary I thought as of now (not sure if it is possible):

Day 1: Arrive at Lausanne (via Bus/Train) at around 10 AM. Checkin to hotel and visit Matterhorn.

Day 2: Start for Interlaken early in morning. Get a hotel, checkin. Yet to decide what to do here.

Day 3: Start for Lucerne early morning. Visit Mt. Pilatus.

Day 4: Start for Zurich, visit Rhine falls. Evening, walk in city.

Day 5: Start for Italy via Chur.

Need suggestions here (if above itinerary is feasible), or should I change it to enjoy more. All options (starting from Toulouse) are welcome.

We are 3 (2 adults + 3 year old kid).

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[Slowpoke]

27 June 2016 at 9:16:08 #853515

Hi Sharmamani83-

Welcome to My Swiss Alps.

At the moment, i don’t have time to check your itinerary in detail. It does look like a nice one, and quite full.

For a start, you might check the timetable for your journeys. It will give you a good idea of travel times.

http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

General information on planning your trip is available in this link and several included with in it if you click on “More”:

http://www.myswissalps.com/ge ttingstarted

Slowpoke

[Arno]

27 June 2016 at 10:44:18 #853516

Hi sharmamani83,

Personally I wouldn’t change base every day; certainly with a young child. You might spend a lot of time on moving around (although that can be fun in Switzerland) and just a bit on sightseeing. But, that’s a personal preference.

Also note that Lausanne is not near the Matterhorn. You’d better to stay in Zermatt. One night is a bit risky. If it’s covered in clouds you may not see the mountain at all, or just part of it. I would skip Zurich for such a short stay and add that night to Lucerne or Interlaken.

[Removed user]

28 June 2016 at 5:54:17 #853517

Thanks for the response. This is really helpful.

We really want to see the waterfall (it is biggest in Europe). We can skip Matterhorn, and directly go to Lucerne/Interlaken and visit Jungfraujoch. Just wanted to check, if we will not miss Matterhorn and Jungfraujoch is equally good.

[Slowpoke]

28 June 2016 at 6:51:19 #853518

Hi Sharmamani83-

Also, August is definitely a busy season in the Alps, so that :

<<“Start for Interlaken early in morning. Get a hotel, checkin. “>>

may be difficult.

It would be a good idea to book ahead, and you may find many hotels in the area are already full.

It is certainly true that the Rhine Falls are powerful and large.

http://www.myswissalps.com/rh inefalls

They are not very high, however.

And, it is true that the Matterhorn and the Jungfrau are both Swiss Alps.

Both of those alpine regions are different from one another, and the Jungfrau region is probably the most sought after scenic region in Switzerland, and is uniquely Swiss. It covers a large area:

http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion

Of course, making choices is required in Switzerland, and what choice you make will be a truly personal decision. Not to make choices, however, can mean not having enough time at any one location to really enjoy it. Further, in the Alps, weather is difficult to predict and can change very quickly. To insure having a good look at or from the Jungfrau, is is wise and common to stay for more than part of one day. Same for Zermatt. Arno’s advice is really on the mark. You are setting a very difficult itinerary, even if you did not have any needs for a bit of extra time to travel with a young child.

On average, the clouds tend to come in around Jungfraujoch and the Jungfrau Massif in the afternoon. Thus, on average, it is wisest to plan to go up in the morning, and to check various weather sources right up to the minute before you get on the train at Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald to go up to Jungfraujoch.

Please check the timetable for your journeys.

Lausanne to Jungfraujoch takes 4 hours and 32 minutes. Further, even if you leave Lausane at 0720 and arrive at Interlaken Ost at 0928, you still have to insert time to find a hotel ( your words) and get to it. At that hour, most hotel rooms that are available are not cleaned and ready. Certainly, you can leave your luggage after you check in, but it takes time. And, the room is unlikely to be available for “freshening up” if you need to. That means that you will arrive at the Jungfraujoch only in the early afternoon. Don’t forget some time for lunch. If it is a really nice day in August, you may have to wait for a train seat at Kleine Scheidegg. Or, book a head at the risk that it will not be a clear day, and pay to see the inside of a cloud. It is not a cheap trip. They scenery inside a cloud is not terribly interesting.

Lausanne to Zermattt ( not to one of the alpine viewpoints, just to Zermatt) takes 3 hours; to Gornergrat, for example, almost 4 hours.. Same issues with weather as any other Alpine region.

You can certainly make those trips, and many people go to Switzerland with the specific aim of riding the trains. You did not state that riding the trains is your objective, however. In my personal opinion, you are planning too little time in the target locations to enjoy them, if your objective is to see the destinations in any detail..

I agree with Arno.

Skip Zürich and the Rhine Falls.

Many people enjoyably spend a week or more in and near Luzern or the Jungfrau region. Add time to one of those.

That is just one more personal opinion however. It is your opinion that counts.

Slowpoke

[Removed user]

28 June 2016 at 7:18:56 #853519

Thanks Slowpoke.

We will skip Zurich/Matterhorn for this trip, and spend time in Lucerne and Interlaken as suggested. Being with a kid and luggage (I am travelling to Europe for 2 months), looks like this travelling is not that good. I am planning to book hotels/rail pass in next 1-2 days, and needed as much information before booking them.

Thanks again, it really helped.

[Slowpoke]

28 June 2016 at 8:14:59 #853520

Glad we can help.

You can ship your luggage reliably and safely inside Switzerland, by rail, for varying fees depending on which speed of service you choose. I often ship a heavy bag and carry a light one with a day or two’s supplies. Some main stations can offer same day service, but a bit slower is cheaper.

http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/services/lugg age-and-flight-luggage.html

Slowpoke