[Removed user]

22 October 2018 at 15:22:45 #818771

Hi all, need some advice here. Our family of 3 will be visiting Switzerland for the 1st time this December. We fly into Zurich, and join an Insights coach tour that ends in Geneva. We then have to make our way from Geneva back to Zurich, stay over 2 nights before our flight home.

I’m exploring whether there are tour companies that take people from Geneva to Zurich, with sightseeing on the way, as there are other cities we would like to explore while travelling back to Zurich (for example, Gruyeres for the cheese, Lusanne, Bern etc., am open to suggestions and depending on how much we can do in 8 hours!) We are planning to leave Geneva at 8am, and should have the whole day to make our trip to Zurich with stopovers for sightseeing.

I have been told that we could use private hires (cars, minivans), however the quotes were pricey – CHF1200 and up. I wonder if this is the norm? Please pardon the question as we are used to paying a fraction of that cost for a full day hire in Asia.

Also – are there any such car hires that plan itineraries from Geneva to Zurich? Can anyone recommend?

Thank you!

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[Removed user]

22 October 2018 at 18:31:33 #898241

Hi Knottinghill and welcome to MySwissAlps!

It might be easiest, depending on what exactly you want to see and do on your days between Geneva and Zurich, to buy a rail pass and travel independently. Much more freedom to choose where you want to go etc.

You may like to stay somewhere else other than Zurich (http://www.myswissalps.com/zu rich) as well – especially if you want to visit the mountainous areas of Switzerland, like the Jungfrau region: http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion

Read about traveling by train in Switzerland here: http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain

Hiring a private car in Switzerland is indeed very expensive – most everything in Switzerland is quite expensive. You’ll find train travel will be probably by the most cost-effective method.

One tour that I know of is actually the opposite of what you are looking for: A 2 day Switzerland tour from Zurich to Geneva -just to get an idea of what might be available.

[Slowpoke]

24 October 2018 at 1:24:26 #898242

Hi Knottinghill-

<<“We then have to make our way from Geneva back to Zurich, stay over 2 nights before our flight home.

I’m exploring whether there are tour companies that take people from Geneva to Zurich, with sightseeing on the way, as there are other cities we would like to explore while travelling back to Zurich (for example, Gruyeres for the cheese, Lusanne, Bern etc., am open to suggestions and depending on how much we can do in 8 hours!) We are planning to leave Geneva at 8am, and should have the whole day to make our trip to Zurich with stopovers for sightseeing.”>>

I get the impression that you have submitted to the will of the tour company. Good for the first trip. You surely don’t need another one for a day or so at the end of the trip.

To assist, you will find that the Swiss rail system is so efficient and so effective, that you do not need to buy a tour.

Assuming that you will follow the plans stated, you have 8 hours to make the 3 hour journey from Geneva to Zürich, where you will spend two nights. You will not see much on that trip. Why not use it to see the sights and spend only one or perhaps no nights in Zürich?

I’ll answer myself…because you will have seen everything on your guided tour. Or, maybe not?

To guide us in suggesting options for your time after the tour, please tell us where you will be on the tour. It would be foolish of us to suggest something the the tour guides have already shown you.

If you wish to do some planning, these links are some of the many that can help you:

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

map.search.ch/?z=1

Zoom in on the map.

Slowpoke

[andrew]

27 October 2018 at 12:25:52 #898243

Hi Knottinghill,

Lucas and Snowpoke are right. It’s hard to recommend a route without knowing what you’ve already seen but do use public transport. It really is very good.

The idea’s basically good though. We always take an evening flight home and then make something of the day travelling to the airport, seeing things off the main tourist route and sailing on lakes new to us, for instance. My wife sets me a challenge to find something new. It gets more difficult as the years pass but I’m not often defeated.

The Saver Day Pass has made an improvement over the old Transfer Ticket as it allows a more devious route. The SBB App. also makes route planning by public transport easier although perhaps not quite so much fun!

Andrew

[Removed user]

27 October 2018 at 14:43:05 #898244

Thanks Lucas, Slowpoke and Andrew.

I know about the convenience of using the trains. My concern is we are lugging 3 luggage for our journey from Geneva to Zurich. Stopping along the way with luggage can be challenging.

I am now exploring the option of sending our luggage from our hotel in Geneva to our hotel in Zurich. And then hop on the trains.

thanks for your advice again!

[Removed user]

27 October 2018 at 15:19:01 #898245

There is luggage transport options you can take advantage of if your luggage is a concern: http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/practical/luggage

There will be room on the trains to take luggage so I wouldn’t worry too much about that (unless it is mostly a concern about large/heavy items you just don’t want to deal with). 🙂