MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial Swiss holiday in Dec with a child, no skiing
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Dear Swiss Alps members,
We are a family of 3 (2 adults in our early 40s with a daughter who will be aged 9 at time of travel).
Dates of our trip: 3 Dec 2022 (arrive at Zurich airport at 7.50 pm) to 16 Dec 2022 (depart Geneva airport at 8.40 pm.
Not keen on art museums and skiing.
Enjoy scenery, good food and short hikes (a 3 to 4 hour return journey is our maximum limit). We have not experienced snow before, and are looking forward to some winter activities (which are safe for young children).
We have not booked our accommodation yet, but will do so one the journey is firmed up.
3 Dec 2022
Drive Zurich airport at 7.50 pm.
Have dinner before departing for Lucerne via regular train.
Arrive Lucerne. Stay Lucerne.
4 Dec 2022 to 6 Dec 2022 (3 day 2 night)
Explore Lucerne
6 Dec 2022- 11 Dec 2022 (Lucerne-> Interlaken) (6 day 5 night)
Luzern-Interlaken Express.
Stay Interlaken
11 Dec 2022- 15 Dec 2022 (Interlaken ->Zermatt) (5 day 4 night)
Stay Zermatt
15 Dec 2022-16 Dec 2022 (Zermatt->Lausanne) (2 day 1 night)
Stay Lausanne
Day trip to Montreux, Christmas market
16 Dec 2022 (Lausanne-> Geneva)
Day trip to Geneva. Luggage at locker train station.
Depart for home from Geneva airport.
Questions:
1) Are there regular trains along our journey that would allow for views of nice scenery (like those on panoramic trains)? We do not wish to spend 8 hours on the Glacier Express as our child would get bored and probably sleep on the train!
2) Are we spending too much time at Interlaken and Zermatt?
Feel free to comment and suggest alternatives. Thank you for your time!
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A long trip to Switzerland in December with no skiing or museums is not the ideal holiday in my opinion, as the walking at higher altitudes is not as convenient (or even possible in some areas) as it is in Spring – Autumn. Other ‘tourist attractions/activities away from skiing are also limited. If you hit a period of bad weather there would be little to do at altitude. One or two mountain top trips in the snow might be OK, but equally it is possible a 9-year old may get bored with yet more cold mountain tops, especially if damp and misty.
In winter Switzerland has what are called ‘Winterwanderweg’ (winter walking) routes which are signed with pink signs (compared to the iconic yellow signs used for the legendarily comprehensive Swiss walking path network. Above about 800 – 1000m altitude these will generally be the only paths legally open. However, you can usually walk in the lower altitude regions of Switzerland on Wanderweg at any time of year.
http://www.schweizmobil.ch/en/summer.html
http://www.schweizmobil.ch/en/winter-hiking.html
http://www.schweizer-wanderwege.ch/
My comments:
1) you can indeed travel on ‘regular’ trains – regulars on this forum know that many of my posts to this forum promote the use of ‘normal’ trains over the so called ‘panoramic’ trains. Most normal Swiss trains all have perfectly good large windows that give just the same views as those available from ‘panoramic’ coaches.
2) yes, your proposed stay in Zermatt is too long if you are not skiing. Without skiing there is a limit to what you can do in Zermatt in winter without repeating things
A long stay in Interlaken is OK in December as it is a central point and you can easily do trips to Bern etc as well as up towards the Jungfrau
Hi Ketoeato,
I know, you wrote you are not into museums, but please allow me to still recommend the Transport Museum in Lucerne. It is a museum but it is very attractive and interactive. 🙂
For other activity tips in the Lake Lucerne area, please visit: http://www.myswissalps.com/lakelucerne/activities.
Regarding the Jungfrau region, you can find the activity tips here: http://www.myswissalps.com/jungfrauregion/activities.
1960man’s probably right, 4 nights in Zermatt is too much during winter if you do not ski. 2-3 nights are enough there. Activity tips in and around Zermatt: http://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt/activities.
The Christmas Market in Montreux is one of my favourites! 🙂 Here you have a list of Christmas markets in other places: http://www.myswissalps.com/activities/christmasmarkets.
Other activity tips in the Lake Geneva area: http://www.myswissalps.com/lakegeneva/activities.
The Interlaken – Montreux train route is scenic and not that long: http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass.
As you are coming during winter, you can try snowshoeing and sledging. Other non-ski activities can be found here: http://www.myswissalps.com/activities/winter/nonski and http://www.myswissalps.com/activities/winter/snow.
At http://www.myswissalps.com/plantrip/doityourself/sampleitineraries/scenictrainswinter you can find a sample winter itinerary, you might get some new ideas from this one too.
Regarding the winter weather, I recommend this page: http://www.myswissalps.com/weather/winter.
For accommodation, have a look at these carefully selected lists:
- Lucerne: http://www.myswissalps.com/lucerne/hotels
- Interlaken: http://www.myswissalps.com/interlaken/hotels
- Zermatt: http://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt/hotels
- Lausanne: http://www.myswissalps.com/lausanne/hotels
Make sure to get a Swiss rail pass for your holiday, like the Swiss Travel Pass, you’ll save money with it. For your 9 years old, you can get either the Swiss Family Card (http://www.myswissalps.com/swissfamilycard) or the Junior Travel Card (http://www.myswissalps.com/juniortravelcard) – it depends on what kind of pass do you get for yourself. This page can help you how to choose a rail pass: http://www.myswissalps.com/train/ticketspasses/practical/chooserailpass. But we are here too, and glad to help. 🙂
Take care,
Ildiko
Hi 1960man, IIdiko,
Thank you for the precious inputs. Will read in detail!
We have revised our itinerary to cut our bases down from 4 to 3, and reduced the stay at Zermatt from 4 to 3 (as we don’t ski). Also, would Grindelwald be a better option than Interlaken as a base for Jungfraujoch?
Zurich arrive 3 Dec, 7.50 pm. Train to Lucerne. Sleep Lucerne.
Lucerne 4 Dec to 8 Dec (5D4N).
On a day trip basis from Luzern, to
get to : Mt Pilatus, basel, bern, Lausanne, Montreux, Lugano.
Grindelwald (6D5N)
*most rides will be having maintenance break till second week of Dec 2022.
For eg Grindelwald Gründ to MÄNNLICHEN.
Question: suggestion on how to move Grindelwald to second week of Dec 2022 such that most rides would be opened?
Zermatt (3D2N)
Depart Geneva 16 Dec
First Gondola Cable Car will be closed due to maintenance work from 24.10.22 – 16.12.22:
Is there an alternative way to travel to Grindelwald First during the period that the cable car is not in operation?
Hi Ketoeato,
The most convenient way to reach Grindelwald First is with the cable car. You could hike up from Grindelwald but the trail might a be challenging for small legs. Also take note that the cable car to Männlichen only starts operating again from 11 December.
I agree with 1960man that Interlaken may be a better base for a winter trip. It has a good location and with good transport network you can easily plan day trips to the mountains (Jungfraujoch) as well as to the lakes. You can also visit the Christmas markets in Bern and other neighbouring towns and cities.
Regards,
Anna
Hello!
I have revised my itinerary again as our child would like to see the flying Santa at Montreux’s Christmas market (and we also read that it is one of the best in Switzerland!).
Sunrise after 8am
Sunset before 440pm
Zurich > Lucerne
3 Dec Arrive Zurich airport, 7.50 pm. Depart Zurich for Lucerne.
Lucerne (4 Dec to 7 Dec)
Full day trip to Mt Rigi (includes boat tour on Lake Lucerne on the way)
Lucerne Christmas market at Franziskanerplatz (from evening) . Market stalls from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Food stands from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m
Full day trip to Basel trip (full day, including a visit to the paper mill museum, Christmas market)
Full day
Lucern Old Town attractions
Swiss transport museum (opens daily 10am to 5pm)
Lucern Old Town attractions (continue)
Lucerne >Interlaken (7 Dec to 12 Dec)
Golden Pass route from Lucerne to Interlaken.
Day trips from Interlaken towards the Jungfraujoch. [activities to be filled in subsequently]
Go to Thun from Interlaken.
Full day trip to Bern from Interlaken (Christmas Market at Berner Münster Weihnachtsmark)
Interlaken > Zermatt (12 Dec to 14 Dec)
Train with 2 changes, 2hr 32min.
Zermatt > Montreux (14 Dec to 16 Dec)
Train , 2h 53m [activities to be filled in subsequently]
Christmas market
16 Dec Geneva > Home country
Questions:
1) is the flow of the destinations good to go?
im hoping we get good weather at Zermatt. We only have 14 and 15 Dec there!.
Hi there,
Yes, I think your itinerary is ok and doable. I hope you’ll have nice weather in Zermatt. Before you book any of your mountain transport make sure to check the weather forecast first. Or even better if you buy tickets just during the evening for the next day’s trip, if you want to get your tickets in advance. Otherwise, you can buy them on the spot before you travel.
Let us know if you have further questions,
Ildiko
Ps.: I am going to add links to your post, if you would like to know more about those places, please fell free to check them.
MySwissAlps.com recommends reading this: Weather in Switzerland during winter
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