Swiss itinerary for December 2015

Hello Frmercury!

Arno is right - the Swiss Half Pass is personalised to the individual's name and passport number, so you and your partner will each need to obtain a copy.

I'm running into some trouble, having entered the wrong passport number during purchase (my passport was just renewed but I forgot and entered my old number). It's a hassle so be sure to get all details correct because they will be checking your pass against your passport. I'm hoping I can get a refund for my old ticket :(

Enjoy your Swiss trip! :)

<<"been tied down with work lately. ">> You have my sympathy. ;-)

Slowpoke

Hey Arno I didn't know that, thanks for the info!

@JaneQ oh no! I hope you get a refund too, they're really pricey!

Hi Slowpoke,

Thanks! hahaha story of your life too? XD Hence, this trip to Swiss. I'm really looking forward to a good break.

Jane

Hi Jane;

The name of the country in English is Switzerland.

"Swiss" is an adjective.

What makes it confusing is that the name in German is die Schweiz, in French - Suisse.

Slowpoke

Hi Slowpoke,

Apologies for the misuse and thanks for the clarification. Looking forward to Switzerland :)

Jane

Traditionally, the various cantons have majority populations ofeither Roman Catholic or Protestant Evangelical Reform denominations.Kanton Luzern is a Catholic canton. I have not tried a Google search,but I am sure that you will find a place for worship.

Hello pooja02!

Thank you for the information! :) ok, will keep a look out! When I travel around Europe, I often prefer to search for churches ahead of time because I can't tell the Catholic from other Christian churches (no offence intended against other denominations of Christianity, but I am more familiar with the Catholic proceedings). I tried to google but there was limited info online. What little I could find, I was unfamiliar with the names and address (i.e. How long from train stations), hence the question.

Separately, could anyone advice what types of footwear is suitable for Swiss weather? I was thinking of packing running shoes (with solid anti-slip soles) but a friend who's been to Titlis suggested waterproof footwear instead. Any comments on that? We don't intend to do skiing or hiking. If it's a short panoramic walks (i.e. not lasting more than 2hrs) we will give it a try.

Thanks!

Jane

<<"Traditionally, the various cantons have majority populations ofeither Roman Catholic or Protestant (Evangelical Reform) denominations.Kanton Luzern is a Catholic canton. I have not tried a Google search,but I am sure that you will find a place for worship.The JesuitChurch (die Jesuitenkirche) in Luzern by the river is an outstanding andbeautiful landmark. See attached picture taken at dawn from our hotelroom at the Hotel Schiff (now closed.)">>

That is a quote from my earlier post

<<"Traditionally, the various cantons have majority populations ofeither Roman Catholic or Protestant Evangelical Reform denominations.Kanton Luzern is a Catholic canton. I have not tried a Google search,but I am sure that you will find a place for worship">>

That is a quote from your post.

Glad that your opinion matches own.

Slowpoke

I would not recommend running shoes in December. It could be fine if the weather is mild, but normally it will be chilly to cold, so I would prefer something warmer and indeed waterproof. No moon boots or hard-core hiking shoes. Solid waterproof outdoor shoes will work both in cities and for peak excursions.

<<"but a friend who's been to Titlis suggested waterproof footwear instead.">>

Hi Jane -

The trails -even the easy ones - may be slippery or snowy. And, it can rain. It will be a lot lot colder than Singapore. As Arno mentions, waterproof footwear is pretty much necessary for any walks of more than a very short distance. The soles should have good grip. Lugs are best, but anything with strong texture and good grip is a very good idea.

it is nuisance to have to carry or bring heavy shoes/boots, but, I always bring and wear hiking boots....grip and ankle support are important at my advanced age. I am so used to wearing them that I am uncomfortable without them. But, even om easy trails, they help on gravelly surfaces that have an incline. As Arno says, for the walks you have described, you'll need sturdy footware that is resistant to rain and snow. Real hiking boots would be overkill.

Stay warm and dry!

Slowpoke

Hi Arno and Slowpoke,

Thanks for the heads up! Thankfully I checked with you guys if not I'll freeze! I don't think we have Lugs in Singapore, would Dr Marten or Timberland work? I'm thinking in terms of practicality - so would prefer to buy shoes that I can also wear in Singapore. Haha..by hardcore shoes, are you referring to brands like North Face? From what I remember, they don't have fleece-lined boots.

Thanks a bunch guys!

Jane

I was referring to category B/C hiking shoes (there's category A to D). There are many brands offering shoes like that, like Meindl, North Face, Lowa and Hanwag. But for short easy trails you don't need to spend € 200 or more on such shoes, especially if it's a one time thing for you.

Hi Arno-

My boots are Lowa Renegade II's.

Relatively light ( compared to my all leather Asolo's) but chosen for another reason.

I have very large feet, and those are the only boots I could find that were large enough and good for serious trails.

The categories that you mention are new to me....either not used in the USA, or I never noticed. Which is sturdiest - A or D?

Surely, Jane does not need to go to that level of boot quality ( and cost.) as you note.

Here in the US there are many variations on walking shoes or hiking shoes or even fancy sneakers that look more like short boots, all of which have soles with substantial texture, are waterproof ( usually Goretex lined) and definitely not sturdy enough to stand up to long hikes on rough trails with a heavy pack on your back..

My wife wears those "light duty" hiking footwear, and likes the grip for any walking or hiking that we do on any surface.

I think hers are Merrill brand, which is very common fo light duty hiking footwear over here.

Slowpoke

<<"Thank you for the information! :) ok, will keep a look out! When I travel around Europe, I often prefer to search for churches ahead of time because I can't tell the Catholic from other Christian churches (nooffence intended against other denominations of Christianity, but I am more familiar with the Catholic proceedings). I tried to google but there was limited info online. What little I could find, I was unfamiliar with the names and address (i.e. How long from train stations), hence the question.">>

Jane - if you get there before Friday, during open hours, the tourist information office by track #1 at Luzern main station can help you. They are very good at helping tourists with all kinds of issues.I don't know if they will be open on Christmas day.

Slowpoke

<<"tried to google but there was limited info online. What little I could find, I was unfamiliar with the names and address (i.e. How long from train stations), hence the question.">>

Jane -

I you cannot use the Tourist Office in Luzern, try this:

Enetr the address of the church on Mapsearch.CH

map.search.ch/

Then, zoom in on nearby train lines or towns on the map. As you zoom in, symbols for train stations or bus stops will apper.

Mouse over them for an abbreviated schedule or the tyrain (or bus) and zoom out to see how far the church is from where you are or from Luzern HB.

Hope that helps,

Slowpoke

<<"<<"25 Dec [Stay at Lucerne] Explore Lucerne – are trains running since it’s Christmas (national holiday)? Are there any Christmas markets at Lucerne? Are there any Catholic churches since we’re Catholics and would like to attend Christmas mass :)">>

Hi Jane -

I have continued to follow up on this question, to see if I could get a more specific answer.

I asked a friend who lives near Luzern.

Here is what he said, slightly edited:

<<"Christmas Day is VERY quiet. Christmas Eve is when the masses,celebrations, etc. Take place. Everyone goes skiing on Christmas Day.More trains on holidays than on weekdays. 26 December is also a holiday. Restaurants and hotels will be all open. Migros and COOP grocery stores in the train station will be open.Don'tknow of any Roman Catholic churches other than your mentions [the Jesuit Church and behind it, the Franciscan church in Luzern. Those show up on Mapsearch.CH]. There aremany such, though, and many will have services ON CHRISTMAS EVE. Doubt the Tourist will be open on Christmas day or the day after. On Christmas Eve, they will be open until late afternoon.">>

Still not a whole lot more specifics, but you're more likely to find something on Christmas Eve than on Christmas day.

I did look up the tourist information center in Luzern main station.

From their website, it seems that they will be open when you are there till 5 or 5:30 in the afternoon on the 24th. Also some on the 25th and 26th. You can telephone them, too. And, they list a web site:

www.luzern.com/en/tour istinformation-lucerne

I think you would be wise to e-mail them.

If you use mapsearch.ch (try this link) you can set in the Points of Interest to select Public Buildings. I tried to get a link to the specific image that can help you:

map.search.ch/?z=128&x=3786m&y=21404m &poi=gebaeude

or

www.search.ch/

In case that does not work, open Mapsearch.ch, zoom in on Luzern, select Points of Interest, de-select all but Public Buildings You will see the icons for many buildings, and quite a few will be churches. Mouse over each one for details.

Slowpoke

Hi Slowpoke,

You can find an explanation of the categories on hanwagboot.com/ pages/categories. For any serious hikes in the mountains, A would be too light and D would be overkill as it's for climbing/glacier trekking. So most hikers end up with a B, B/C or sometimes a C shoe. I have a pair of Lowa's too, either B or B/C. I need a new pair soon though.

<<"You can find an explanation of the categories on hanwagboot.com/ pages/categories. For any serious hikes in the mountains, A would be too light ">> Perhaps "A" is what Jane should consider for keeping dry and warm with short walks?

Slowpoke