[Removed user]

9 March 2018 at 17:24:52 #814687

Hi again,

I am continuing to work on our train routes that don’t end up repeating.

Taking Golden Pass Route from Lucerne to Montreux (via Zweissemen)

Probably taking Montreux – Kandersteg (Visp) Route to Wengen? (so as not to backtrack on Golden Pass Route, as you suggested….

From Wengen to Basel – via Bern? Or other options?

Would these routes provide us the optimum scenic travel?

Thanks, Tami

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[Removed user]

10 March 2018 at 7:30:47 #878262

Hi Tami,

Really the options for train travel between Wengen and Basel are limited to via Bern or via Lucerne. Via Lucerne is probably more scenic but you will have down that trip already.

If you want to go out of your way you could go via Bern and then Solothurn or Biel – both nice cities to visit.

[Removed user]

10 March 2018 at 13:32:30 #878263

Thanks. Do you agree the route from Montreux to Wengen via Kandersteg would be a good choice? I think the Bern option to Basel makes sense.

[Removed user]

10 March 2018 at 14:10:15 #878264

Yes, that is a very scenic train ride. A little longer but a good alternative for sure.

[Peterli]

10 March 2018 at 23:06:22 #878265

Hello:

<< Probably taking Montreux – Kandersteg (Visp) Route to Wengen? >> << Do you agree the route from Montreux to Wengen via Kandersteg would be a good choice? I think the Bern option to Basel makes sense. >>

I assume that this string is a continuation of an earlier communication, and if this is the case, I have no idea what was said. So my question to you relates to how you are thinking of doing the Montreux to Wengen (via Kandersteg) and the Wengen to Basel (via Bern) segments of your trip. Are these simply straight trips or are you planning to stop over to visit some of the places along each route ? Going from Montreux to Wengen via Kandersteg is certainly the long way around but I totally understand your desire to try to see as much new scenery as possible rather that going along where you will already have traveled. First, make sure that you go as far as Brig, not just to Visp, in order to get the scenic route back to Spiez and then to Wengen. If you take the train from Visp you will see a lot of the inside of a tunnel, and miss the very scenic run up from Brig to the the shorter tunnel which runs from Goppenstein to Kandersteg. The scenery from the train along this route is wonderful.Try to be seated on the left side of the train when you leave Brig.

As far as the Wengen to Basel segment, is this a one day trip, and are you hoping to fit in some stops along the way ? To avoid repetition, rather than going via Lucerne, it would be good to go first to Bern (do you have time to visit here ?) and from there to Basel via Biel/Bienne or Solothurn. The latter route would be a bit quicker and Solothurn may have more to offer to the tourist than Biel/Bienne. Having said that, neither does much for me ! I’ve driven through Biel/Bienne many times and I can’t wait to get through. If this was my last day in Switzerland, I wouldn’t spend any time in either. However, if you do have time, you could go to Biel/Bienne and then take the train as far as Ligerz, http://www.ligerz.ch/ just a few (less than 11) kilometres to the south-west on the line that goes to Neuchâtel and Lausanne. If you do go to Ligerz, don’t miss the walk through the vinyards up to and above the church and from there enjoy the view over the Bielersee (Lac de Bienne) and if the weather is cooperating, straight over to the Alps. http://www.biel-seeland.ch/en/discover ies/town-and-heritage/ligerz.1241.h tml

[Removed user]

11 March 2018 at 0:02:26 #878266

Thank you for your response. Yes, after a river cruise from Amsterdam to Basel, we are staying in Luzern two nights, Montreux two nights, Wengen two nights, then Basel (to visit my nephew) two nights before heading to Zürich for flight back to States. We are doing cities in this order as our travel companions are flying back from Geneva (after our Montreux stay) and my husband and I will continue on to Wengen and Basel. We want to see as much as possible without repeating train travel.

[Peterli]

11 March 2018 at 1:00:25 #878267

You have worked out a very neat way of maximizing new scenery as you travel around. The only triple repetition will be the very short distance from Spiez to Interlaken. Of course there will be side trips up one valley or another where you can’t help but travel twice over some stretches. But even then, you can reduce this in the Jungfrau area by going up via Lauterbrunnen and returning via Grindelwald, or the other way around. Sorry I don’t recall seeing your previous post, so you probably already said that. I hope you will have great weather.

[Removed user]

13 March 2018 at 1:26:43 #878268

Hi Peterli

Shame you don’t like Solothurn or Biel – we like both! Solothurn has some interesting buildings and some lovely riverside walks. We have stayed in Biel 3 times and found it a very useful base for excursions. We have also done the boat trip along the river between the two which was great.

Maggie

[Peterli]

13 March 2018 at 4:44:29 #878269

Hi Maggie !

So you detected that neither Soleure nor Bienne is my favourite Swiss city ? 😉 I stated that if I had one last day in Switzerland, I wouldn’t spend any time in either, and I stand by that. In fairness to me, I did mention Ligerz which is a short trip, by rail, road, bike, or boat from Bienne, and I could have mentioned the funi that goes up to Magglingen with its spectacular views and other nearby attractions; however I was waiting to hear from our traveler, Tamival, whether the Wengen to Bâle segment was one where stops along the way were being envisaged. I did mention that I can’t wait to get through Bienne when driving by car, and I must say I feel this even more when heading SW because then I know I will then be driving along the Lac de Bienne and that Neuchâtel, Chaumont, la montagne de Boudry and the Lac de Neuchâtel are getting closer every minute. So let me be hyper clear, I love the three lakes (Bienne, Morat, Neuchâtel) area, but I am not crazy about the city of Bienne itself. And I do acknowledge that there are some nice spots in the old Soleure, and around it, but not for my last day !

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to clarify what I said. Sometimes I read where contributors to this site question why a traveler wants to go to some place or another, such as the Rheinfall, or Konstanz, or why they would stay in Zurich, but I do my best to keep my distance from those discussions. I prefer to come up with suggestions when it seems appropriate and I usually try to promote places that are, I feel, not mentioned very often, such as the Ticino, Appenzell and the Säntis, Fribourg, parts of Vaud (like Avenches) and Neuchâtel.

I will leave you with a video made from above the church in Ligerz on August 1, 2013: youtu.be/KNcVJJ-9JEA

[Removed user]

13 March 2018 at 11:07:06 #878270

Hi,

we are looking for a scenic route from Wengen to Basel where we will stay for two nights (in Basel) to visit my nephew before heading to Zurich and Home to the States. So, in essence, it will be our last day “touring”so to speak. We plan to visit Basel but mainly to see my nephew once there. So trying to determine how to go to Basel. Is train and maximize our travel route.

[Removed user]

13 March 2018 at 13:16:21 #878271

Hi Tamival,

Lucas and Peterli have given you already an answer. Just scroll up a bit. I agree with them that these are basically your options.