Best travel in Feb, Mar or Apr-17?

We have revised our plan and now we want to visit in Feb-17 or later. We want to see some snow but want to travel around Shoulder season or off season rather. We are have not planned any base yet. Which month would be better?

If anyone can suggest few places which are not much crowded and can provide Good Travel Experience.

Thanks in Advance

Hi vjvinit-

These links may give you some guidance.

www.myswissalps.com/we ather

www.myswissalps.com/be sttimetovisit

Apart from snow, what do you want to see....what kind of scenery or other sights?

How long do you plan to be in Switzerland?

What you can see and do in the Spring will depend a lot on altitude. High Alpine regions will be between seasons....some facilities may be closed.

In April 2014, there was an unusually warm, sunny and dry spell. About a week with no rain and lots of sun.

I took a panoramic picture in the Emmental, attached mid April....about the 15th.. Photoshop helped me stitch it together from 8 images. It tells us something about April.

You will note that in this region, at about 700 meters altitude, Spring was just arriving. The grass was mostly not yet green. In the very lowest regions, it was greener. Many trees had blossoms, but the leaves were not yet out. The Alps still had a lot of snow. Farmers were plowing and planting.

Slowpoke

Thanks Slowpoke for your Reply. That was really Nice Photograph. We will be Planning our Trip either in month of Mar-17 (After 15-Mar-17) or in Apr-17.

Finally after doing all the Research, I have came up with Two Possible Itineraries.

If You guys can take a look at these Itineraries and can suggest which one would be better.

Thanks to myswissalps for lots and lots of useful information.

Our Preferences:

1) We would like to enjoy more Scenic Beauty rather than staying in a City and Visiting Museums or Gardens.

2) I would like to stay in Grindelwald or any other nearby town rather than Interlaken OST to Visit the Jungfraujoch. I have Kept Two Days to Visit the Jungfraujoch in case of Bad weather.

3) What would be advisable to do in Mar-17 or Apr-17, Mount Pilatus or Rigi? In Itinerary-1 I have mentioned as optional.

4) I want to include any one Scenic Train, Hence I have tried to Include Glacier Express in both the itinerary. Any Change to be made?

5) Which Itinerary would be preferred? (We dont want to do extensive travel everyday)

Any Advice, Tips or Changes in the Itinerary are always welcome.

Thanks in Advance

Hi Vijvinit -

Don't have time to look at your itineraries right now, but this may give you some useful information:

www.myswissalps.com/ac tivities/scenictrips/t rain

More later when I have a few minutes.

Slowpoke

PS - I made my plans for a Spring trip and selected May, 2017.

Thanks Slowpoke for Reply.

You can take your Time to reply on Itinerary. I have checked above link and planned accordingly.

I hope May 2017 would be Great.

Hi VJvinit-

I have looked at your itineraries a couple of times. Both look like good trips. Both are very full of travel.Both are very tightly scheduled.

I am still digesting the details and trying to get a coherent set of comments, but can offer a few random thoughts..

Itinerary # 1 matches my own preferences better, particularly because you are not sleeping in as many different places. You will have more time to look around and walk around the towns. And, you can (if you must) reach the Jungfrau from Luzern if weather demands it, although it would be a long day.

It gives Alpine scenery and Luzern. Itineray #2 has three alpine communities... St. Moritz, Zermatt, and the Jungfrau region. Day 6 is pretty tightly scheduled, but the lake boat ride would be fun. Not sure how far it goes down the lake, so my comments below about seeing the southern part of the lake...in daylight, still hold.

Long term members of this forum know that I would rather spend my time at places other than the Rhine Falls....I have seen a lot of waterfalls. I still have not seen all of Switzerland, after 35 years of visiting the country. However, Spring is a good time to see them, because the snow melt and spring rains create a strong water flow. Nonetheless, especially on itinerary #2, the first day is very very full, and I'd give some thought to skipping either the Rhine Falls or the boat ride on Lake Zürich (der Zürichsee).

If I had to choose, I'd prefer a lake boat ride on Lake Lucerne, compared to Lake Zürich. In itinerary #1, day 4 might allow more time on the lake, especially at the southern end, south of Vitznau down to Flüelen. There are many possibilities, but, for one example, you might take a train to Flüelen, boat to Vitznau, cograil to Rigi Kulm, cograil or walk back down to Rigi Kaltbad, cable way (die Luftseilbahn, abbreviated "LSB" in the timetable) down to Weggis, 15 minute downhill walk to boat landing at Weggis, boat from Weggis back to Luzern. Since the boat schedules in the Spring may have fewer trips, I'd watch that last connection at Weggis carefully. I might rearrange the order of the trip, but would try to get the boat ride on the part of the lake from Flüelen northward. You could do it in either direction. The cograil from Rigi Kulm down to Arth Goldau is fine, but, in my opinion, is the least interesting of the three options for the Rigi excursion.

Depending how much time you choose to spend up on Pilatus, if you choose that option....there is not a lot to do up there....you might add lake boat time on that trip as well.

Pilatus is a much more dramatic mountain than the Rigi.

Take a look at some of the recent trip reports in that section of the forum- such as -

www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/trip-report-8-days-sept-29-october-7

Look at her pictures.

Also, the attached from Anjan Ghosh's posts.

Slowpoke

Is the cograil up to Pilatus Kulm running on your dates? It is closed during the winter Check the timetable from Alpnachstad.

One thing to remember...for better communication and use of the timetable, please spell the names of towns correctly:

Gimmelwald, Grindelwald, Lucerne (or Luzern, German version)

Hi VJVinit-

I have spent some time with both your proposed itineraries and the timetables and prefer Itinerary #1 even more strongly, from my perspective.

I was concerned about train schedules, but I see that you have managed times and connections well ... for example, on day #2 It will be a long day on the trains, but a very nice trip.

Only one regret, and you cannot have everything ...;-)

Between Brig and Luzern on Day 4, in order to get to Luzern at a reasonable hour you will not have time to use the "Lötschberger" train which goes up and over the old route to Spiez via Kandersteg.

It is quite scenic, but adds at least an hour, and might not give you good connections. You will, instead, go through the new fast boring "basis tunnel" between Visp and Spiez. Since you will have a lot of hours on trains that day anyway, it makes sense to take the fast route.

That is all I have to say, except to keep in mind that April and May are low season in the Jungfrau region. Many but not all hotels and restaurants are closed. Cableways are usually shut down for maintenance and for lack of skiers or hikers. There is enough to do, but the weather is more likely to be cloudy at that time of year, so you may not find a clear day to go up to the Jungfrau. As noted before, you could come over from Luzern if you had to, although it is a long day. The tourist information office in Luzern main station by track #1 can help with weather details.

This may be helpful:

www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/tips-about-wengen-and-the-jungfrau-region-by-kim

Slowpoke

Thanks Slowpoke for such a Good and Detailed Reply. I will make sure to spell the names of towns correctly.

I wish I could visit in April – 17 or May – 17, But Due to my work I may not be able to plan our trip after Mar-17.

We have changed our Itinerary and will be directly heading to Luzern. We will skip travelling in Glacier Express and Zurich (Rhine Falls and Boat Ride).

As Luzern has so much to offer in just few days, We will stay put for Two-Three days in Luzern and Visit nearby places accordingly.

Further, I have checked that Cograil to Pilatus Kulm. It would not be running in Mar-17. Hence, I have to Visit Rigi as stated by you. I have checked all the Connections mentioned by you. Thanks to draw my attention to Last Connection from Weggis. I am looking forward to Boat Ride at Lake Luzern mentioned by you.

Train Travel Summary

Zurich – Luzern : Standard Tickets

For Luzern : Tell Pass (Offered by Hotel)

For Interlaken/Gimmelwald / Grindelwald/Murren and Geneva – 4 Days Swiss Travel Pass

Geneva to Paris – Standard Ticket

If due to weather conditions I am not able to Visit Jungfraujoch, Swiss Travel pass will give me flexibility to visit any nearby locations. To Visit Jungfraujoch, We will be staying in Interlaken/Gimmelwald / Grindelwald/Murren. I don’t know which one would be better. But I am planning on that one.

It would be our First Trip out of Asia, First Trip as DIY and yeah worth to mention Dream Trip for my Wife.

Thanks Again Slowpoke.

(I am still confused about whether it is worth to Skip Glacier Express??) (About Glacier Express, I am still in BIG Doubt)

Hi vjvinit,

Indeed the cogwheel train to Pilatus does not run then, but the cableway from Kriens does operate, so you can visit the top if you like.

Please see the Jungfrau region page for where to stay. There are links to details about most villages there.

The Glacier Express page provides all the details so you can decide whether you want to go for it or not. It does not really fit into your itinerary though.