[Removed user]

15 February 2019 at 20:03:07 #819945

Hello,

We will be in Switzerland from March 29-April 9th. Our itinerary is as follows:

– 3 days in Locarno for mountain biking with stops in Lugano and Lake Como.

– 3 days in Lucerne with Trips to Mount Titilis and Mount Pilatus.

– 4 days in the Berber Oberland for hiking and biking (staying in Wilderswil as our base) with plans to visit Lauterbrunnen, Grimelwald (for sure) and possibly Thun, Brienz, Murren, and or Wengen.

– 2 days in Zurich with a stop in Bern on our way there. We wanted to go to Appenzell and Ebenalp but I read the cable car is closed in April. Is it still worth it to make the trip from Zurich?

Our biggest question/concern I that we are not sure if traveling by car or by train would be best. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

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[rockoyster]

15 February 2019 at 20:39:36 #904308

Hello Danielle and Welcome to MySwissAlps

This might help – http://www.myswissalps.com/ca rversustrain.

[Removed user]

16 February 2019 at 1:46:09 #904309

If you are thinking hire (rental) car then no, all the things you mention are better done by pubic transport, except possibly Lake Como as that is in Italy not Switzerland.

Please take care with spelling place names in your posts – eg you have written Grimelwald, do you mean Grindelwald or Gimmelwald? (two different places but in the same area)

[Removed user]

16 February 2019 at 1:51:05 #904310

The Ebenalp cable car is closed 1 – 26 April , but the famous vertiginous house restaurant is closed until May . Appenzell is worth visiting – and is the perfect area for walking and cycling, being less steep and high up than other Alpine areas

[Slowpoke]

16 February 2019 at 2:09:20 #904311

<<“4 days in the Berber Oberland for hiking and biking (staying in Wilderswil as our base) with plans to visit Lauterbrunnen, Grimelwald (for sure) and possibly Thun, Brienz, Murren, and or Wengen.”>>

Wengen is a better base, even at that time of year. Ski season has not finished.. All facilities will eagerly be greeting tourists. However, for travel as you noted, Wilderswil. or\possibly, Interlaken, migh offer better connections.

<<“Grimelwald”>>

Grindelwald or Gimmelwald.? Which? Rick Steves loves Gimmelwald. Actually, not much there except tourists carrying his book. Nice views.

Grindelwald is quite commercial.

Check the extensive information here and in the links available on this page:

http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion

Slowpoke

[Removed user]

18 February 2019 at 6:10:17 #904312

Thank you for your replies. I think we will probably travel by train as there are so many different variables with renting a car. Your input has been incredibly helpful and sorry about my spelling error 🙂

[Removed user]

18 February 2019 at 10:00:38 #904313

Hi Danielle2406,

I believe your decision makes sense.

For valuable input about travelling by train in Switzerland and also to check out available train passes use these links below:

– http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain
– http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses
– http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass

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

Enjoy planning your trip.

Best,
Steph

[ianbarron]

24 February 2019 at 23:26:52 #904314

to go from wilderwil to lauterbrunnen by train is no problem. You need to check if the cable car to Murren is open, it may be closed for maintenance You cannot drive from Lauterbrunnen to Murren.

MURREN IS TRAFIC FREE EXCEPT FOR MAINTENANCE VEHICLES.

A lot of mountain trains and cable cars are closed for maintenance from October until the end of April or the beginning of June.

Lauterbrunnen to Wengen is no problem.

Wilderswil to Brienz by train is no problem. Wilderswil to Thun is no problem.

The trains from Wilderswil in either direction are every 30 minutes.

[rockoyster]

24 February 2019 at 23:35:51 #904315

“A lot of mountain trains and cable cars are closed for maintenance from October until the end of April or the beginning of June.“

That’s a bit exaggerated Ian. It’s best to check the SBB Timetable to confirm whether any route is operating on a given travel date. The mountains are in full swing for the summer and winter tourist seasons. Maintenance is scheduled to fit between these peak periods and is often only 1 to 2 weeks downtime at most.

[Slowpoke]

25 February 2019 at 0:03:00 #904316

H Rockoyster- your emendation brings a useful sense of the reality of the situation, in general.

There is one specific which is different this year. The cableway from Grindelald Grund to Männlichen will be shut down after March 31, for quite some time. They are rebuilding it. I think there is an Ersatzbus for some of the climb, but I can’t find the link where I saw that. So, I may be wrong. First time this year. 😉

Here are the nasty details:

http://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/corporate/news/new-situation-at-grindelwald-grund-at-the-start-of-the-construction-of-the-v-cableway-6605/

The one from Wengen to Männlichen will open in early May, a few weeks earlier than normal this year.

Slowpoke

[rockoyster]

25 February 2019 at 3:32:29 #904317

Hi Slowpoke,

The “good substitute” bus service from Grindelwald Grund to Männlichen commences 22 June and runs to 13 October. See http://www.maennlichen.ch/en/ summer.html.

Another exception to the rule is of course the Pilatus cogwheel which does not operate over winter.

ps Bonus points for use of the word emendation! 😎

[Slowpoke]

25 February 2019 at 7:54:29 #904318

Hi Rockoyster –

Thank you very much for the link and greatly appreciated bonus points. At my age, I need all the help I can get. 😉

Does that mean that, once I have sufficient bonus points, you will buy me a Foster’s should we ever meet at Männlichen? Or, if i ever visit Tasmania? How many more points would I need?

I note the June 22 date.

The rule of thumb for the opening of the trail from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg is June 15th, on average. Variations of a week or so in either direction occur. Seems like they ( the Jungfrau Railways and Männlichen Railway (GGM) )have made a forecast for this year.

That bus schedule is a good indicator of the average period in which the 2000 meter altitude trails are open.

Slowpoke

[rockoyster]

25 February 2019 at 10:02:14 #904319

Hi Slowpoke,

Your mission to get to Tasmania would be best served by your no doubt voluminous frequent flyer points. My bonus points, although only bestowed for highly creditable performance, have no tradeable value.

Should you ever make it to these fare-flung shores I would be delighted to share a Cascade Lager or Boags Draught with you. I think they only sell Fosters in Earls Court pubs these days. 🍻