[Alpstruck]

1 March 2018 at 8:59:26 #814558

Hello!

We’ve been planning to be in Switzerland for about 9 days early September this year. However, a really good flight deal popped up for late August and we snagged it – now planning to be in Switzerland from August 23rd to September 1st.

We now have 24 hours until we can cancel if we decide not to go for it. Based on my previous research and reading other forum posts, I was favoring September due to lower hotel prices and fewer crowds.

– Could someone weigh in on if our new dates would pose any problems – is it still crowded last week of August?

-Weather and price-wise, is this really going to be any different from the next week i.e first week of September?

We’re travelling from the United States and this will be our first trip to Europe. We are a couple in our early 30s and plan to spend a few days each in Appenzell, Lucerne and Wengen. Maybe a day near Lake Geneva if we can manage it before travelling to France. Our main focus will be hiking/kayaking, gondola and train rides and exploring in general. Our itinerary is still in the works but requesting feedback on our dates itself since it’s time-sensitive. If we can be satisfied that our new dates are nothing to worry about or might even be better than September, that would be a load off our minds – any inputs help. Thanks so much!

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[Removed user]

1 March 2018 at 11:38:39 #877458

Hi Alpstruck and welcome to MySwissAlps!

No, weather-wise it won’t be really different between late August and early September – you can always have bad luck in either month of course.

You can read more about the weather in Switzerland here.

As for prices on hotels etc., most probably don’t lower their rates until mid-September (or later depending on the area) but every hotel is a little different. You could find high season prices until the end of September for some hotels.

Tourist numbers due tend be highest in July and August and then they start to leave by the 1st or 2nd week of September – so it may be a bit busier for you in late August than 2 weeks later.

[Alpstruck]

4 March 2018 at 11:41:58 #877459

Thanks so much Lucas! We kept our tickets for August, fingers crossed for good weather.

[andrew]

9 March 2018 at 15:15:13 #877460

Hi Alpstruck,

We normally visit in July but this year, for various reasons, we’re going in August. In the past when we’ve visited in August we found it was still summer but the early signs of autumn were beginning to show themselves, not least the darker evenings.

So pleased to see you are visiting Appenzell. I don’t see it mentioned very often on these pages. Our main summer holiday is usually based in Spiez but each year we go somewhere else for a few days first. We asked some Swiss friends if they had any suggestions and without hesitation they said the Appenzell region, so that’s what we’re doing this year. Does anyone have any particular recommendations for that area?

Andrew

[Removed user]

9 March 2018 at 15:44:11 #877461

Hi Andrew,

I’d highly recommend heading to the Ebenalp and a visit to Berggasthaus Aescher-Wildkirchli. My wife and I hiked up (2 hours maybe) but you can also take a cable car up and make a short walk down to the restaurant.

You can read about my day trip there here.

I would suggest starting a new thread on the Appenzell region so you get more replies on your topic though.

[andrew]

9 March 2018 at 17:01:59 #877462

Thanks Lucas, I may well do that. I just couldn’t resist when I saw someone mention Appenzell.

Andrew

[Removed user]

10 March 2018 at 0:40:30 #877463

The walk down from Ebenalp is tough going – steep and rocky. I’m an experienced walk but found it a challenge.

Conversely the tourist card issued to anyone staying in the area is superb. We much enjoyed the brewery tour and beer tasting, and the free cable car rides

[Removed user]

10 March 2018 at 8:44:21 #877464

Definitely agreed! we walked up and took the cable car down. 🙂

[Alpstruck]

10 March 2018 at 9:32:30 #877465

Thanks for chiming in, everyone. Our stay in Appenzell is short – 3 nights – but we’re hoping that is good enough for a first trip. The free travel card doesn’t hurt either:)

We were planning to take the cable car up and then hike down from Ebenalp since we figured it would be an easier hike down. Sounds like that’s not the case. Is it recommended to hike on the way up?

[andrew]

10 March 2018 at 10:11:16 #877466

Note for information

Parts of the Appenzellerbahn are undergoing modernisation. In particular a new tunnel will come into action late this year and the section between St Gallen and Teufen will be closed while the new line is integrated with the original. Buses will provide a connection.

Have a look at http://www.modernisierung-ab.ch/de-de/zeitplan.aspx

Follow ‘Zeitplan’ (or ‘Schedule’ if you have a translate facility). The site is quite interesting anyway if you like that sort of thing.

Andrew

[Removed user]

10 March 2018 at 15:21:30 #877467

It is a question of exerting your knees vs. your lungs I suppose. Most people choose the hike up and walk down – you can do either one – or both!

[Removed user]

10 March 2018 at 15:24:20 #877468

nice link Andrew. Indeed the trains on that route now are getting mighty old!

[Alpstruck]

11 March 2018 at 7:18:22 #877469

Thanks Lucas.

Thanks for the link Andrew, good to know about the renovation.