3 days in Basel in February – where to go

  • Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    10 January 2018 at 20:46:52 #813996

    Hi

    We are heading to Basel from 17th February until the 21st February. We will be based in Basel during that time and will be visiting Germany and Switzerland as part of our trip. We have allocated 3 full days to Switzerland and I am looking for some ideas. I have looked into visiting Lucerne, which only appears to be an hour away from Basel on the train, for maybe half a day before venturing to somewhere else nearby. We would also like to venture to one of the mountain areas for one of the days if possible.

    I’ve looked at the rail passes so many times that they are all now blurring into one. Am I right in thinking that with the Saver Day Pass we can travel anywhere on their map without the need to buy another ticket? I’ve also seen that there is a Tell Winter Pass for a number of days. Which would you recommend?

    Thanks

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    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    10 January 2018 at 23:51:35 #873994

    Hi sjbrown-

    Welcome to My Swiss Alps.

    Unless you are a skier, many outdoor activities are not available in the Winter. Sightseeing is.

    The town of Luzern itself is worth more than half a day, in my opinion.

    http://www.myswissalps.com/lu cerne

    However, it would be helpful if you gave some indication of your interests. Just for one example, if it interests you, one of the best collections of Picassos and Klees in Europe is 3 minutes from the rail station. If it is indeed Art, Basel also has a concentration of powerful museums.

    There are mountains available; check that link above.

    Bern is also easily accessible, and the old town is quite nice:

    http://www.myswissalps.com/be rn

    Slowpoke

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    11 January 2018 at 1:20:05 #873995

    >> Am I right in thinking that with the Saver Day Pass we can travel anywhere on their map without the need to buy another ticket?

    Yes, where you see a solid line on the Area of validity GA travelcard and Half-Fare Card map, i.e. on trains, boats, buses and trams – but not on most mountain transport. Where there are dotted lines, you need a Swiss Half Fare Card to get the 50% discount.

    http://www.myswissalps.com/on edaytravelpass/details

    So in the Luzern area, the main mountains tourists vist are Titlis, Pilatus, Rigi and the Stanserhorn. Of those, all modes of transport to the Rigi are covered in full by the Saver Day Pass, but you would have to pay full fare for Titlis, Pilatus and the Stanserhorn.

    >> I’ve also seen that there is a Tell Winter Pass for a number of days. Which would you recommend?

    The Tell-Pass provides unlimited free travel to all of the above mountains and much more, but within a restricted area. Have a look at the map showing where it is valid to see how well it fits your plans. It would usually be most useful if you were based within the area of validity rather than in Basel.

    http://www.myswissalps.com/te llpasswinter

    There is only one way to know for sure: add up the full-fare cost of all trips you intend to do by train, bus, cable car and boat and compare the total cost with the cost of doing the same trips with a Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Half Fare Card, a Tell-Pass and the Saver Day Pass.

    Alpenrose

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    11 January 2018 at 20:34:37 #873996

    Thank you both for the info. I will have a look at Bern and also visiting Rigi. We’re really into visiting/sightseeing old towns and walking in the outdoors.

    I’ve also been looking whether it would be feasible to visit the area of Interlaken and Grindelwald etc.

    Thanks

    Sarah

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    11 January 2018 at 21:02:33 #873997

    Basel to Wengen (say) is just under 3 hours each way from Basel.

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    11 January 2018 at 21:34:52 #873998

    Hi Sarah –

    <<“We’re really into visiting/sightseeing old towns”>>

    The old town in Basel is not so large, and did not leave much of an impression on us when we visited. The Tinguely fountain is surely shut down to avoid freezing. ;-(

    Luzern has a nice old town.

    Solothurn, as well.

    Bern is super, and the arcades make it very good for winter weather.

    We don’t normally recommend Zürich for tourist visits…too far from the Alps. But, the old towns on both sides of the river are large enough and nice enough to spend time there.

    A bit out of the way, but St. Gall is really nice, and includes the Abbey and very special UNESCO World Heritage Abbey library, dating back to the middle ages ( although they are both Baroque.)

    <<” and walking in the outdoors.”>>

    Hard to recommend a place for that in February. Switzerland has an amazing network of marked hiking trails, at all altitudes and all degrees of difficulty.

    The problem is figuring out what would be free of snow in the middle of Winter. The Rigi almost certainly will have snow on the trails. I think that the trails that I know, all on top or near the top, would be snow covered or icy. .

    Wengen is a ski town in February. Nice scenery, though. Many of us on the forum like the town.

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

    Even the lowest altitudes north of the Alps will have that problem You could avoid it by going all the way to Italian Switzerland.. Locarno, Lugano, but it is long way.

    In the high Alps. Quite few trails are groomed for winter hiking or walking…You need boots and a hiking staff.

    Slowpoke

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