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will be arriving/converging in Chur, Switzerland on June 2. it will be a family bonding. some will be arriving from USA, Philippines, Australia, etc. Chur will be our home base for 9 days. since I am still building our itinerary, I need some help from this forum. one activity I have reserve is a return trip on the Bernini express going to Tirano. aside from the Mt. Pilatus and Mt. Titlis where we are still discussing it, what other 1 day activity can be done. some in the group are thinking places just outside the border of Switzerland. Train or bus is not a problem for us. thanks in advance.
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Hi Nini and welcome to MySwissAlps!
What made you consider Chur as a base? It isn’t very central in Switzerland. Pilatus from Chur is about 4 hours one-way.
If you stick with Chur as a base I would look at towns in the Graubunden region (where you would be).
Have a look here: http://www.myswissalps.com/gr aubunden
If you are flexible on a base town and think something closer to the mountains you mentioned would be best, look at Lucerne or perhaps Interlaken.
The timetable can be used to help you find trip duration from Chur or any town to any other town or to a mountain: http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
we are aware of the location of Chur. we wanted to stay in zurich since it is a transport hub but our relative wanted us to stay with them in chur in return for us hosting them here in melbourne. i am not fond of the gossiping during family reunions that is why i am looking for a 1 day activities. have been to lucerne and geneva as a side trip but more interested on the eastern part of switzerland and beyond. i would prefer chur as a starting point. vaduz is already in the cards but also looking at innsbruck.
<<“i am not fond of the gossiping during family reunions that is why i am looking for a 1 day activities. have been to lucerne and geneva as a side trip but more interested on the eastern part of switzerland and beyond. i would prefer chur as a starting point. vaduz is already in the cards but also looking at innsbruck.”>>
Hi Nini –
Some ideas – the vineyartds in the Buendner Herrschaft.
The Gorge at Bad Pfaeffers, the Tamina Schlucht and Altes Bad Pfaefers near Bad Ragaz.
The Zeppelin museum in Friedrichshafen (Germany)
St. Gall…especially the library of the monastery
Ebenalp
Saentis
The Via Mala.. can’t find the link at the moment
Scuol, Zernez, Tarsp, Ftan, Guarda… the comfortable part of Engadine.
The fancy end of the Engadine..St. Moritz and nearby.
Luzern is about 3 hours away by train
That’s a start.
Slowpoke
PS- what appeals about Vaduz?
lucas, thank you very much for your reply. the swiss travel pass covers the local train, bus and boat but does it cover the bernina express? glacier express?
thanks slowpoke. when the wife wanted a selfie postcard picture of vaduz castle, looking further i found the zeppelin museum and i believe it will be a great trip. might also include st. gallen as you suggested.
Some wonderful rail trip possibilities from a Chur base. The Arosa line is spectacular.
Enjoy your travels – and the family reunion.
Dear Nini,
There’s an open question of yours regarding the Swiss Travel Pass, the Bernina Express and the Glacier Express which I’d like to answer.
The Swiss Travel Pass does cover the fares for both the scenic trains, but NOT for the reservation.
Please find detailed information using the following links:
http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass/validity
http://www.myswissalps.com/gl acierexpress
http://www.myswissalps.com/be rninaexpress
Best,
Steph
Hi Nini
You can’t go wrong with a week or so in Chur. I’ve spent 3 days there twice, one year in May and one in June. The weather was comfortable, mainly dry and sunny and spring-like on both occasions, and of course you’ll be just in time for the wonderful array of spring flowers that adorns every meadow.
It’s a very attractive city in its own right, but the reason I like it so much is the wealth of trips possible by train.
My favourite short trip is the Arosa branch line – barely an hour from Chur, but the ascent is spectacular and the scenery wonderful. Last year I used the line as far as Litzirüti, the stop before Arosa (Arosa will not be at its liveliest in June), a little rustic halt, and loved every minute of the short, well-maintained and signposted walk back one station to Langwies. This walk parallels the track for about 2km, then dives under the famous Langwieser viaduct for wonderful views of the structure from river level below (pics attached). You can then catch the train back to Chur from Langwies, or stop there for a coffee. Highly recommended.
Another favourite place of mine is Filisur, and you can spend a bit of time here if you do the round trip from Chur to Davos via Klosters and then change to the little branch train up to Filisur, perhaps stopping off at the Wiesen halt (refreshments at an enterprising kiosk on this little station), with a short walk to visit the lofty Wiesen viaduct that lies just west of the halt. From Filisur it’s straight back to Chur via Thusis.
A different trip might take you back to Filisur to walk a few kilometres to see the world famous Landwasser viaduct (you’ll have detected a theme here) from base level. This trip might also extend to Bergün, in its lovely setting.
Another short trip from Chur would be to Liechtenstein – train to Buchs and a short bus-ride from there to Vaduz.
Thanks John, excellent tips!
Nini, please find two more options here:
Hi Nini
Arno linked the walk from Preda to Bergun. We enjoyed that trail…it is sort of a rail trail and there are some nice views of the train viaducts and tunnels, as well as set of signs explaining the complex construction process.
John Yorks mentined Filisur, well known among rail fans for the viaduct nearby.
We had the pleasure of staying in nearby Tiefencastel in June 1997, in the hotel at the main crossroads right by the river. In June, the snow melt made it quite a boisterous, and loud, river.
While there, we visited the Church of St. Peter Mistail. Dating from Carolingian times…..built in about 800 AD…it is bit of the ancient history of the region. If that sort of thing interest you, it is not far from Tiefencastel, in a commune called Prada.
http://www.parc-ela.ch/en/explore-regions/alvaschein/st-peters-church-mistail
and, in German….sorry…but your relatives can surely translate it if Google is not good enough:
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/ St._Peter_Mistail
Slowpoke
to all you people who have sent your comments/suggestions and ideas, i am deeply thankful for all your recommendations eventhough it was really a big headache for me.
for my part i will be buying an 8-day swiss travel pass but will still waiting for the decision of others in our group. here is the tentative itinerary.
arrival on june 3.
1st day of activity, bernina express (got reservation and waiting for train ticket to open).
2nd day – mt. pilatus doing the golden round trip.
3rd day – liechtenstein + st. gallen.
4th day – mt. titlis or glacier express.
5th day – stanserhorn + flea market in zurich (if time permits).
6th day – arosa line + nature walk & hiking
june 10 returning to melbourne.
i am still doing the specifics for each activity so that i can add things to maximise the day.
i would be gratefull to welcome any other ideas/comments/suggestions and especially for any local cuisine to try.
Hi Nini – you have perhaps three days in the vicinity of Luzern. Possibly, day 2, as well as day 4 and 5. Just to Luzern itself is at a minimum, 2 hours and 9 minutes on one route through Thalwil departing Chur at xx16, and up to 2 hours 49 minutes via Zürich on the routes departing at xx09, which could be even longer if you do not choose the bus for the stretch from Zürich to Luzern….that stretch is nice train ride…..
You can maximize your days by staying overnight in that vicinity.
Also, there will be a fair amount of jet lag distributed among your fellow travelers.
That makes me think that you will sleep through the Bernina Express Route.
I am definitely puzzled why you have not chosen time in the Engadine….either the high-priced end, at St. Moritz, which you will pass very close to on the Bernian Route, or at the other end, which I happen to like a lot….Scuol, Guarda, maybe Ardez.
Obviously, all such choices are personal.
Finally, although I have not been to Liechtenstein, except when passing though on the way to Austria, I’m not clear on what the appeal is for a tourist.
Food- in Chur and the Graubünden…Gerstensuppe, pizzocheri and capuns. We liked the soup and found the pizzocheri to be bland for our tastes. Also, but perhaps to a lesser degree, capuns.
And, from the Graubünden, Bündnerfleisch, of course.
A local food group due for serious consideration is the really excellent red wines from the Bündner Herrschaft… Maienfeld, Jenins, Fläsch, Malans, and Zizers, all near Chur. Some have developed an reputation among connoisseurs, and command excessive prices…wines of Gantenbein from Fläsch, and of Christoph Jenny from Jenins. I have developed a taste for somewhat less expensive reds wines from the family of Hansrüedi Adank in Fläsch.
artisanswiss.com/2016/ 09/21/profile-weingut-familie-hansruedi-adank-flasch-graubunden/
Slowpoke
I can’t top Slowpoke’s wine suggestions, but the local Calanda and Monsteiner beers are very drinkable. Engadiner Nusstorte is a good option if you prefer something sweet with your coffee.
good day everbody,
still building and playing around with my itinerary.
while doing this, i got some info with regards to the swiss travel pass promotion that is offered by rail europe. it says that there are additional free days for resident of australia and a print at home pass.
just want to confirm from this forum that this is genuine and not a scam/fake news.
nini
Hi Nini,
It’s definitely genuine, we posted it in the forum a while ago: http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/extra-travel-days-on-the-swiss-travel-pass-promo. And it’s on our Swiss Travel Pass page as well: http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass/promotio ns.
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