Family with toddler, 8 days Switzerland September

  • Removed user
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    72625 posts
    12 June 2019 at 12:01:03 #822223

    Hi all,

    We are family of 3 (me,wife and 2 years toddler) planning to visit Switzerland for 8 days from September 21st to 28th, this will be our first trip. We have experience in hill walks in UK, and would like to spend more time in mountains. I have booked accommodation for 3 nights in Sachseln and 4 nights in Lauterbrunnen. I will be flying from London and reaching Basel airport by 10:30 am on Sept 21st and flying back from Geneva on Sept 28th at 9:30 pm.

    This is my 1st draft of itinerary, will looking for suggestions from the experienced members

    1) Day 1 : After landing in Basel airport store the luggage at Lucerne station and city tour for half day. or check in to the accommodation and come back to Lucerne.

    2) Day 2: Mt Titlis ( weather dependent), is it ok with 2 year toddler? We are interested in the activities like Glacier park and cave,Cliff walk and Ice Flyer.

    3) Day 3: Stoos Ridge walk ( weather dependent). If the weather is not so good for ridge walk we might go all the way to Fronalpstock. I have still not quite decided on this, Other options are Either go to Mt Pilatus or Rigi. Any thoughts on choosing these 3 options?

    4) Day 4: Check out from accommodation, go towards Lauterbrunnen. Stop at Meiringen and store the luggage and visit Aare Gorge and Reichenbach falls. Need some suggestion on this day. If the weather is nice i might go directly to Lauterbrunnen instead of stopping at Meiringen.

    My rainy day alternative for the above days are

    Swiss Museum of Transport

    Hergiswil glass factory

    5) Day 5: Männlichen – Kleine Scheidegg walk

    6) Day 6: First – Bachsee walk

    7) Day 7: Grütschalp -Allmendhubel – Mürren, optional cable car to schilthorn hill

    My rainy day alternative for the above days are

    Trümmelbachfälle and staubbach falls

    Bern

    Lake Brienz boat tour and interlaken

    Day 8:Golden pass line

    Lauterbrunnen – zweisimmen – Montreux – Geneva

    There are 2 trains covers this line, one is at 8:32am (3 stops) and another is at 10:32am ( 4 stops, extra stop at Spiez) , does both are different? Do i need reservation for any of these connection? If yes, is it possible to reserve the seat while buying the ticket?

    Any suggestions on what to do in Geneva for half day?

    I have made all the calculations for fares and come to conclusion Half Fare Card is better for my itinerary.

    I am looking forward for your thoughts on the itinerary, Thanks.

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    Snowman
    Participant
    825 posts
    13 June 2019 at 11:43:13 #914933

    Hi Durga, and welcome to MySwissAlps,

    Your travel plan is basically well thought out and does not require a lot of comments. September is usualy a nice month, and Sachseln is a good idea.

    2) Sure, you can go to Titlis with a toddler, although I doubt if he will keep a lot of memories of the excursion.

    Lauterbrunnen – Geneva: The two trips you mention are equivalent. The “stops” you mention are changes of trains (standard gauge / narrow gauge). On individual sections, the train will call at various places while you stay on board.

    It is uncommon in Switzerland to book train seats. If you do that (it is possible) then, when you board the train, you will have to find the right car and then your seats, possibly hauling your bags through the entire train, usually passing several free seats on the way, while you may have to ask a passenger sitting on your reserved seat (with no ill intention, just because booked seats are so unusual) to make it available for you. Large groups, yes, do book seats.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    13 June 2019 at 12:01:17 #914934

    Thanks for the information Snowman,i went through lot of posts in this forum before coming to this itinerary. As i am not buying swiss travel pass, any recommendation for 1 short scenic boat trip on lake lucerne or lake thun or lake brienz?

    Snowman
    Participant
    825 posts
    13 June 2019 at 12:12:41 #914935

    They are all nice, select the one that fits best in your plans.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    13 June 2019 at 12:20:13 #914936

    Ok, one important information i forgot to ask is, what are the reliable sources for weather information? Like weather website links for my stay at Lauterbrunen before planning my walks.

    Snowman
    Participant
    825 posts
    13 June 2019 at 12:29:09 #914937

    http://www.meteoswiss.admin.c h/home/weather/forecas ts.html

    Click on “choose location”

    No reliable forecast beyond 5 days.

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    13 June 2019 at 14:33:06 #914938

    Hi Durga!

    Great that you’ve been able to compose this itinerary. It looks fine to me. It does involve a fair amount of hiking with a 2 year old toddler. Will you be carrying him/her?

    If calculations show that the Swiss Half Fare Card (myswissalps.com/swissh alffarecard) is more economical, then that’s a good choice. If the price difference isn’t that big, I’d recommend the Swiss Travel Pass (myswissalps.com/swisst ravelpass) though, as it offers a lot more flexibility. You can adapt plans to changing weather, kids getting tired or any other circumstance, without being stuck to (half priced) tickets that you’ve already bought for the day.

    Some additional links:

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    13 June 2019 at 14:45:46 #914939

    Thanks for the links Annika, we are going to carry her using a back carrier. I have downloaded the XL sheet from this website and created 5 options. I went through SBB to get the fares, i was not quite clear on few trips. I have attached the xl sheet, i don’t know it will be too much to ask the moderators to give their opinion on the XL sheet for the calculations. Right now i am more inclined to option 5 in the xl sheet.

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    13 June 2019 at 15:08:41 #914940

    Hi Durga,

    I didn’t check all numbers but most seem fine to me. A few exceptions:

    • Swiss Travel Pass: Kleine Scheidegg to Lauterbrunnen is 25% discounted until Wengen, the rest is free. Lauterbrunnen – Grütschalp is free. Gimmelwald – Stechelberg is free.
    • I am not aware of discounts on Fronalpstock and Klingenstock with either pass.
    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    13 June 2019 at 15:21:11 #914941

    Thanks, i have corrected them. I don’t get the exact fare information for stoos ridge walk.

    My intention is to take

    Stoos – Klingenstock -> chairlift

    Klingenstock – Fronalpstock -> walk

    Fronalpstock – Stoos -> chair lift

    In Stoos railway website, i have found Stoos Peak Experience Ticket (all facilities) summer 2019 for 36 CHF( with Half fare card), i don’t know if i can use this ticket for my purpose?

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    13 June 2019 at 16:05:31 #914942

    Just now realized as my last day travelling to Geneva is fixed and will cost me 43 CHF ( with Half fare card), is it worth buying Saver day pass for that day in advance? I think i can use this ticket for other attractions like Geneva boat trips.

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    14 June 2019 at 9:38:26 #914943

    Hi Durga.

    Yes, the Stoos Peak Experience Ticket seems to cover your needs for that day. If you want to make sure, you’d best ask the Stoos railway company.

    You can check the Saver Day Pass validity here: myswissalps.com/saverd aypass/validity. Whether you’re better off with this pass or with regular 50% discounted ticket, depends on your exact plans for the day. Boat trips on Lake Geneva are indeed included, so a Saver Day Pass may be beneficial indeed.

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    18 June 2019 at 16:04:47 #914944

    Thanks Annika, considering the long train journey on the last day from Lauterbrunnen to Geneva airport i have slightly changed my itinerary on Day 2, 4,7 and 8 . We are planning to spend last night at Montreux.

    1) Day 1 : Buy Saver Day pass well in advance.

    After landing in Basel airport store the luggage at Lucerne station, depending on the weather either go to Mt Rigi or do the Boat trip on the Lake.

    2) Day 2: Mt Titlis ( weather dependent), we are thinking of doing below walk before going to Titlis

    Engelberg – Unter Trüebsee, walk

    Unter Trüebsee – Ober Trüebsee, cable car

    Ober Trüebsee – Trübsee walk

    Trübsee – Stand (gondala) – Titlis ( Rotair)

    If i do these walks, where can i buy the tickets for the cable car from Unter Trüebsee to Ober Trüebsee?

    3) Day 3: Lucerne city tour, if it is raining then go to Swiss Museum of Transport/Hergiswil glass factory

    4) Day 4: Check out from the accommodation, go towards Lauterbrunnen. This will take 2hrs.

    Lauterbrunnen (cable car) – Grütschalp (Mountain view trail) – Allmendhubel (North face trail) – Mürren. Is it doable on 1st day?

    I am bit confused on this day, considering we might have only half day, what’s the scenic walk to do on this day? Mountain view trail or North Face trail?

    5) Day 5: Männlichen – Kleine Scheidegg walk

    6) Day 6: First – Bachsee walk

    7) Day 7: Lauterbrunnen – zweisimmen – Montreux,

    if we miss any of the above 3 walks due to bad weather we might leave Lauterbrunnen for 2:32pm train to Montreux, otherwise we will leave in the morning.

    8) Day 8: Spend until 5pm in Montreux then leave to Geneva airport for 9:30pm Flight.

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    19 June 2019 at 7:24:35 #914945

    Hi Durga,

    If you don’t buy cable car tickets in advance (which is not always possible), you can always get them on the spot. Small cable cars sometimes only have staff at one end so you may first ride up or down and then pay when you get there.

    Grütschalp to Mürren or Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg are lovely easy trails for a first day:

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