Itinerary including Murren in March?

  • Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    8 January 2016 at 12:07:17 #808248

    Hi! I am planning my first trip to switzerland. I will be travelling as a couple.

    I will be there from March 12th to March 19th . Need your help with the Itinerary as this looks like a dicey time to visit swiss.

    What we are looking for: We want to experience snow (haven’t seen much of it before) and snow clad white areas.

    This is what i was able to chalk out:

    Day 1: Arrive in Zurich Airport (around 1930 hrs) . I guess nothing can be done when i am reaching so late? Any suggestions? Transfer to an overnight hotel near airport.

    Day 2: Get up early and head to Murren directly. It takes around 3 hours if i go via Bern. Hotel checkin times are usually from 2pm. Should we stop over Bern for 2-3 hours for any sightseeing? at all useful or it cant be covered in 2-3 days. Reach Murren. Settle in the hotel. Take a walk around the place. Need your suggestion if we can do some activities in evening.

    Day 3: Excursion to Jangfraujoch, explore Lauterburren

    Day 4: Excursion to Schithorn, walk down to Gimmelwald and back.

    Day 5: Take Golden Pass to Lucernce. Explore the old town, stay in Mount Pilatus.

    Day 6: Get down from Pilatus, take a cruise to Flulen.

    Day 7: Mount Rigi/ Mount Titlis, transfer to Zurich.\

    Day 8: Explore Zurich, visit Rhine Falls and if possible Black Forest,

    Day 9: Depart from Zurich.

    Can you please suggest if this itinerary looks OK? I am finding it a bit laid back and would love to fill it with more activities, but since we are travelling in March, i guess most of the walking trails would be unavailable. Can you suggest me some activities that can be done in this time?

    Thanks

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    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    8 January 2016 at 15:26:00 #847566

    Hi Rony1 –

    Welcome to the forum.

    I like the way you have thought out your itinerary. It is pretty much what I would lay out for myself, given your goals.And, it gives you time to explore a bit, instead of rushing from place to place.

    By the way, you will be visiting Switzerland, not “swiss.” Swiss is an adjective in English. That is confusing if you know any French or German, where the name of the country is “le Suisse” or die Schweiz.”

    A couple of other spellings to watch out for are “Jungfraujoch” and “Schilthorn.” The village at the southern end of lake Lucerne (der Vierwaldstättersee in German) is spelled Flüelen. I still can’t pronounce it in a way that does not make my Swiss friends laugh at me.

    I’m eating breakfast now, so I’ll give more detailed comments about each day, later. Here are a few random thoughts.

    You chose the word “dicey” and that would indeed be the case if you were only going to the Jungfrau region, but by including Luzern, at a much lower altitude, you have a better chance for some walking and even just maybe a few warm sunny days. Hard to predict the weather, but you have made a wise decision. There are some really nice walking trails near Luzern.

    For calibration, April 2014 was quite warm and sunny – which is quite unusual. Usually a lot of rain and clouds. . I was in the Emmental and took the attached picture. It was taken on hill above Sumiswald, between Bern and Luzern, altitude 700 meters, (Luzern is at 435 meters above sea level) and shows that the grass is not yet fully green, the trees are full of early flowers, and the Alps are still full of snow. A few fields have been plowed and planted.

    The boat ride to ( or from…there is a good train connection) Flüelen from Luzern is very scenic…especially the southern part, which is also called the “der Urnersee.”

    The way you have laid out your travels suggests that you have already used the SBB timetable.

    If not, here is a link:

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

    For the journey between Interlaken and Luzern, it might try to take you through Bern. (The timetable defaults to the fastest route) If it does, force it to the Golden Pass route ( perhaps now called the Interlaken – Luzern Express) by using Meiringen as a “via” or connection.

    Here is a good map :

    map.search.ch/

    If you zoom in far enough, with the right menu selections, icons appear for the train/bus/cableway stations . Mouse over them, and schedules appear.

    A couple of hours in Bern can be very effective. More on that later.

    Good luck with the weather. 😉

    Slowpoke

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    9 January 2016 at 1:54:57 #847567

    <<“Day 1: Arrive in Zurich Airport (around 1930 hrs) . I guess nothingcan be done when i am reaching so late? Any suggestions? Transfer to anovernight hotel near airport.”>>

    Looks good. Hotels near the airport tend to be more expensive than elsewhere.

    If you are coming from a Schengen country, you can be on a train within 45 minutes of your arrival. Otherwise, you have to go through pass control and customs; count on a hour or 75 minutes..

    See attached screen grab from the SBB website.

    After 2000 trains to Bern leave 3 times per hour, with the shortest trips about 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes.

    Downtown Zürich is easily accessible – many trains per hour – and offers more variety and potentially lower prices.

    <<“Day 2: Get up early and head to Mürren directly (via Bern). Should we stop over Bern for 2-3 hours for any sightseeing? at all useful or it cant be covered in 2-3 days. ReachMurren. Settle in the hotel. Take a walk around the place. Need your suggestion if we can do some activities in evening.”>>

    Bern is a really good place for a 2-3 hour break. You can leave your luggage in lockers or at the Left Luggage office.. For a fee, of course. ;-(

    Walk from the main station directly into the old town. Follow any of the arcaded streets down to the Nydegg Bridge. Best to start on Neuengasse close to the side exit of the station, then jog over to Marktgasse and go past the clock tower, continuing on Kramgasse. Look the shops, fountains, old clock tower on the way. At the bridge, glance at the bear pits.

    Cross the bridge. Walk up to the Rosegarden. Not many flowers then ,but super views over Bern. Grab a bite if you wish at the cafe up there, or at the Old Tram Station restaurant near the bridge.

    Take the #12 tram, or walk, back up through the old town to the station, catch the train to Interlaken Ost , then to Lauterbrunnen, then by choice of routes to Mürren.

    There is not a lot of night life in Mürren, especially in off season.

    <<“Day 3: Excursion to Jangfraujoch, explore Lauterburren”>>

    Jungfraujoch. Early in the day is usually less cloudy. Lauterbrunnen. A nice walk along the valley floor , including some beautiful waterfalls.

    <<“Day 4: Excursion to Schithorn, walk down to Gimmelwald and back.”>>

    Schilthorn. Your spelling is inappropriate in English. 😉

    You’ll have time to spare. Don’t know if the Gimmelwald trail will be free of snow, ice, or other slippery nastiness. Wear shoes that are more waterproof than sneakers. Soles will need a good grip.

    <<“Day 5: Take Golden Pass to Lucernce. Explore the old town, stay in Mount Pilatus.”>>

    Sounds like a nice day. Not sure which route or routes to Pilatus will be open. (Cog rail from Alpnachstad or cable way from Kriens.)

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

    There is not much to do up on Pilatus except walk a short distance, look at the scenery, eat, drink, and sleep. If the weather is cloudy, “look at the scenery” does not work. Spend more time in Luzern before you go up.

    <<“Day 6: Get down from Pilatus, take a cruise to Flulen. “>>

    Flüelen. Great boat ride. Hope you can go downdirctly to Alpnachstad and make the boat connection(s). Good if cloudy. Spectacular if the weather is clear. Train back to Luzern is best for speed.

    <<“Day 7: Mount Rigi/ Mount Titlis, transfer to Zurich.”>>

    All possible. There is really nice walk on the Rigi which may be clear because most of it is on the sunny side. Needs clear weather to get the good views.

    http://www.rigi.ch/Adventures /Walking/Rigi-Kanzeli-trail-Winter

    Study the map. You can pick up the trail at Rigi Staffel Höhe train station, head out across the meadow and go past Känzeli and swing back to to Rigi Kaltbad and catch the cograil down to Vitznau.

    Other options exist if you are interested.

    <<“Day 8: Explore Zurich, visit Rhine Falls and if possible Black Forest,” Sounds ambitious.

    The falls may be getting spring rain water or snow melt….otherwise, they are powerful but not where I would spend time. Opinions vary.

    Zürich is not a major tourist city. It rewards longer stays with culture and immersion in the city.

    For some nice places to walk, look down the thread in :

    http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/swiss-itinerary-for-december-2015

    <<“Day 9: Depart from Zurich.”>>

    Ask questions if you need more detail.

    Slowpoke

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    9 January 2016 at 13:08:56 #847568

    Hello Rony1!

    Your plans look fine to me. I understand you’d like to add more activities, but a relaxed travel pace allows you to fully enjoy your rides and the views. You could add a boat ride over Lake Thun. The winter timetable is restricted, but one or two boats per day will run.

    Just a note on your visit to the Schilthorn: you shouldn’t walk down to Gimmelwald. It’s a challenging and steep hike in Summer, and in March large parts of the trails (if not the entire trail) will be snow covered.

    A rail pass will help you save money. Which is best depends on your finalized plans. An 8 day Swiss Travel Pass would be most convenient; a Swiss Half Fare Card may turn out to be cheaper. You can compare both by doing the maths as explained here.

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    9 January 2016 at 19:44:07 #847569

    <<“Just a note on your visit to the Schilthorn:you shouldn’t walk down to Gimmelwald. It’s a challenging and steephike in Summer, and in March large parts of the trails (if not theentire trail) will be snow covered.”>>

    Hi Annika.

    I misread the post. I thought that Rony was talking about Mürren to Gimmelwald.

    I agree with your comments 100%. The trail down from Schilthorn is difficult even in Summer. No way in mid-March.

    How about Mürren to Gimmelwald? What do you think?

    Slowpoke

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