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7 days - 7 nights in mid-September Swiss itinerary help

Hi All,

I am travelling to Switzerland in mid-September with my wife. Here is the planned itinerary:
Day 1 : Landing in Zurich in the morning. Rhine Falls + Old Town. Night stay : Zurich
Day 2: Start early and catch Bernina Express in Chur -> Lugano. Return to Lucerne from Lugano. Night Stay: Lucerne
Day 3: Lake Lucerne boat ride + Mt titlis . Night Stay: Lucerne
Day 4: Train to Lausanne. Boat ride to Chillon castle from Lausanne. Visit Maison Cailler Choc factory and train to Zermatt. Night Stay: Zermatt
Day 5: Look around Zermatt + Matterhorn and take a train to Lauterbrunnen. Night Stay : Lauterbrunnen.
Day 6: Visit Jungfraujoch. Night Stay: Lauterbrunnen.
Day 7: Lauterbrunnen to Bern with a ride in Lake Thun. Get around Bern and take a train to Zuric. Night Stay: Zurich.
Day 8: Flight in the morning.

Day 6 and 7 can be interchangeable based on the weather.

Is this a doable Itinerary or a over kill? Also, please let me know if there are any other alternatives to explore.
We wanted to be on one Scenic train and visit Jungfraujoch, Zermatt, Lucerne and Montreux.

Posted by
11785 posts

I have been thinking about your question since you posted it and trying to come up with an alternative that isn't so busy. You are moving around a lot and staying 4 places in 8 nights. That is exhausting to me. And you have places where you have one day to see some iconic sites. If the weather doesn't cooperate, you will miss the Matterhorn, which seems to be the only reason you are going to Zermatt.

I suggest you pick your two most important locations and activities and stay 3 nights each. Skip nights in Zurich altogether if you can. Travel to your first stop immediately from the airport and make your last stop close enough that you can take a train that morning into the Zurich airport in time for departure. (Hope your flight is not too early!)

Although I am not a fan of one night stays, if the Bernina Express is important to you, you could go directly from the Zurich airport to Chur, stay one night, take the train the next day and then go on to Luzern. Or perhaps you can make the trip in reverse your last day, going from Lugano to Chur on the BE, then on to Zurich for one night before your flight.

Posted by
3 posts

Thanks Laurel for the suggestions. I made some changes based on your suggestions. How does this itinerary look like?

Day 1 : Landing in Zurich in the morning. Rhine Falls + Old Town. Night stay : Chur
Day 2: Catch Bernina Express in Chur -> Lugano. Return to Lucerne from Lugano. Night Stay: Lucerne
Day 3: Lake Lucerne boat ride + Mt titlis . Night Stay: Lucerne
Day 4: Train to Lausanne. Boat ride to Chillon castle from Lausanne. Visit Maison Cailler Choc factory and train to Spiez. Night Stay: Spiez
Day 5/Day6/Day7 : Goto Matterhorn, Jungfraujoch based on the weather and a buffer day. Day 5&6 night stay in Spiez. Day 7 Night Stay: Zurich.
Day 8: Flight in the morning.

Posted by
11785 posts

I would not spend 3 nights in Spiez. It is nice enough, but not nearly as scenic as Zermatt or (better) the Lauterbrunnen Valley. As we love it so much, in your place I would commit to the Lauterbrunnen Valley for nights 4-5-6. Stay in beautiful Mürren where you can see the mountains and pick your day trips based on weather. You can choose the Jungfraujoch, Schilthorn, cruise on the lake.

Day 2 is a very long day.... Hope you get over jetlag quickly!

Posted by
3 posts

Thanks a lot Laurel. I reserved 4-5-6 nights in wengen .:) .. Will visit the mountains and the other places based on the weather.