Hello all, My husband and I are planning our first trip to Switzerland for 7 nights in the middle of September. We will be traveling from Innsbruck, Austria arriving in Zermatt via the Glacier express (from Chur) for 2 nights, then Murren for 4 nights before traveling to Zurich for 1 night before flying out the next morning. Our plan is to mostly hike during the day and be back in town to enjoy the evenings. 6-12 miles roundtrip hikes are our usual. We live in western North Carolina, so are used to some elevation change. Recommendations welcome. Also do we visit both the Schilthorn and Jungfraujoch or just one. We are having difficulty deciding how many cable cars and trains we will be riding during our stay especially in Murren. So which travel pass do you think would be the best value for us:
*half fare card
*8 day swiss travel pass
* or half fare card combined with the Bernese-Oberland pass.
Also for the day we leave Murren to travel to Zurich should we go straight there or do you recommend a stop along the way. Excited to see Switzerland!
Posted by
Nashville, TN
1000 posts
Assuming you realize that doing the Glacier Express via Chur is going to be 9.5 hours of train time and that you have to leave Innsbruck by 7:47 in the morning in order to make it to Zermatt before dark. This means you're only going to have 1 day in Zermatt, so you'll have to cross your fingers that 1 day is good weather. Personally with only 6 nights for the mountains I'd just be going from Innsbruck to Murren and maximizing hiking from one spot, as you're going to lose a day of your short time going to Zermatt via the Glacier Express + then having to get to Murren from Zermatt as well. But obviously you can make it work if that's what you want to do and you don't care about losing a day.
I don't love Jungfraujoch. It's a long trip with massive crowds. Schilthorn can be combined with great hiking and since you're in Murren it's a no brainer.
Here's some suggestions for hiking while staying in Murren....
Arrival day from Zermatt - Walk Murren to Gimmelwald, explore the 2 villages and farms
1 day - Murren > Schilthorn > Birg Thrill Walk > hike Birg > Grauseeli > Wasenegg Ridge > Bryndlii > Murren
*only pay for a 1 way ticket up to Schilthorn and then from Schilthorn > Birg back down because you'll be hiking the rest of the way down
1 day - Schynige Platte -- Panorama hike Daube Oberberghorn Loucherhorn OR Schynige Platte to Grindelwald First
https://swissfamilyfun.com/schynige-platte-panorama-trail/
https://swissfamilyfun.com/faulhorn/
1 day - Mannlichen + Royal Walk > Kleine Scheidegg > Fallbodensee > Kleine Scheidegg > Wengernalp
https://swissfamilyfun.com/mannlichen-kleine-scheidegg/
*the added Fallbodensee & Wengernalp is my own addition
OR
Northface hike counterclockwise from Allmendhubel
https://swissfamilyfun.com/murren-northface-trail-sprutz-waterfall/
I did very quick rounding math for you on Glacier Express + Zermatt + Gornergrat + Murren activities above + Zurich (no Jungfraujoch) and the numbers are all coming out almost identical. I ran rough numbers on the 8 day Swiss Travel Pass, Half Fare Card + 4 day BO Pass, Half Fare Card + 4 day Jungfrau Travel Pass and just the Half Fard Card with no passes. All the pass options are coming out to somewhere around 600-700 chf per person, depending on what specific things you chose to do. The Half Fare Card is looking more like 500-650 chf per person. If you decide to do Jungfraujoch, then the Half Fare Card + reduced price Jungfrau Travel Pass will probably end up in your favor, as it gives you special pricing beyond just the 50% off.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thank you so much! The hiking links are wonderful and having another opinion on the travel passes helps so much!