My mother has always wanted to visit Switzerland though she has been to the Austrian and French Alps.So I have booked the following itinerary for June end. Please let me know if it looks doable. They fly into Zurich and out of Geneva. Have also booked a 8 day Swiss travel pass which starts on day 2. The itinerary is as follows.
Day 1 - Arrive in Zurich. Rest the afternoon && Zurich in the evening. Hotel in Zurich
Day 2- Zurich to Lucerne. Lake ferry trip and old town walk. Overnight in Lucerne.
Day 3 - Mt Pilatus day trip. Overnight in Lucerne.
Day 4 - Lucerne to Murren . Schilthornbahn or Jungfrau if sunny. Overnight in Murren.
Day 5 - Schilthornbahn or Jungfrau if not done on day 4. Else rest day in Murren with Murren walk.
Day 6 - Murren to Zermatt. Matterhorn glacier paradise if sunny. Overnight in Zermatt.
Day 7 - Matterhorn glacier paradise if not done on day 6. Else other lifts or rest depending on weather. Overnight in Zermatt
Day 8 - Zermatt to Montreux. Chateau De Chillon. Overnight in Montreux.
Day 9 - Montreux to Geneva. Overnight in Geneva. Lake ferry trip
Day 10 - Flight out of Geneva airport.
My parents are decently active but won't do treks. They are both vegetarian so any restaurant suggestions would also be welcome in addition to any suggested changes in the itinerary.
Thanks
Yogesh
Posted by
The Heartland USA
8972 posts
Five hotels in 9 nights. That sounds like a lot of time spent in moving around. I would suggest skipping Zurich and taking the frequent train directly to Luzern from the rail station at Zurich airport. Zurich is a pleasant enough city, but you don't spend enough time there to see anything but your hotel anyway. You should send them directly to the mountains.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
I agree, skip Zürich and go direct from Zürich airport to Luzern (only 70 minutes by train), and have an extra night there. Cost: CHF 30 per person as this will not be a pass day.
Equally skip Geneva, extra night in Montreux and go direct from there to Geneva airport station (cost: CHF 36 pp). You can do your lake ferry trip from Montreux.
Be flexible with your mountain days (Pilatus, Schilthornbahn, Jungfrau). They are weather dependent, and decide on the day with the best forecast when you get there.
Vegetarian should not be a problem, all restaurants will have one or two vegi options.
Are you accompanying her or will she be on her own? If not, is she up to all this travelling on her own?
Posted by
OP
99 posts
I'm sorry if I wasn't clear.. Both my mom and dad are traveling together.. the flight from Geneva is early morning so I didn't want to risk it, hence the night in Geneva.
Skipping straight to Lucerne is a good idea provided my parents want to travel by train after a 12 hour flight.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
""Skipping straight to Lucerne is a good idea provided my parents want to travel by train after a 12 hour flight." -They will be travelling by train, either 15 minutes into central Zürich or 70 minutes to Luzern, the difference is not significant.
The train will not be stressfull, just sit in a comfy seat and watch the world go by.