We are a family of 5 adults. We are staying in Lucerne for 4 nights in late July 2019, from a Friday to a Tuesday. We are coming by train from Colmar (via Basel) after 7 days in France. A few questions:
1 - We plan to buy half fare cards. My inclination is to purchase the HFCs ahead, along with our tickets for Friday from Basel to Lucerne, and print them at home, so that we don't have to deal with buying those while in transit from Colmar, as we'll have luggage. Is it easy enough to buy the HFCs from home? Is this a good plan? The Basel to Lucerne tickets will be good for any train that day, even if I buy them online and print them, right?
2 - Our hotel is right near the Weinmarkt. What is the best way to get from Lucerne train station to our hotel with our luggage? Will there be taxis?
3 - We apparently will be visiting right during the Blue Balls music festival in Lucerne. Any advice or tips on how this might affect things? It actually looks sort of fun to wander the vendor stalls. Will the crowds be enormous?
4 - Our draft itinerary - understanding we might have to adjust the days depending on weather - any suggestions or changes you would propose?:
Day 1 (Fri) - Arrive by early afternoon, hotel check in and lunch. Explore Lucerne itself. Any favorite restaurants in Lucerne?
Day 2 (Sat) - Mt. Pilatus golden round trip excursion, starting early a.m. Afternoon in Lucerne. We are hoping to go to Catholic Mass Saturday evening. Any suggestions or a good website to find mass schedules?
Day 3 (Sun) - Full day excursion to Lauterbrunnen via Interlaken Ost. It'll be a long day trip but we'd like to see the Berner Oberland area and the train ride looks beautiful. Would Sunday be an ok day to do this if the weather is decent? I figure shops might be closed in Lucerne anyway. Will there be enough restaurants and tourist shops open in Lauterbrunnen on a Sunday? Would it be worth it to, on arrival, go immediately up to Wengen and have lunch there? Then head back down for some hiking/exploring in Lauterbrunnen? Possibly have a look around and dinner in Interlaken before heading back to Lucerne. Any restaurant recommendations for lunch and dinner in Wengen, Lauterbrunnen, or Interlaken?
Day 4 (Mon) - Unplanned. Depending on how we feel, we could do Mt. Rigi or Mt. Titlis. Which one of those is more different from Mt. Pilatus? Or we can just relax in Lucerne. What about a boat ride to one of the villages on Lake Lucerne? Are any of the villages particularly interesting or beautiful to explore for a few hours/have lunch? Any suggestions for nice hikes within/around Lucerne itself? Day trip to Bern? (Bern looks neat but I tend toward enjoying the outdoors/nature rather than another city for our last day in Switzerland).
Day 5 (Tues) - Take direct train from Lucerne to Zurich airport. Our flight back to the U.S. leaves at 11:45 am. Would taking the 7:35 am direct train from Lucerne, arriving at the airport at 8:44 be adequate? Or should we take the 6:35 am train to allow for any delays?
5 - My father (age 65) is very fit but has some mobility/balance issues with his feet. He'll have a walking pole for assistance but does anyone have tips or warnings based on our planned activities above? If there are any particularly treacherous walking routes or things to avoid on a possible excursion to Titlis or Rigi, please advise.
6 - Since we won't have the Swiss Travel Pass, how easy will it be to buy train tickets and the golden pass ticket at the station for our excursions on the day of or day before - any general tips?
7 - Lastly, for the excursions I've described, for late July, would one warm layer/sweatshirt and a light but sturdy raincoat probably be sufficient? Or will we need to dress for winter with heavier coats, hats, and gloves?
Thank you very much!