On conclusion of a Viking cruise in Basel 4/29, we have option of spending a few days near Lucerne and Berner-Oberland (specifically Lauterbrunnen and Gimmelwald). Or we could strike north to southern Germany.
Love to see Switzerland BUT WILL WE BE HUGELY DISSAPPOINTED by visiting this time of the year? Closed shops, trails snow covered, cable cars out of service, etc????
Thanks for your advice
Posted by
Chicago
3125 posts
I don’t think you’d ever be disappointed to go to Switzerland, not matter what time of year. 😊 Early May is not ideal, but it can work.
Hotel Oberland in Lauterbrunnen will be open then. I’m not sure about hotels in Murren and Wengen. I know the hotel I like in Wengen does not open until early June. Many trails at the upper elevation will be closed, but still plenty to see at the lower elevations.
There will be plenty to do in Lucerne that time of year.
Is that a few days total for Switzerland? Or a few days in Lucerne and a few days in Berner Oberland? If just a few days I’d probably stick to Lucerne. Is your flight out of Zurich? You can get right to the Zurich airport from Lucerne in just over an hour on the train.
Posted by
OP
Central South Carolina
53 posts
Cruise concludes morning 4/29 Basel and we delayed departure to noon 5/5 (staying Basel near train station evening 5/4) out of the Basel airport……so we have 5 nights to plan and top thoughts are lucerne and/or Lauterbrunnen.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17422 posts
It is all about elevation. The higher villages such as Gimmelwald and Mürren will have mud and/or snow, and many hotels and restaurants will be taking a much-derived break between winter and summer seasons. But you might be OK staying in Lauterbrunnen and visiting the upper areas by cablecar—-it should be running as far as Mürren because people live there.
Lucerne and Bern should be fine S they are at lower elevation.
When I lived in southern Germany years ago as a student, early May was one of my favorite times, with nice weather and lots of trees and flowers in bloom.
Posted by
OP
Central South Carolina
53 posts
Would be fun to go to the jungfrau and I just checked and maintenance for the schittelhornbahn is supposed to end 4/28.
Posted by
OP
Central South Carolina
53 posts
Checked and hotels Gimmelwald close each year 3/15-5/15 so this must be the 2 months annually for downtime. Murren hotels are open.
Posted by
Chicago
3125 posts
Since you’re flying out of Basel, I would stay the whole time in the Berner-Oberland then. If you found hotels in Murren that are open, that’s where I’d stay.
If the website says the maintenance ends 4/28 you can count on that being accurate. Switzerland runs like clockwork. 😊