Best home bases for Switzerland in April

Not exactly a great time to visit us here in Switzerland... the ski season will at it's end and depending on the weather it may not even be good enough to ski. While on the other hand the weather will not have been good enough to melt the winter snows to allow great hiking....

Jim, thank you for your reply. We are not skiers so that is something we do not have interest doing while in Switzerland . As far as hiking, our longest hikes may be 6 miles with an average hike of 3-4 miles. We’re not looking for anything crazy! I’ve already booked flights for April 20-May 4th that I got at a great price , plus, I would really like to spend my birthday here. We want to make Switzerland work so badly! Any cities that come to mind if you had to go to Switzerland in April?

If you only have 5 days (does that include travel days?) then my suggestion would be spending them all in Luzern. Its easy to get to and from, has a lot restaurants and shops, is beautifully situated on the cruisable lake, and easy access to a some mountain options for hiking or just viewing. So, plenty to choose from in just one place. Bern is not in the mountains.

The significance of it still being ski season, is that accommodations in some of the mountain areas, may be harder to find.

Is that 4 nights you have planned for Switzerland? I would stay in Lucerne the whole time. Plenty to see and do there with great options for day trips.

This video might give you some ideas:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2St3R344S04

Dissenting opinion... We're also going to Switzerland in April, but have a whole month. But if I only had four days from our proposed itinerary AND with everything you list (including that it is your first time in Europe), I'd do the Lake Geneva option. We're staying in both Geneva itself and Montreux at the other end. Geneva alone has 27 Michelin restaurant recommendations including several Bib Gourmand (more economical). Lake Geneva is beautiful including Château de Chillon as well as Evian-les-Bains (more Michelin restaurants). The Morges tulip festival (Fête de la Tulipe) will be in full swing by then, and there's lake walks, biking, hiking, etc. Like you, we'll just make the best of the weather given this is the time we were able to go.

Another vote for Montreax. I would split my time between here and Luzern. You can day trip from both cities and you get both the French and Swiss German excursions. Montreax has the Chateau Chillon, wine country, tons of hiking within a train ride if the weather allows, etc.

Hello,

What I love about April is that spring is in full swing at lower elevations and the air is often very clear, causing the beautiful snow capped mountains to appear larger than life. A big difference from the hazy days of summer.

Yes, it is possible that you will have rainy days, or even a late snow (which often melts again very quickly). This is a good reason to have a central location as a base from which you can go in many different directions, depending on the weather.

For example, from Bern you can reach:

• Luzern - 1 hour
• Zurich - 1 hour
• Lausanne - 1 hr 7min
• Lauterbrunnen - 1hr 22min

I would use the SBB web or app to see train times from any other home base location that you are considering.

Lower elevation hiking can be done almost anywhere. Once you know where you are going you can just look for beautiful hikes in that area. Many of them are listed here.

https://schweizmobil.ch/en/summer

Click on the map to see all of the major hiking routes in green. Zoom in a lot and you will see all of the local wanderweg routes in yellow. This will give you an idea of just how many there are!!

I live in Thun (18 min from Bern) and can easily do day trips to many regions of Switzerland. Check the weather the day before to get a general plan, then again the morning of, just to be sure, and head on your way. Use MeteoSwiss web or app.

If you are heading up a mountain, they all have webcams on their websites, check that in the morning to see what it is like up there.

Occasionally the entire country will have the same weather in any given day, but more often it is regional - raining in one area but clear in another.

Also, check for ‘free on your birthday’ options. We have an April birthday in our family and have gone up the Schilthorn for free several times on that day (only birthday person is free, others have to pay, obviously). Our experience has been that the gondola is full of skiers, but the viewing platform is practically empty. More than once we have had stunningly beautiful weather, and were even able to go out on the Thrill Walk without another person in sight!

https://schilthorn.ch/9/en/Happy_Birthday!

If you are in Lucerne on your birthday, 1st class boat on the lake is free. Look under “are there special birthday tickets?”

https://www.lakelucerne.ch/en/your-cruise-experience/timetable-fares/faq/questions-about-tickets/



Same with the boats on the lakes of Thun and Brienz (you will have to check for opening times for Brienz as they do not run all year round).


https://www.bls-schiff.ch/en/contact-help/frequently-asked-questions#:~:text=Are%20special%20tickets%20available%20for,points%20and%20on%20our%20boats.

There are many more options like this, just search where you will be on your birthday to find more in that area.

Have fun!

All,

I truly can not thank you enough for your replies, recommendations, and advice. I took some time to re read these comments and think more about my itinerary. I put together a rough draft itinerary with your recommendations in mind. The biggest downfall you will notice in this itinerary is a round trip through London. This is because that flight is direct for us and was only $750. Multi city flights are $1400-$1900 so this really saves quite a bit of money. I would prefer to keep this flight even though its logistically not ideal. Here is my rough itinerary so far:

Day 1 4/20: Leave MSP Airport @ 6:05 PM (sleep on plane) to LHR @ 8:05 AM
Day 2 4/21: Arrive in LHR @ 8:05 AM. option 1: Leave LHR and fly to Geneva @ 11:15AM or 2:30 PM then train to Montreux
OR option 2: Leave LHR and fly to Basel @ 3:20 PM then train to Lucerne
Day 3 4/22: Montreux
Day 4 4/23: Montreux
Day 5 4/24: Montreux
Day 6 4/25: Montreux -> Lucerne (or vice versa)
Day 7 4/26: Lucerne
Day 8 4/27: Lucerne
Day 9 4/28: Lucerne
Day 10 4/29: Depending on if we end in Montreux or Lucerne option 1: Lucerne-> Zurich airport flight from Zurich @ 8:40 AM -> Naples 10:20AM, then car to Sorrento
OR Montreux -> Geneva Airport flight from Geneva @ 12:40 PM -> Naples 2:25 PM then car to Sorrento
Day 11 4/30: Amalfi coast
Day 12 5/1: Amalfi coast
Day 13 5/2: Amalfi coast car to Naples airport. Naples -> LHR
Day 14 5/3: London
Day 15 5/4: Leave LHR @ 9:55 AM to MSP

My biggest questions are:
1. Is there anything that stands out to you or highly concerns you about this overall itinerary that you would absolutely not recommend?
2. Do you feel like the order of cities is mainly personal preference? As you can see I am not sure what part of Switzerland to go to first. None of the flight times seem that much more ideal than others. Thank you for taking the time to consider!

The first thing I see is that on 4/29, there's no way you can take a train from Lucerne (Luzern) -> Zurich airport early enough in the morning, which is not direct, AND make an 8:45 a.m. flight. At least, I certainly wouldn't want to try it!! So, you'd have to relocate to Zurich on 4/28 and spend a single night there, so you can go to the airport the next morning. That cuts a night from Lucerne and adds a relocation/one-nighter to Zurich.

By contrast, you CAN go direct from Montreux to Geneva Airport, with sometimes multiple direct trains each hour. Plus that flight is at 12:40 PM, which is a lot more convenient. So, advantage goes to Lucerne then Montreaux.

BUT...as you can see, the London > Basel > Lucerne itinerary is fairly dreadful. Seven hour layover in London, followed by a transfer from Basel airport to Basel train station, followed by the train to Lucerne, which takes just over an hour. I would be very grumpy and exhausted!

There is another option. Fly to Geneva @ 11:15AM (that's a three hour layover in London, which I think is sufficient), and then spend the night in Geneva. Wake up the next morning, and take the IR-15 direct to Lucern, which runs hourly. It is a long train ride at just over 3 hours, but what a nice introduction to Switzerland! Obviously Basel is closer, and you could do the same thing of spending the night and going the next morning, without the long ride. But Geneva solves your London layover problem and I love Swiss trains, so the long trip would be part of the experience.

As you can see, you'll have the same problem -- you are cutting a day from Lucerne, and you are creating a one-night hotel situation in a city, which is not ideal. But to my eye, it is going to happen either way. Either you start with Montreaux and shave a day off Lucerne at the end; or you start with Lucerne, but shave a day off at the beginning. And again, at least with the Geneva option, you avoid that all-day layover in London.

History Traveler,

Thank you again for your insight! It is truly so helpful to have someone else glance over things and provide me with a different perspective. Like I mentioned, I have never been to Europe, I travel a fair amount within the U.S. but NEVER plan anything! This is all so foreign to me and I am a bit regretful for not hiring a travel agent as it is a bit stressful. I am hoping once I get the main outline nailed down, things will start to come together and be a bit easier to plan.

I totally understand what you are saying about the two travel days. I spent another day thinking about it and this is what I concluded. On 4/21 land in LHR at 8AM and then take a flight to Geneva at 11:15AM. We will spend a few days there and then head to Lucerne. On 4/29 when we leave Lucerne and head to Naples, I completely forgot about the other Switzerland airport options. I found a flight from Basel airport -> Naples at 2:40 PM for $88. I feel like that is a fine option? I mostly only hear about Zurich airport but I am sure Basel airport is fine too? Also, do you know when to book inter Europe flights? Does it make a difference if you book say now or wait until closer to your trip (end of April)? Thank you again for your help!

I think if I were taking the effort to fly to a whole new location within Europe I’d want more than 2 days there. I understand the desire to see the Amalfi coast but have you considered doing something like Lake Como instead and flying home from Milan? You could just train there from Switzerland instead of having to do a whole additional airport day, which robs you of precious days of your short trip.

I worry about the flight from London to Switzerland and the flight back to London from Switzerland.

I understand that the transatlantic flights are all ready booked so these others are on a separate ticket(s). That makes me worry because if your transatlantic flights get cancelled or changed any unlinked flights will be on you - and that is risky.

I would second the Lake Como suggestion.

We are not Americans, but from Australia, and have spent four nights in Lake Como at Bellagio, and also a week in Sorrento, very near to the Amalfi Coast.

Both are spectacular places, but to link in with Switzerland, it has to be Lake Como.

We are returning to Switzerland in September next year to celebate a special anniversary, and will start our journey with four nights in Varenna to relax and get over a 24 hour journey. It is then a super easy train ride over the mountains to Switzerland.

Hi CamMN. So, as you can see, there's a couple issues percolating in your feedback:

1. The Amalfi Coast portion. Honestly, I didn't really focus on that since we've never been, but I think Wanderweg and Theharbergers are absolutely right...it doesn't make sense to add more flights and more complicated logistics to a whole new region when you're only going to have a couple full days to enjoy it. I'm sure you've added it because it is "bucket list" and you're already across the ocean, but you would be shorting yourself. Save this for a future trip when you can spend a full week. And I like their suggestions of Lake Como. Lakes Maggiore and Lugano are also beautiful.

2. Then there's Nigel's point about connecting flights. He's right, of course. It is always risky to travel on two separate tickets because the airlines are completely independent of each other. If your trans-Atlantic flight is delayed or cancelled, it makes no difference to your subsequent airline. One possibility is to see what flights your first airline has (either directly or through co-shares) to Geneva, Milan, etc. (for example), and see what the change fee would be to rebook everything as a unified ticket. The other is to roll the dice, which people do every day. Just be aware of the possibilities and have back-up plans.

Sorry if all of this seems overwhelming. Revisiting Point #1 definitely could simplify things though...

I am also reading all these suggestions here as I have a trip planned for Switzerland in the summer.:)

Hi CamMN,

The Lake Geneva area is gorgeous. I think it is a much better focus at that time of year. The lake is surrounded by mountains, there are boat rides on the lake, fabulous food, and you won’t be dealing with shoulder season issues
In the ski areas.
Between Lausanne and Montreux are lovely vineyards and lakeside towns like Vevey. There are great restaurants in Lausanne. I rented a car last year and did a drive up into the mountains to Gruyère and Gstaad. It was gorgeous. The flowers should be in bloom by then too. I stayed at this hotel with amazing views and food. https://www.prealpina.ch/en/

I’m not saying don’t go to the BO, but look closely at opening schedules up there at that time. If you like good food and beer, be sure to go up to Pension Gimmelwald for their home made brew. It would be a great pit stop on your way back from the Schilthorn.
I flew into Geneva on that last trip, with a change in London. It’s a really long day, and I was happy to stay in Geneva for a night. But the train to Lausanne is quick and easy, so keep that in mind for your first night there.

Everyone's advice has been so helpful here! I cant believe it, after dreaming and planning this trip for a few months now, I'm thinking of saving it for another year when we can go in summer and instead, spend this Late April- early May traveling all in Italy. Amalfi Coast and Florence were on the top of my want to see while in Europe for the first time and I didn't realize how difficult it would be to split the trip between seeing both Switzerland and Italy. Also, I seem to struggle a bit with planning so the thought of trying to navigate what is open and what is closed, Eurail vs Swiss pass, etc. seems quite stressful. Going in summer when everything (lifts, funiculars, higher altitude lifts, hotels, restaurants, hikes) is open and available seems like it would be easier to plan and a more worth while trip. Again, thank you for all your help, recommendations, etc. I will 100% be going to Switzerland, just maybe not late April.

I can understand that

Don't give up on your dreams of seeing Switzerland and Italy. It is very doable. I would stick to Northern Italy and Switzerland because logistically it makes more sense. I know this is your first time planning a European trip, but even for those of us who go to Europe frequently, planning a trip can be challenging but always fun! Switzerland is one of the easiest countries to navigate using public transportation. Download the sbb.ch app (swiss train app).
I often fly into London getting a better deal and then tagging on a trip to Europe using the budget airlines. Yes, there is a risk with this, but just give yourself about a 4-6 hour layover in London. The worst that could happen is you have to buy another flight. Don't become too overwhelmed with planning. I often start with big plans and then have to narrow it all down to a realistic and comfortable itinerary. You don't need a travel agent to do all this. This forum and doing your own research is the best.

You mentioned that airfare has already been purchased, but is it changeable? Even if there is a fee, it might be worth it. It could save you the cost of one (or more) separate flights, more expensive hotel night in London, etc.

Mpaulynsettle, sorry for the late reply but thank you so much for the advice and encouragement. I definitely agree that northern Italy and Switzerland make the most sense. I was dying to go to AC and Lake como just didn't tempt me as much so I just decided to make this an Italy trip and plan to do Switzerland in the summer or fall.

I am starting to agree with you that planning a Europe trip is challenging, however, fun and do able. I really appreciate the help! I am keeping the round trip London tickets because, again, they were about $750 and open Jaw Italy Tickets are $1500-$1900. We will allow a longer layover in London and hope for the best!

Hi CaMN. I want to encourage you to stick with the trip planning. I agree with mpaulynsettle - you don't need a travel agent for this.
I'm planning our first trip to Switzerland but we've been to Europe a number of times. Even after all those trips, I still find planning to be overwhelming at first. There are too many bits and pieces to make sense of it all, but as you continue, things start to fall into place. The good part about doing the planning yourself is that you really know why different choices were made.

My wife always says there are 3 fun parts to a vacation 1) the planning, 2) the going and 3) the pictures, stories and memories afterwards.
Good luck. I hope you have a great time.