Hello! My family (2 adults + 2 children 6&12) are traveling to Switzerland in July. We will be in Zurich for 3.5 days. Is it doable to take day trips from Zurich to Lucern, Lauterbrunnen, Interlaken/Thun? In Lauterbrunnen we would like to go to Schilthorn, Harder Kulm in Interlaken and a boat tour/toy shop in Thun. The hotel prices are high right now in all of these places, so I don't think it will be possible to find lodging in each location. But I'm hoping we can still see them even if we have to do it from Zurich. Is this a feasible plan? Thanks so much for any advice/insight!
Posted by
Green Bay
20250 posts
Are you staying at friend's place? Zurich hotels are expensive as well.
Certainly possible, but you will be spending a lot of time riding trains, and not much time seeing the sights you want to see. Just a 3-day Swiss Travel Pass will run you 232 CHF each adult and it still will not get you free of charge to the Schilthorn or Harder Kulm.
You might do better just concentrating on Luzern, boat rides on the lake, going to the Rigi Kulm and Stanzerhorn. All of them fully covered by the Swiss Travel Pass. Kids ride free with you when you get the free Family Card. Luzern is only an hour from Zurich.
Posted by
Big Island of Hawaii
691 posts
I agree with Sam about the cost of the trains. Plus, it's 3 hours one way from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen, and then 3 hours return. And, then from Lauterbrunnen it will probably take another hour or so to go up to Schlithorn. Doesn't make much sense to try to do either Schlithorn from Zurich.
Have you looked at AirBnB in Lauterbrunnen or Interlaken? Or Grindelwald? And, yes, Switzerland is expensive.
Posted by
Thun, Switzerland
491 posts
Are you finding hotel prices to be high in Thun as well? That would be a better base for heading into Lauterbrunnen, Schilthorn, etc.
The good thing is that days are long in July, if you don't mind the longer train ride, then it is definitely possible to see all locations from Zurich. I sometimes do day trips traveling 4 hours one way (to Appenzell or Locarno, for example). It is a long day, but in my opinion it is worth it.
Edited to add: I see that you are thinking of going to a toy shop in Thun. Do you mean Franz Carl Weber? They also have stores in Zurich, Bern and Luzern. The one in Bern is larger than the Thun one, and I assume that the others would be as well. Thun has a population of only ~44,000, it isn't a large centre.
Posted by
OP
12 posts
Thank you all for your replies, they helped a lot and I found a way to make it work! So no problems now, other than pinpointing where to stay! I'll make a separate post. Thanks again!