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Eight Days in Switzerland with Berner Oberland in the Middle

Posted by on

We are flying into Zurich on June 5 (mid morning arrival) and flying home from Zurich on June 13 (late morning flight).
We have reservations in Murren, arriving on June 6 and checking out June 11. I was hoping to travel the Golden Pass train route during our stay, probably breaking it up into several segments. We would also like to spend a couple of days in Luzern.
Would it make sense to spend our first night in either Bern or Lausanne (don't want to spend the entire day on the train) and then catch the Montreaux to Interlaken segment of the Golden Pass route on June 6, stay in Murren June 6-11, and pick up the Interlaken to Luzern segment of the Golden Pass route on June 11? It looks like it is too early to see the train schedule for June as yet, which is complicating travel planning. Or maybe I am not looking in the right place for train info.

Or would it be better to start in Luzern (although that would allow only one day in Luzern) and end in Bern?

It looks like there would be plenty of time to get to Zurich airport from Luzern or Bern the morning of our flight. Does that make sense?

Thank you to all who can provide input!

Posted by
8967 posts

You can look at the current train schedules and see how long the trips and connections are - they won't change much for June. Yes you can get from Luzern to the Zurich airport by train early the day of departure - its about 1 1/2 hours.

Posted by
1131 posts

I'm seeing the June schedules online? See https://www.sbb.ch/en

It may be, that if you're looking at the "Scenic railroad" site only, you can't book the seat reservations yet, but you can definitely see and book the "regular" train rides. For example we did Interlaken to Zurich last July, and most of that route is part of the Golden Pass line. (Well worth it to go that way, although it takes 1 hour longer to get to Zurich than if we had gone the "less scenic" way through Bern.) We didn't do seat reservations, just showed up, and there was plenty of room on the train.

You are correct that the ride from either Bern or Luzern to the Zurich airport is short. As long as your flight is noon or later, and you take an early train (like 7 or 8 am) you should be fine doing it same-day. The Swiss trains are remarkably on time.

Posted by
2829 posts

Your plan is sound. I'd travel from Zürich Airport to Montreux. Then go to Mürren via the Golden Pass Line. From Mürren to Luzern you take the second sector of the Golden Pass line. Then you travel from Luzern to the airport on June 13, there are many trains in that route and if you flight leaves after 10.00 you can comfortable leave Luzern by train on the day of travel.

Travel times

  • Zurich Airport - Montreux: 2:53
    • Montreux - Mürren via Zweisimmen 4:16
    • Mürren - Luzern via Brünig 2:57
    • Luzern - Zürich Airport 1:04

You need this "via" information as to search for the correct scenic route on SBB (otherwise it will give you faster non-scenic train options) Their timetable is much better than the Golden Pass website for this info. Use the Golden Pass site only to reserve the seats (CHF 8 per segment), if you so wish.

Posted by
33821 posts

There is a Swiss train between every combination of stations on every route at least hourly, all year long. Regardless of "special" extra fare tourist trains which go on several routes a few times a day there are regular trains making the same stops on the same tracks in the same amount of time, and in many cases the train carriages are at least as good as the "special" ones. For example on the Brünig Pass line between Luzern and Interlaken Ost via the pass and Meiringen, the hourly local trains have panoramic windows up to a glass edged ceiling in both second and first classes. If you have a valid ticket just hop on. Leaving Luzern sit on the right hand side if you can.

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