Planning 7-8 days — then need to get to Milan by Oct 18 —. Would like to stay in BO - murren ? Wengen ? How many days there? 3 ?
Stay elsewhere? Interlocken Lucern ?
Scenic train from chur back to Milan? (Bernini express)?
What are some day activities? What would you plan / do ?
We spent 5 nights in Wengen in June and could have stayed longer. The weather will dictate what you can do. I would spend all the time you possibly can in that area, to give you flexibility. Interlaken is only 40 minutes away and is much less desirable location. There is construction happening in Murren for at least the next year, so that would not be my choice.
The Bernina Express is a VERY long ride and difficult logistically from the Lauterbrunnen area. You could stay in Chur to break up the day.
There are tons and tons of posts about recommended activities in the Berner Oberland areas. Check out some trip reports also. The opportunities are extensive. Just be sure to check the opening hours for lifts and trains. Some may be closed in October as it is off season.
There is construction happening in Murren for at least the next year, so that would not be my choice.
What’s happening in Mürren? New building construction?
https://search.ricksteves.com/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=Murren+construction&button=
Above is link on Mürren construction.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/lucerne-62eb4d28-60ab-4837-b4b4-91a2486eb732
This is my Trip report from 2021. My suggestion is to read trip reports, the posts under Switzerland , and get a RSGuide. You need to do some research on your own, then ask more specific questions. There's a wealth of info here on the Forum- dig in!
You may have difficulty finding lodging for October- I'd highly recommend securing lodging asap in the BO.
Safe travels!
Are you flying into Switzerland then planning to go by train to Milan on Oct 18? It would be helpful to know where you will start your Swiss adventure.
Are you hikers/walkers or mostly into scenic rides?
I'm an advocate for staying in the valley, especially if you plan to explore a broader area. It is the transport hub. However, if just walking out of your hotel and hike in the mountains is your goal then by all means go up.
I spent 6 nights in the Lauterbrunnen/Murren area, plus 4 in nearby Thun (visiting a friend), and would have gladly spent more time in the area. There are a lot of great hikes and scenic rides in the area.
As others have suggested, it would help to know where you’re coming from and what your interests are. Also search some of the previous trip reports and threads to get ideas.
Depending on your interests, spending all or most of your time in the Bernese-Oberlander area is a good choice. If you want to check out cities, Interlaken is about a 30 minute train ride from Lauterbrunnen; Thun is an hour, and Bern is 90 minutes. So you can easily do day trips to one or more of these on rainy/cloudy days, then enjoy the Alps on sunny/partly cloudy days.
All the best,
Raymond
Get Rick's guide, read his suggestions, come back with questions
I was in Murren last week on the RS Switzerland tour. The construction on the new lift to the Schilthorn did not detract from our great time there.
I’d say split it between the mountains and lakes. Murren or Wengen for 3-4 days, then either somewhere on Lake Thun or the Lausanne area (Vevey/Montreux, or Lausanne itself.)
