First trip to Switzerland

Sounds like a nice trip. Check SBB.ch for connections from Wengen to Varenna... it seems to take from 6+ to 8+ hours so it will be an all day trip through beautiful countrysides.

https://www.sbb.ch/en

Wengen accommodations are expensive -if you are looking for a deal 5 min from the train station in center of town look at the Bernerhof with good restaurant but no elevator.

People always assume that combining northern Italy with Switzerland is an obvious choice because they look so close together, but the mountains say otherwise. Getting between Wengen and Varenna is an all day ordeal with a bunch of changes. It's actually simpler to go between Varenna and Luzern (4 hours - 2 train changes vs 6.5 hours - 4 train changes). Is it possible for you to switch and fly IN to Milan and out of Zurich? If so, I'd suggest this....

Milan Airport > Varenna 3 nights > Luzern 2 nights > Wengen 6 nights > Fly out of Zurich

This simplifies your travel days and saves the best for last.

If you could "give up" northern Italy and the chaos of Milan, I'd suggest this...

Fly into Geneva > Montreux 2 nights > Wengen 6 nights > Luzern 3 nights > Fly out of Zurich
From Luzern you can do a day trip to Lugano/Morcote to get the Italian lake feel and this mix combines the French, German and Italian influences of Switzerland, while also limiting the long travel days. It's a more well rounded and logistically easier itinerary in my opinion.

11 months out means you will have plenty of time to analyse your transportation options regarding the Berner Oberland Pass and Half Price Card which won't change price between getting them ahead or on the day.

The Berner Oberland Pass often tweaks what's included, sometimes fairly big tweaks, in the off season before they go back on sale.

I agree with ‘wandeweg,’ that’s a long way to go and a long day with numerous train changes when there’s so many beautiful places in Switzerland to spend your time at.

The itinerary that Wanderweg suggested could also be done in reverse, according to your original plan. Is there any way you could add a day or two to the trip to provide not only a bit more time for touring but also an extra day for the trip between Varenna and Switzerland? Be sure to allow for the cost of travel in Switzerland as it's expensive.

Have you researched the train connections between Switzerland and Lake Como? I haven't checked lately but that trip will involve a number of changes.

There are LOTS of hiking opportunities in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, so you should have lots to do while there. You could check the Rick Steves Switzerland guidebook or this book for suggestions - https://www.americanbookwarehouse.com/4827923/?srsltid=AU7gw4UX2ZxEUI8bvDPQoy9A-UCdBrYHhY42mZQC8q-8wRp2-gdTvzg2 . Are you planning to also visit the Jungfraujoch or the Schilthorn?

Personally I didn't find Lucerne that interesting. I stopped there on my way to the Zurich airport for a few hours which was enough for me.

I know many people on this forum stay in Wengen or Murren rather than Lauterbrunnen or Interlaken but I saw all of those places and I preferred Lauterbrunnen. Wengen and Murren are both isolated villages where you have to take mountain lifts or trains to get to them. I wouldn't find enough to do in those villages, esp not for 5 nights; I would get bored. Unless you are planning to do the highest mountain lifts, I wouldn't stay in those villages. Lauterbrunnen has more flexibility as the lifts or trains all leave or end up in Lauterbrunnen anyway. I also wanted to do the Brienz Rothorn train which leaves from Brienz. If you are staying in Wengen or Murren, it would involve several lifts and train changes to get to Brienz.

I'll be honest that after a full day of riding lifts and trains, I was burned out on it.

Thinking back on my trip, I really enjoyed walking the Lauterbrunnen valley and looking at all of the waterfalls. It's called the "Valley of 72 Waterfalls". Many were dried up but the ones that were flowing were gorgeous. Wengen and Murren do not have waterfalls.

Thank you everyone for your insight. You have given me much to think about. I didn't realize it would be such a tough travel day from Wengen to Varenna. I'm now thinking of leaving northern Italy for another trip.

for those suggesting that there are a number of changes on the way from Wengen to Varenna, they are exactly right.

Those changes within Switzerland will be close so on some of them you want to skipa train to have a meal or walk around or not rush if you have too much luggage for easy connections.

There are always different ways to achieve transportation goals - here are 3 ways you could do it. The ">" between station names indicates a change to another train.

First choice, the way I might wish to go - Wengen > Lauterbrunnen > Interlaken Ost > (very scenic cog railway from Interlaken Ost to Luzern) Luzern (Lucerne) > Arth Goldau > Milano Centrale > Varenna. This route uses the extremely long Gotthard Basis Tunnel deep under the Alps.
An alternate isthe much slower but much more scenic Treno Gottardo which crawls over the Alps using the old traditional route.

Second choice, Wengen > Lauterbrunnen > Interlaken Ost > Spiez > Milano Central > Varenna. Although some of the trains are direct using Lötschberg-Basistunnel and Simplon-Basistunnel both deep under the Alps, most results use the same but are Spiez > Brig > Domodossola > Milano Centrale, possibly only changing at either Brig or Domodossola but most needing both. There is also a much slower but much more scenic Lötschberg Express up and over and using only the original Simplon tunnel - much shorter tunnel - and requiring both changes along that segment.

Third choice - much less scenic and no faster than option one, but using the Gotthard Basistunnel - Wengen > Lauterbrunnen > Bern > Zürich > Milano Centrale > Varenna.

You may want to consider making a Milan avoiding route, changing at Monza, but that may be more complicated over all because the train from Switzerland terminates at Milano Centrale and the TreNord train to Tirano with the stop at Varenna originates there.

Any way you cut it, that's a really long detour to see a lake. A nice lake, granted, but a lake way off the rest of your journey.

To clarify for readers who haven’t been there and are deciding what’s best for them - Suggesting that Lauterbrunnen has more to do than Wengen or Mürren is not accurate. It may be more convenient for day trips to the extended region (IF you stay in the heart of the town, not in the valley which requires a bus connection - many people make that mistake), but Lauterbrunnen itself is just souvenir shops and not great restaurants. It’s also extremely hectic and overrun with daytrippers driving through the town, so the sidewalks are absolutely packed. Also, if you want to get nitpicky, Wengen has a cinema theater, mini golf, tennis courts, pickleball, etc. and Mürren has its own sports center with spa, indoor pool, virtual reality, basketball courts, etc - both of which is more than Lauterbrunnen does.

If you’re going to the mountains and find yourself bored by….the mountains, then perhaps it’s not the place for you to stick around for long. These areas are for hiking and enjoying the views, not for towns with manufactured entertainment. Anyway, I just want to clarify for people reading this who haven’t been, Lauterbrunnen’s “benefit” is in one less transportation connection, not in more things to keep you from being bored.

Agree with wanderweg about Murren and Wengen. We just returned from our first amazing trip!

Also, we loved having the BO pass. It was so convenient; keeping it in our Apple Wallet. Just hop on and go. We also had the Half Fare card. I spent a lot of time trying to understand the passes, do cost analysis; break even etc. I finally just bought them before we went and was really glad we did!

We also loved Montreaux, Vevey and that area of Lake Geneva as another place to visit if your Varenna plans change.

KD, would love a trip report! Hoping to get to those areas soon!

So rethinking our plan... skipping Varenna all together and sticking with Lucerne and Wengen. I was hoping to save Wengen for second part of trip as i think this will be the highlight, but wondering if it will be better to leave for zurich for flight home from Lucerne. Alternatively, we could always stay near the airport on our last overnight.
Appreciate any thoughts.

If your flight is after 12 pm you can stay in Wengen and still make it to the airport just fine. If your flight is before noon, then your option is to reverse and end in Luzern or keep in the order you want and just leave Wengen after a day of exploring + dinner and go to an airport hotel late that evening so that you don't lose a day of enjoyment in the mountains.

In the same situation, I'd probably stay in Lucerne in the latter part of the trip as it's easy to reach the airport from there. You could also stay in Zürich for a night or two and do a bit of touring around the city prior to your flight home. It's a very short train ride from Zürich Hbf to the airport, only about 15 minutes as I recall.