Five day trip to Berner Oberland

Posted by christidmore2014 on 06/14/16 01:16 AM

Trying to figure out the best train pass or passes since my wife and I will be there for five days. We will be flying into Basel on Monday morning and taking the train to Wengen. On Tuesday we planned to go to Jungfrau. On Wednesday we wanted to take the train to Schynige Platte and then do the long hike to First. We would then cable car/train back to Lauterbrunnen (staying Wed night). On Thursday morning we were going to train and take a boat to Thun. On Friday we are training it to Zurich to fly back.

Any help with what would be the easiest and most economical. Also any thoughts what we are doing and anything I am missing.

Thanks

Chris

Posted by Laurel

Forest Grove, OR

06/14/16 06:29 AM

11775 posts

I would recommend the Berner Oberland Regional Pass. Most of your lifts and trains will be included, although you have to pay extra for the Jungfraujoch. One of the advantages to having the pass that while pricey, you can ride as much as you want. The hike from Grutschalp to Muerren should not be missed, IMO. Also Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidigg.

Posted by Tom

Danville, VT

06/14/16 12:52 PM

12040 posts

One bit of advice- base your itinerary on the weather and don't try to peg activities to specific days without the benefit of a short-term weather forecast. I would do the hike on the first day without a threat of rain, and if bad weather hits, perhaps use that day for the boat trip.

Posted by Shoe

Grand Rapids, MI

06/14/16 05:18 PM

768 posts

Yes, so don't buy that pass in advance until you know the weather. If not sure of the weather, I go with "pay as you go", since there isn't a huge difference in price between a pass and no pass in the long run, unless you are going to be traveling all day. For most people, it would be one trip up, a hike, one trip down, each day.

Posted by Prof B

Fort Worth, Tx, USA

06/15/16 12:51 AM

50 posts

Tom and Shoe offer good advice above: base your plans (and buy your pass) based on the weather. We just got back from there, and the weather was terrible (rainy/cloudy = badly limited views) most of our time in Switz. Loved Schynige Platte (on a clear day) and some of the others you mention. We prefer the Schilthorn over the Jungfrau--better views, IMO, and a shorter, cheaper journey--but do try the Kleine Scheidigg-Mannlichen hike if it's open and the skies are clear-ish. Whichever peak you do, check the cams at the top on the swisspanorama.com site to make sure you've got good visibility. There are lots of bad weather options (Bern or Luzern or Montreux side trips; Trummelbach or the Aare Gorge in Meiringen; Thun, Interlaken, or Grindelwald)--if you're staying at a hotel, they should be able to help with planning. Enjoy your trip. That area is our favorite.