We are hoping to take a train from southern Germany (not sure where yet), where we will drop our car, to Switzerland. We want to stay for 3 nights. Then we will take a train to Paris for the remainder of our trip. We would like to be in the Berner Oberland, but can someone tell about the trains to get there? Or can someone suggest a better place to spend 3 nights, that will give us a good introduction to Switzerland, that is a reasonable train trip? We are 2 people traveling in late August. I've never ridden the trains in Europe and I'm not sure what to plan. We also have never been to Switzerland. Thank you!
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32801 posts
to paint the complete picture, it would be really helpful to have a clue where you will be entering Switzerland.
Do you have any idea where abouts you might be just before making the trip into Switzerland? The Rhine Valley? Munich? Berlin? The Black Forest? It would really help.
Posted by
The Heartland USA
8457 posts
You can get to just about anywhere in Switzerland by train (Germany too for that matter). But it does matter where you are coming from, to determine how much of your precious travel time it will take to get there.
Without further info, I'd suggest Luzern as a destination that has beautiful scenery, mountains and lakes, and a nice city to stay in. The Berner Overland is of course even more wonderful, but does take a bit longer to get to, with more changes in trains, reducing your time on the ground there.
Posted by
OP
10 posts
Yes, you are right about where we are coming from. We will be in Rothenberg. So maybe Rothenberg to Switzerland. Or maybe a stop in Germany after Rothenberg (but where??, any suggestions?) then Switzerland. Any comments on the train from Rothenberg to the Berner Oberland?
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32801 posts
That's some journey, especially when you need to stop and offload the car. Do you plan to do that all at once, or will you stop overnight and see something of the place you leave the car?
If you you want to drive near to Switzerland all the way from RodT and then get a train towards Interlaken to go up the hill, three possible places occur to me. Have you looked at a map to decide which direction you'd prefer?
The shortest distance is Stuttgart, maybe 2 hours or so by car. Unfortunately Stuttgart has a lot of traffic, but as your car will be German you should be ok going into the city to get to a car place. It also has two excellent car museums and lots else to offer, and good train service into Switzerland. The train from Stuttgart will take between 5 and 6 hours, with changes at a minimum at Karlsruhe and Basel, and then the changes to wherever in the Berner Oberland (which village) you are going to.
A beautiful city in the Black Forest area, and closer to Switzerland is Freiburg im Breisgau. That's about 3:45 to 4:15 in the car. Freiburg im Breisgau is a lovely place, you can find it on many Rick Steves and other videos, and of course it has a prime place in the RS book. From there the train as far as Interlaken Ost takes around 3 hours, some have one change at Basel, some have 2 changes at Olten and Bern, and some go straight through. Then of course there's the time going up the hill.
The place closest to Switzerland, straight south from RodT is Konstanz, on the Bodensee (Lake Constance). Figure 3 and a half hours to 4 hours driving, and then 3:15 to 4 hours on the train changing at Zurich, Bern and Spriez or Luzern, and then up the hill.
Which of those appeals to you?