We are planning to visit Switzerland arriving April 29, 2020. I’ll be flying in from Berlin and friend coming from Amsterdam. We would like to see Stanserhorn, Matterhorn, Pilatus, Corvatsch, Titlis, and Rigi. If we can go to Jungfraujoch, that would be icing in the cake. We also want to spend some time in Geneva and hoping to be able to catch Bernina or Glacier Express. Not sure if we can get Swiss rail pass and pay extra for firstclass for train if over three hours. Also have to visit Maison Cailler chocolate and Swiss cheese factory. I’ve been looking at maps, asking Google for trains and hotels, reading this forum and also reading MySwissAlps, but I’m more confused. We haven’t made air reservations because wasn’t sure where to start. We will be going to Amsterdam at the end of this ambitious journey. Ambitious because we are in our mid to late 70. We would like to take train to each point. We are hoping we can do this last hurrah in 14 or 15 days.
Recommendations and comments will be most appreciated and I thank you.
Posted by
Green Bay
21148 posts
2 weeks should be enough time to fit that all in. Zurich is the biggest airport with the most flights.
You mention you want to see Geneva, but anything specific? It is the location of CERN, if particle physics is of interest, Otherwise, I would not bother with it.
Stanserhorn, Pilatus, Rigi, and Titlis are all near Luzern, so that should definitely be a place to hang for a while. Then proceed to St Moritz, or Sils Maria for Piz Corvatch. Then Glacier Express to Zermatt for the Matterhorn, then to Montreux or Vevey to take the train to Chocolate and Cheese tour. Then the Golden Pass to Interlaken (or better, Wengen or Muerren) and see if you want to do the Jungfraujoch. Then back to Zurich airport. Easyjet has daily flights between Berlin Tegel, Zurich, and Amsterdam Schipol.
If you want 1st class for a couple of legs, like the Glacier Express, might as well get a 15-day 1st class Swiss Travel Pass and be done with it.
Posted by
OP
Kent, Wa
56 posts
That is what I came up with but felt like I was taking long and unnecessary route. So you think starting and ending in Zurich is the way to go? I toyed with start in Zurich and leave from Geneva to Amsterdam. Also confusing was when googling route, then checking with Swiss pass, I didn’t quite understand what was meant by train and transportation up mountain was free. Am I understanding this to be correct? I know there is a reduced charge for most of transportation up and down mountains, but are all trains rides free, excluding the scenic trains? We want to hang out in Geneva for couple days and see Red Cross and United Nations and other places of interest on the Lake, at leisure. Was going to try Mt Blanc until I found out we had to go to France. But by that time, the two of us will be exhausted so couple days chilling out in Geneva seemed like the way to go. But on the other hand, we can go home to chill. Criticism, comments, and recommendations are welcome and thank you for your response.
Posted by
Green Bay
21148 posts
Whether or not a train ride is included with the Swiss Travel Pass is shown by the map with the "download" button here. https://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/travel-in-switzerland/international-guests/swiss-travel-pass.html
This changes a little bit every year, and there are a few exceptions. For the year ending now, Stanserhorn and Rigi are included, the others at 50% discount, except the Jungfraujoch with a 25% discount. Also, a special deal ending this year included the Schilthornbahn, So take a look at the map that will come out in January.
You could start in Geneva, Easyjet has flights from Amsterdam and Berlin Schoenfeld, plus the national carriers. You could go Geneva, Montreux, Zermatt, St Moritz, Luzern, Zurich airport. Also, it is not a big deal to get a van/bus from Geneva airport to Chamonix if you do want to see Mt Blanc. As you get a little closer, you can fine tune things.