Help with things to see and do for seniors

I don’t work for Rick Steves but you might consider purchasing or heading to your local library to peruse his very helpful Switzerland guide.

My trip reports might give you some ideas:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/solo-in-switzerland-june-2024-my-trip-report

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/solo-in-switzerland-my-trip-report

You might want to consider taking the train as both Wengen and Zermatt are car free.

I agree with Carrie regarding train travel. Switzerland is the perfect country to use public transportation - trains, boats, cable cars...

And some of the train routes are spectacular.

Yes. We just don’t want to mess with all our luggage on a lot of trains. We are hoping to experience some small towns along the way

I fully agree with the others on the car thing (have you planned for the parking situation?), but you will pass by somewhere I thought looked interesting between Zermatt and Geneva, Sion (see church ruins, vineyards).

You're from California like me so you automatically think - vacation, get car. Don't. Not in Switzerland.

You are not going to be able to drive up to Wengen or Zermatt so you will still be dealing with trains plus paying to park your car if you can get a space. The trains really are not difficult if you pack light. When we have visited Swiss relatives, we have both driven rental cars and used the trains. I really recommend the trains.

Hi Sara, To vacation is Switzerland— nothing can top the trains. Switzerland has the best train system in the world and traveling by train in Switzerland is unlike anywhere else.
If you get a Swiss Travel Pass, not only can you skip buying individual train tickets—because all you do , in most cases, is board the train and show your Pass to the conductor. You can board trains at the spur of the moment and stop wherever you want if a town looks interesting to you. With a Swiss Travel Pass, you can also drop your luggage off at the train station you’re departing from and pick it up at the station you’re going to as train employees will handle your luggage for you,

The train ride from Lucerne to Lauterbrunnen is one of the most spectacular in the whole country. If you rent a car, you’ll miss it.

Taking the trains means BOTH of you can look at the scenery, rather than the driver of the car having to keep their eyes on the road. There’s no worries about where to park, paying for parking ( which adds up fast in Switzerland) and wasting time refueling the car. You also don’t need to worry about: buying car insurance, potentially getting traffic tickets or getting into a car accident.

Note that you cannot drive to Wengen or Zermatt because no cars are allowed there. That means you will have to leave the car miles away in pay parking lots during about half of your vacation.

Have a look at the Swiss train company’s website to learn about all the benefits of the Swiss Travel Pass at
www.SBB.ch. It covers most trains in Switzerland, boats on the lakes, hundreds of museums and the convenience it offers makes for a carefree vacation. With your itinerary as it currently is, you could get a Flex-Swiss Travel Pass that is valid for 8 days. You choose the days you’ll be traveling and use it during those days.

Have a great trip!

Y’all talked us into taking the trains. Is there a significant difference between 1st and 2nd class?

Nope.

IMHO, not much difference between 1st and 2nd class.

Definitely prefer trains in Switzerland. As was mentioned, consider the cost for a 15 day Swiss Travel Pass vs. buying a separate ticket each morning, either from a machine or the SBB app. Either way, download the official SBB app now, and learn how it works. It is very useful for planning.

Standard class ( 2nd class) is comfortable and fine for traveling by train. We’re taking a quick trip on the Tirano Express route and will be going 2nd class.
It’s usually just a few business people in suits trying to work in silence on their laptops who are seen in 1st class.

So glad you’ll be spending your time on the trains because the experience is unmatched and you’ll have an unforgettable and carefree vacation that way.

Cheers!

Is there a significant difference between 1st and 2nd class?

When it's an option, I will only travel in first class when i have luggage. There's just more room for me and my suitcase. The Swiss trains can be very crowded. Last year, even 1st class was more crowded than usual. There was a big tour group in 1st class on my train from Zermatt.

If you go to this website and scroll down to "What are Swiss trains like?", you can see pictures of 1st and 2nd class:

https://www.seat61.com/train-travel-in-switzerland.htm