Hello,
We have followed for years, but first time posting here. We are trying to put together a bit of a last minute trip for October 20 - Nov. 1. (Dates are firm.) We were wanting to include the Interlaken/ Berner Oberland region and northern Italy.
First question - if flying into Zurich - would it be be worth it to spend a night or two in Lucerne before going to the mountains vs. spending the first night in Zurich?
Second question - it looks like numerous high mountain trains, etc.. stop operation around Oct. 20. Is it still worth devoting 3-5 days of our trip to this area? Most information about where to stay and the highlights of activities we have seen or read focusses on an earlier time frame. If staying - due to time of year, would it be best to stay in Interlaken vs. higher in the mountains?
We appreciate any feedback.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11634 posts
Definitely go to Luzern directly from Zurich. If weather is poor, there is a great transportation museum and anice city; if weather is good, there are mountains.
Interlaken and the area called the Jungfrau Region is a small part of the greater Berner Oberland. That is, the Berner Oberland is much larger than often mentioned on this site. Most of us focus on the Lauterbrunnen/Wengen/Mürren/Grindelwald area and most of us recommend staying up in that area as it is actually in the mountains. Yes, some of the transportation will shut down, albeit briefly, for seasonal maintenance. Some hotels and restaurants will shut down for a seasonal break before ski season. But people live here and they depend on the trains and cable ways so there is always one way or another to get somewhere you want to go.
This https://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/live/operating-info/ is a nice chart showing operating hours and days. Many are 365 days a year. Here https://holidaystoswitzerland.com/cable-car-and-funicular-closures-winter/ you will see which facilities are closing for maintenance in the coming months.
I know you did not ask about Northern Italy specifically but be aware that it is truly off-season in the Dolomites starting late October and until ski season. With a relatively short trip and commitment to flying into (and out of?) Zurich, why. It stick to one country and stay in Switzerland ?