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Lingering questions in trip planning...

Posted by (St. Louis) on

We are going to Switzerland from 7/22-7/29 to visit my sister who recently moved to Montreux. She has been intermittently in Switzerland with work (Nestle) but not much experience as a tourist.

We are considering getting an 8 day swiss pass vs. a 4 day flexpass. We are having a hard time understanding how valuable to pass is when stationary in one city as opposed to traveling between cities. Rick Steves proposes saving use of a pass day for travel days. How else do people get around a city to see attractions if not using the pass?

Also - the Golden Pass - reserved tickets are recommended. How can you do that and still use the travel pass?

Thanks for any advice/recommendations, even if off my topics!

Day 1-4: Montreux/Lausanne/Vevy area, likely a day trip to Bern

Day 5: Train to Interlaken (Golden Pass)

Day 6: explore Lauterbrunnen area

Day 7: Lucern

Day 8: Zurich

Posted by
8967 posts

A couple of clarifications please. Are you planning on staying overnight days 5-7 or are these day trips? I am inferring that you are flying home from Zurich, is that right?

Posted by
11 posts

Sorry - Day 1-4 are staying overnight in Montreux with day trips out and back. Still researching plans but definitely want to do Bern.

The remaining days are overnight: Interkalen (Friday night), Lucern (Saturday night), Zurich (Sunday night). Fly out of Zurich on Monday morning.

Posted by
33821 posts

The remaining days are overnight: Interkalen (Friday night), Lucern (Saturday night), Zurich (Sunday night). Fly out of Zurich on Monday morning.

Do you prefer to make the trip up into the mountains after breakfast on day 6 or would you like to wake up in the mountains - Lauterbrunnen, Wengen or Mürren? If you are going after breakfast, and especially since you will only be there for one day, am I right that you don't intend to go up to the Jungfraujoch or Schilthorn?

Do you intend to do any mountain walking/hiking, or will you stay in the valley and look up?

Posted by
11 posts

We are still researching this. We will stay in Interlaken but will try to spend one whole day in the mountain villages. I don’t yet understand the lifts, but the Swiss pass covers most it seeems.

I would happily take recommendations for a day there. We will need to catch a train to Lucern that evening for our next Airbnb.

Posted by
272 posts

If you are arriving in Zürich, you could stop in Bern for a quick visit on your way to Montreux. Then you wouldn’t have to back track. We really enjoyed the “chocolate train” tour from Monteux to Gruyeres and Broc for the cheese and chocolate factory tours. The Swiss Travel Pass includes the trip up the Schilthorn. We went from Mürren, so you’ll have farther to travel from Interlaken. We stopped at Gimmelwald on the way down for a walk and then continued down to Stechelberg where we saw some of the paragliders landing. We took a bus from there to see Tummelbach Falls and then continued on to Lauterbrunnen. I think you could do that in a long day and still make it to Lucerne for the night. My daughter did make reservations for us on the Golden Pass route with the STP. I think you do it on the Golden Pass website. Of course, then you are committed to a specific train.

Posted by
11 posts

thank you! That is very helpful.

So those of you with experience, is the 8 day pass worth it?

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