Lucerne- Montreux-Wengen September itinerary

I would swap the order thus - From Luzern I would go to Wengen first , then Montreux , and Montreux to Brig ( via Martigny ) eliminates unnecessary backtracking . I am actually doing this leg next Autumn in the opposite direction Lyon - Montreux - Wengen - Luzern - Zurich , and onto Germany and Austria

It makes more sense to travel first to Wengen, then to Montreux. It avoids travelling the same route in both directions between Interlaken and Montreux.

But if you are only adding Montreux because of the Golden Pass railway, I would skip it and spend an extra night around St Moritz instead.
Indeed, in my opinion, the Golden Pass railway is far less scenic than the Glacier Express or the Albula and Bernina railways. And on the Luzern-Montreux route via Interlaken, I actually preferred the Luzern-Interlaken section.

Agreed that you should switch the order. What time of year are you going? 4 nights in Wengen for us would be too much depending on time of year. It's a lovely visit, but in the off season much is closed. Will you only be using trains or will you have a car for any of the trip? Sounds like a great trip!

We will be there mid September and will only be traveling by train. I will take everyone’s advice and leave montreux for last . Thank you everyone!

Small world ! We will be there at the same time . To whet your interest and enthusiasm , watch this video from 1980 , While this journey moves from west to east , it covers a good deal of Switzerland ( and ,your trip ) When I first saw this in 1980 , I never thought I would ever get to see it . Some thirty years later , I did . https://youtu.be/Xb9vTT2Nqi8

Mid-September should still be a good season in the Wengen area so don't worry about being out of season. Maybe you could say what you are interested in seeing in the Montreux area, as it does take you out of your way for a fairly short stay. We loved the Chillon castle and I've heard that Chaplin's world is quite interesting. But if you are only planning on going there because you have heard of it, you may want to research what you are really interested in seeing and then decide if it is worth the detour. We were quite disappointed in the Golden Pass route so I would say don't plan your trip around that. You will see a beautiful lake in Lucerne and it may be more rewarding to spend more time in Lucerne and Wengen and skip Montreux this trip.

I have to disagree so what with others. We LOVE Montreux and could easily do several days there. On the other hand we did NOT like Lucerne and would never go back there. We also, unexpectedly, really liked Zurich. If you want to do the Golden Pass and Montreux can you fly into Geneva instead? A great way to do this loop you are thinking of is to fly to Geneva and then start at Montreux (1 hour by train from Geneva, easy), then Golden Pass over to the Lauterbrunnen area. We have been to Wengen 4 times and would have no problem staying there 4-5 days if you like hiking. Then from that area you have options for going to Lucerne and then to Zurich or heading somewhere else. Anyway just another perspective.

Thanks for your thoughts on this. I will go back To consider flying into Geneva instead of Zurich. So many things to see and so little time !

With respect to other posters, I would say that most Switzerland enthusiasts consider Lucerne a top destination. It for sure has scenery, walking, culture and fun as you are looking for. Very historic if that is of interest. We ate at a 500-year old restaurant near Chapel Bridge for example. and there are historic city walls and fortified towers you can tour. If you stay near the river and the central old town area, there is plenty of lively activity but not too wild.

Yes to be clear we are in the complete minority viz. Lucerne. You will find almost everyone else on these Swiss boards love it. But we disliked it so much we left a day early and went on to Zurich. Just giving a different perspective. Others do not like Montreux but we love it and the whole Montreux/Lausanne area. Important thing is to read about these areas, watch videos, etc. to get a determination exactly what appeals to YOU. Then update your tentative itinerary and come back with more questions. Center around the BO and you can’t go wrong!

What is considered "off season" for places like Wengen/Murren/Grinderwald that shops would be closed? September??

katreinmuth2, I checked a couple hotels in both Wengen and Murren, and it appears that mid Oct. is when they close until the winter season. Sept. is a great time to go.