My hotel reservations are done and I will be staying 6 nights in Luzern. I have ideas about an itinerary but I want to check them with those of you who are local and those who have traveled to Switzerland in mid April to see if my ideas are doable.
I will arrive midday Thursday in Zürich and will take a nonstop train to Luzern. The afternoon I will walk around Luzern.
Friday is also a day in Luzern.
Saturday morning I want to get up early to walk around the outdoor market in Luzern before taking the train to Zürich for a day trip. I love outdoor markets and I believe there is a major outdoor market in Zürich on Saturdays as well.
Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday I will have SBB saver day passes that I will have purchased on the SBB app 60 days prior to each day respectively. Will there be any problem using my Bank of America Travel Rewards Visa credit card that I only use when outside the US. I have read threads in this forum that some people have had difficulties inputting their credit card information so I want to be prepared.
Weather permitting, on Sunday I want to go to Mt Rigi. I see I can take a boat to Viznau and then a train to the top. One thing I cannot do is take any kind of cable car because I have a spinal condition that won’t allow me to stand without tremendous pain. So transportation in which I can sit is vital. I can certainly walk so I look forward to walking when I get to the summit. I will have my winter walking boots. In mid April, does this sound realistic to go to Mt Rigi? I see there is a restaurant I’m hoping is open on a Sunday in mid April. Is that the case?
Perhaps a similar question, on Monday, my plan is to go to the Berner Oberland for the day. I have been to the area before and visited both Lauterbrünnen and Mürren. I had no interest in Interlaken. I did this visit with my husband at the end of May in 2014 and long to return. My thought was to visit Grindelwald and walk around for a bit plus sit at a café or restaurant and enjoy just being in the area. I will not be hiking. Since Grindelwald is larger than Mürren, I am hoping more places would be open. Is this realistic in mid April and on a Monday or Sunday in case I choose to go to the Berner Oberland on a Sunday and Mt Rigi on a Monday? Or should I visit another town in the Berner Overland instead of Grindelwald assuming again it is a good idea to visit in mid April?
Tuesday will be my day in Bern. I want flexibility about which trains to take and I like how the saver day pass provides that. The outdoor market in Bern is also open on Tuesday as well as Saturday. I also look forward to walking around the old town.
So are my two Alpine days realistic in mid April? If not, do you have other suggestions perhaps a town on a lake like Thun or a take a train ride that is part of the saver day pass that will take much of the day but will have stunning mountain vistas in case the weather is not good at Mt Rigi or the Bernese Oberland or I wake up in pain and a ton of walking isn’t part of the plan that day? I do like the flexibility of being able to get on and off a train to explore a village for example. Again, it seems like the saver day pass provides that opportunity of great flexibility.
Wednesday, my flight home leaves midday from Zürich so I will take a morning train.
So the above is my general idea. I have already visited Geneva, Montreux, Château de Chillon and Gstaad on previous visits to Switzerland. I welcome and appreciate suggestions & ideas that you all may have.
Thank you!