Need help with my first Switzerland trip

Welcome Barb. Is there a reason for Basel/Mulhouse, or for flying via Frankfurt? Only part of a jet lagged day there? I'll say the routing here seems overcomplicated, unless there are other reasons for your choices. What do you need Viator for? So, you go all the way to Brig and not see the Matterhorn (Zermatt)? And then go right back to Zurich?

No, Gimmelwald is up on the mountain, not in the valley. Its a short walk from Mürren which has more facilities.

On arrival in Basel, I would not rent a car. Arrange a private transfer or take a taxi. You could also take the train to Mulhouse and then a taxi to your hotel.

On day 2, you’re sightseeing in Mulhouse then sleeping in Basel? Then taking the train on day 3 to Zurich? If you’re not planning to sightsee in Basel, I would spend 2 nights in Mulhouse then take the train from there to Zurich. This eliminates a hotel change. You would need to buy a ticket from Mulhouse to Basel, but your train pass will cover the rest of the trip.

Your train pass covers the Glacier Express. No need to book a tour with Viator. Viator is just a middle man ticket agency. You just need to reserve your seats in advance (for a fee). https://www.glacierexpress.ch/en/travel-planning/prices/

Gimmelwald, Wengen and Lauterbrunnen are all in the same area. Lauterbrunnen is in the valley, Gimmelwald is up in the mountain on one side of the valley, Wengen is up on the other side of the valley. Regardless of where you stay, to get to Zurich you will make your way to the train station in Lauterbrunnen. You will have to change trains at least twice before arriving in Zurich.

I would not add any more stops. And be sure you pack light and can manage your luggage yourself getting on the train, onto a cable car, etc.

If the purpose of two nights in Zurich is for the chocolate tour and a day trip for the Glacier Express, I would consider rearranging a bit. That seems like a bit of a waste.

Consider: Mulhouse to Chur is about 3 hours by train. Maybe go there the evening of day 3.

The next day, take your luggage on the Glacier Express and go all the way to Zermatt. Rick has some recommendations on where to sleep, as Zermatt is not particularly charming. Then spend the night. The next day go to Wengen.

When you leave Wengen, go early enough for time to get your Covid test and see the chocolate factory.

Hi Barb,

I have changed your itinerary as a recommendation.

Fly from USA into Basel via Frankfurt

Flight Day--Stay in Basel and see car museum.

Day 2--Train to Mulhouse for the day and train back to Basel. Is Mulhouse a special spot or do you just want to see a little of France?

Day 3--Train from Basel to Chur and spend the night in Chur

Day 4--Train from Chur to Brig via Bernina Express, Same day--Train to Lauterbrunnen/Wengen from Brig. Don't backtrack and waste time!

Day 5--Stay in Wengen

Day 6--Stay in Wengen

Day 7--Train to Lucerne

Day 8--Spend most of the day in Lucerne and train to Zurich Airport/Hotel

Day 9--Fly Home

Zurich is a nice city, but it really isn't a major Swiss experience. The chocolate tour is okay, but stop into any Swiss grocery store and you will find a chocolate aisle that rivals a cereal aisle here in the US. I asked about Mulhouse because it will just take away from your Swiss adventure. If it isn't necessary, move everything up a day and add an extra day in Wengen.

Have a great trip. You will be talking about it forever!

I am counting 7 nights, am I right?
In that short timeframe, I am not sure that taking the Glacier Express the whole way around the country is the best way to experience it.
And my opinion hardly changes even if you have an 8th night.

So, after that 1st night in Mulhouse - which has both a great car museum and a great train museum, FYI - I would take the train to Basel and onwards to Wengen or Mürren (Gimmelwald is a tiny hamlet below Mürren), where I would spend 4 nights.

Then, I would take the scenic "Luzern Interlaken Express" to Luzern, for 2 nights.
Zürich airport is 1:15 away by direct train, so it can be reached on the morning of your flight as long as your flight isn't before 9 AM.
Still, if you have an 8th night you can spend it in Zürich.

watching this thread - I have a contribution but dashing out the door - back in a few hours

Why are you flying into Frankfurt instead of RT thru Zurich ?

Originally, we were going to rent a car and drive around the French border to Strasbourg and then hop into Switzerland. After reading about the mountain towns in this forum and the Glacier Express, we want to do more in Switzerland. I haven't read anything about Chur, it looks like I should make that a stop too? I like Threadwear's #3, #4 suggestion on Basel to Chur.

When you mention flying to Basel, are you actually planning to fly to Basel airport? That is a tiny airport with limited flights, so if it was my trip I'd fly to Zürich and take the train from there.

Is the Glacier Express an absolute must for you? If not, here’s another pass for you that still gets you a chocolate factory tour.

Fly to Frankfurt, fly to Geneva. Train to Montreux, stay Montreux
Day 2--Take the chocolate and cheese train tour to Gruyère
Day 3--Train from Montreux on Golden Pass to Interlaken, train to Lauterbrunnen valley—pick a location of the ones you have mentioned
Day 4--Stay in Lauterbrunnen valley
Day 5--Same
Day 6--Same
Day 7--Train to Lucerne
Day 8--Spend day in Lucerne and train to Zurich
Day 9--Fly Home

We do like Zurich but with your limited time just skip it except the last night possibly.

Wow! These are all great suggestions. We definitely will fly r.t. to Zurich (which stops in London for us). My husband still wants to do Glacier Express but I'll look closer at the Bernina Express. He even suggested renting a car and driving Zurich to Interlaken and then using trains for Lauterbrunnen, Brig, Chur and back to Zurich. I think we'd be going in a big triangle.

Forget the car- the transportation system is Switzerland is so efficient and friendly, and many mountain towns are pedestrian only. No reason to spend money on gas and parking, both of which are expensive in this beautiful area!
Have a wonderful trip!

Barb,

I'm so glad you came on the RS Forum. Several of the people answering you were in Switzerland last year, including my husband and I, as well as others who are "experts" on Switzerland. I love Switzerland so much that we are returning this fall, for our 4th visit.
Last year we were on a Road Scholar tour, chosen because the itinerary included the Glacier Express, which we started in Chur, heading west. Chur is okay...but given the choice of a night in Chur or in the Lauterbrunnen area, I'd definitely choose Lauterbrunnen. Also, as "scenic" as the Glacier Express route was, it doesn't compare to being out on a trail, surrounded by mountains as you would be in the Lauterbrunnen area...or seeing the mountains from your hotel. On the Glacier Express, we were in reserved seats, so we didn't have the luxury of moving from one side to another. And it was difficult to take pictures through the windows, unlike some of the regional trains, where you can open a window.
We used to live in Cheyenne, Wy. and made frequent trips to Rocky Mountain Nat'l park, even camping there, but the Alps are so much more impressive because they appear closer.
Since you have now made the decision to fly in and out of Zurich, traveling by train is most convenient. The train station is right there at the airport....across the street from arrivals, and down a flight of stairs. Basel is just a short ride away.
And from Basel, it is so convenient to head to Lauterbrunnen. We did that last year. We chose a departure time where the end destination was Interlakken Ost ; got off for an hour or so to have lunch and then took the train to Lauterbrunnen.
At Lauterbrunnen, you have a choice of choosing lodging in the valley itself, or to one of the "car-free" villages on either side; Mürren or Wengen. Do not stay in Gimmelwald...even tho it is Rick Steves' favorite. Great to visit...but not stay; too small. Here, you will find people passionate about either Wengen or Mürren, or the convenience of staying in the valley, Lauterbrunnen. There are majestic easy hikes on the Wengen side as well as Mürren side. (I'm not going to make a case for my favorite hotel in Mürren, Hotel Bellevue, with fantastic views from rooms with balcony).
Balso had a great suggestion of taking the Luzern Interlaken Express, which is very scenic.
If you still want to spend time in Zurich, to tour the Lindt chocolate Factory, Zurich can be enjoyable. Here people have "mixed opinions" about Zurich. We like it. I like strolling along the lake; walking Bahnhofstrasse, going to Uetliberg.
As Pat mentioned, the train system is so efficient, especially with a Swiss Travel Pass, that it doesn't make sense to rent a car, and deal with parking, etc. The key is to "pack light;" preferably 21" suitcases that are easy to maneuver on and off trains. Besides, rooms can sometimes be tiny with barely enough room for (2) 21" suitcase.

Again, great suggestion, especially lunching in Interlaken. I love this forum.
If you take a train a long way, like Basel to Interlaken Ost or to Lauterbrunnen, do you have to reserve a seat in summer?
If you take the Luzern-Interlaken Express, do you have to reserve a seat? We are not wanting to wake up too early everyday to catch a train, hence, that's why my husband said 'let's rent a car'.

One of the many great things about the Swiss trains is that no reservations are needed. If you have the SBB app on your phone, it will show you which times may be crowded. Look for the little people. Red means potential crowds. It's not 100% accurate, but it will give you an idea of crowds expected.

Barb, The route between Basel and Interlaken Ost has many departure times. We chose a departure time of 10:55 a.m. when we left Basel; time to have a leisurely breakfast with friends before heading to the train station. We chose the departure time with final destination of Interlaken Ost, rather than Bern so we wouldn't have to change trains in Bern. However, we got to the station earlier than expected (took tram to station from hotel), so we were able to catch the 9:55 a.m train leaving Basel.
No reservations necessary for that route or for the Luzern-Interlaken Express route. Just look for the car that matches your Swiss Travel Pass: first or second class.
As Carrie mentioned, having the SBB App on your phone will enable you to see all the departure times, as well as note which times are "busy," as indicated by the "little people."

not only that, but the app will update with any (unusual) delays if you have data or are on the wifi. As you get off the train at Interlaken Ost, and look past the station building and the little trains up the hill you will see a huge all glass building across the road with a big orangey yellowy sign "Coop". That is the supermarket, on of the bigger Coops you will see (small ones in Lauterbrunnen and both Wengen and Mürren). Inside the supermarket is the easiest and cheapest (by Swiss standards) lunch you'll find - their cafeteria.

Good to know! I can't wait to go there.
At least I'll be able to finish my itinerary this week and start looking at flights. I also convinced my husband that we can hike around Wengen and not take the crowded Glacier Express.

“Coop” in Interlaken, as mentioned by Nigel: That is where we got our lunch. My husband sat on a bench outside with our luggage, while I went in and bought lunch for us. Very pleasant location on a sunny day, while people watching.
“Hike around Wengen” Carrie could convince you that the “Männlichen-Klein Scheidegg hike” is probably more rewarding than the Glacier Exoress route. 😊.
Do you have Rick Steves’ Switzerland guidebook? I like his books because he explains how to get from “point A to B,” ie., from train station to hotels. Unfortunately, Basel is not included.

As Carol mentioned, Männlichen was my absolute favorite part of my recent trip. Here’s a video to help convince you. 😊

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsp2XG8lPyw

I think I lost track of where you decided to stay. If you are stating in Basel, they can mail you some brochures. Click the link below and look under information. You can also view them online.

https://www.basel.com/en

Thank you! I booked our flights on Air Canada (the defunct Swiss Air routes) today. We're staying in Mulhouse (2 nights) to see the train and car museums, then on to Wengen hikes and rest (3 nights) via lunch in Interlaken , then from Lauterbrunnen to... eventually Zurich (2 nights). Still considering another day stop in Interlaken or Lucerne before Zurich but there's plenty of stuff in Zurich. I don't know how my 21" suitcase will hold all the chocolate, etc. that I want to bring home!
Thanks for the YouTube hike link - it reminded me of a hike I did in Kitzbuel Austria.
I haven't booked Wengen or Zurich yet. If anybody knows of these Wengen hotels, please let me know
*Beausite Park Hotel

*Eidelweiss Hotel
*Hotel Bären

Barb, I can answer about the Hotel Bären, having stayed there last September, choosing half-board. What we liked: Very friendly, family owned; great breakfast and excellent dinner. Very clean, modern bathroom.
What we didn't like: balcony not private; can see neighbors. Also, felt remote from the town. To get to the hotel from the train station, you had to go under the railroad trestle and downhill, so town not visible from hotel. We were glad for half-board because we wouldn't have wanted to walk back up to the town for dinner, besides it was raining one of the nights we were there.
Usually when I consider a hotel, I use Google map to enter the hotel's address, and then the train station and "walk the route," to see if it is doable to walk with a suitcase. Many places in Wengen are "below" the town center...and many are closer to the train station which is what I would prefer.
Don't know if it is available, but several people on the Switzerland site love Hotel Schönegg.

Not available on any of my dates. The hotel does look really nice.

Well, I notice that both Edelweiss and Bären are located "below" the town, under the railroad trestle. If you are choosing between those two, I would choose Hotel Bären. It's slightly closer to the "main road," which leads up to the town and the train station.

We loved the Bären when we stayed there 15 (gasp) years ago. It is a rather steep downhill walk from the station ( and back up) but we did not mind that. It is not a “full service” hotel with 24-hour reception desk; more like an excellent restaurant with some casual rooms upstairs. When we were there it was reputed to be the best kitchen in Wengen and I can confirm the food was excellent, with lots of local meat and produce, fresh farm butter, and more. It is still run by the Bruner family. Therese is a welcoming hostess at dinner, greeting guests at every table. We never met Willy, as he was always busy in the kitchen. I still remember the lime-ginger risotto we had one evening.

If we were to return to Wengen, the Bären would be our choice ( but since 2007/we have always chosen Mürren instead).

Would you consider staying in Mürren, since your first thought was staying in Gimmelwald, which is on the same side of the valley as Mürren. The Hotel Bellevue, with balcony rooms that face the mountains is great. They also have a large patio overlooking the Mönch, Eiger, and Jungfrau. The Hotel is a bit more informal than the Hotel Bären in Wengen. Meals are very good. They even have a laundromat in their building. The owner Ruth is very "hands-on;" you'll see her at breakfast, as well as in the office during the day, and helping at dinner. She's great!
On the Mürren side, you have the Schilthorn (site of one of James Bond movie), as well as the North Face Hike:
https://www.earthtrekkers.com/northface-trail-murren-switzerland/
When we were in Mürren last year, we spent the day in Wengen so we could walk from Männlichen to Klein Scheidegg.
Also, it is a pleasant walk to Gimmelwald from Mürren; take the cable car back to Mürren.
I know, so many choices.
Lola was "spot on" about her description of the Hotel Bären...and like her, we prefer Mürren over Wengen.

The Hotel Bellevue is not available on my June dates. It seems I'll need to reserve something really soon. If Wengen hotels aren't available, Murren or Lauterbrunnen would be the alternate choice. I'm guessing a/c isn't a concern in June?

When checking for hotel availability, are you checking from the hotel website, and not a third party site? I checked a few hotels in Wengen for June and see plenty of availability for June—Hotel Victoria, Hotel Schoenegg, sunstar hotel.

I do everything from Expedia so all my trip plans/reservations are together and on 1 app. I reserved the Hotel Eidelweiss in Wengen.
Question, when we leave Wengen, I'd like to go to Luzern and spend a good part of the day there, walking, before going to Zurich. Is there a place to store luggage at the train station or nearby?
Second question, which SBB app is everyone referring to? I see SBB Mobile, SBB MyWay and a ton of other schedulers like Trainline.

The app is SBB Mobile.
The station in Luzern has plenty of lockers of all sizes as well as a staffed luggage counter.
As for Expedia, I appreciate the appeal, but be aware that if you book your flights through Expedia, it gets troublesome if there is any issue with the flight (such as a cancellation or a major delay), because Expedia will tell you that only the airline can help, and viceversa.
And in my experience, Swiss hotels are especially good at providing better rates with direct booking than with the platforms such as Expedia.

I'm so glad you found a hotel in Wengen. You're going to love it!!!!

Thank you for the quick response! That pretty much seals my general itinerary.
I've had my share of dealing with the airlines and hotels over problems, but always have turned out well. Everything I googled had third party hotel options, some of those hotels must not have their own website.
Thank you everyone, this forum has been very helpful.

If you do go to Lucerne, the two-hour train ride from Interlaaken to Lucerne through the Brunig Pass is spectacular- even better than the Glacier Express route.

Yeah! So glad you have made all your hotel reservations. Now comes the fun part of thinking of what you want to see and do in each area...and possible places to eat.

This is a great resource from forum member shoe on hiking you can do from wengen. The info. under "tips" is very helpful too.

https://lauterbrunnenhiking.wordpress.com/

Great photos and there's a lot of hiking info and cable car info. Thanks for sharing!