Overwhelmed! Would appreciate feedback on my Itinerary Plan

You are overwhelmed by the extensive planning. I am wondering if your seven-year-old will be overwhelmed by all of the rail transportation you have planned particularly 4 days in a row (July 2, 3, 4, 5) stuck on a train and not running around. Also, how overwhelmed will your seven year old be moving from hotel to hotel? Has your child always traveled like that because if so, then he or she is used to it.

Interlaken seems difficlut to get to by long train from Lucern

There is a train every hour, taking just under 2 hours. But rather going all the way to Luzern on July 2, why not just stop there on the way. You can store luggage at lockers in the train station. Take the scenic Golden Pass Express train from Montreux to Interleken Ost. Spend the afternoon doing whatever in Interlaken. Then take a train to Luzern around 6 pm.

I wouldn't waste a day trip to Zurich when there are so many things to do in Luzern, like lake cruises, mountain top excursions. Maybe a rainy day option.

You can buy a 10-day Swiss travel Pass for the price of an 8-day pass now, but don't delay, the special off only lasts until May 15. 7-yo rides with you free when you get the free Family Card. Use it July 1 to July 10.

You may only need a 6-day Swiss Pass for each adult, and a free Family Card for the child. That will cover all your train travel in Switzerland July 1-6 (see below about June 30, and your Lugano plans), plus discounts on mountain lifts. The child rides free everywhere, even on mountain lifts.

It will also cover the full Rigi loop from Luzern, which is a wonderful excursion to a scenic mountaintop by boat, cogwheel train, cablecar, and another boat back to Luzern. The standard route is a boat on the lake from Luzern to Vitznau, cogwheel train from Vitznau to the mountaintop at Rigi Kulm ( opportunities for easy hikes and lunch), train back down halfway to Rigi Kaltbad ( more opportunities for easy walks, and a playground for kids), a descent by c Locarno to the lake at Weggis, and another boat ride (or bus if you prefer) bake to Luzern.

https://www.rigi.ch/en

https://www.rigi.ch/en/experience/rigi-mountain-railways/1-mountain-9-railways

This would be a much better use of a daytrip from Luzern than a trip to Zurich.

As for your other daytrip, I don’t know where you got the idea that it is a long journey from Interlaken Ost to Luzern; there are direct trains hourly that make the journey in under two hours. Look at the Swiss rail map to see all your routes and connections:

https://cdn-doc.myswissalps.com/docs/default-source/rail-network-maps/swisstravelpass.pdf?sfvrsn=7788603a_56

Note that Interlaken itself is not the best choice for a daytrip to Luzern, you need to go a bit further, like 25 minutes on a separate train, into Lauterbrunnen to see the famous peaks and waterfalls of the Berner Oberland. The Swiss Pass will cover that extra distance, as well as further travel up to Mürren or Wengen, the car-free mountain villages, but not beyond.

As for June 30, when you travel from Paris to Lausanne, you can buy a discounted ticket on SBB.ch for the direct train departing Paris at 11:56 for 109 CHF, instead of the regular fare of 155 CHF, if you do it soon. There is no further reduction for having a Swiss Pass on these reduced-price tickets, so there is no point in including June 30 on you Swiss Pass if you do this.

If you choose to wait and pay full fare, then a Swiss Pass will reduce the price on that ticket to 124 CHF instead of 109, but you would have to buy the 8-day Swiss Pass instead.

Check the prices online for the various lengths for the consecutive-day pass and then decide. also consider whether you might like to do more daytrips within Switzerland from Lugano, as that would definitely weigh in favor of the 8-day pass (which is actually a 10-day pass if you buy during the sale).

The Alps are one of our favorite places on Earth and Switzerland"s Alps are, in our opinion, the most majestic. Your itinerary, however, is more on the edges.

We have been to Switzerland's Alps six times since 1985, the first time with a five-year-old. We are currently planning 2024! Early July is a pretty time in the Alps and the biggest crowds will be coming as you are leaving. Having taught seven-year olds, I highly recommend the following: 1) Slow down the itinerary; 2) Capture a week in the Oberland ( Lauterbrunnen for the most connections ) renting a village apartment for the week; 3) Get the Swiss Pass (it covers the fabulous trains, boats, busses, museums, and discounts the mountain lifts and cog rails) without any hassle of buying tickets or trying to preschedule. To get that week in the most stunning part of the Alps, I would visit Col du Pillon as a fun lake boat excursion from Lausanne, skip Glacier 3000 (better is ahead in the Oberland!), and take a mid-day or afternoon Golden Pass train (free with Swiss Pass but seat reservations required) to Interlocken and on to Lauterbrunnen. Then you can go on to Luzern, but two nights is plenty-= for an arrival city walk and a full day on the lake and a favorite lift / cog railway. Skip Zurich and minimize time in Interlocken to transfers while in Lauterbrunnen. From Luzern, go to Lugano for three nights for a relaxing close to the two weeks. Save the Italian lakes for another trip (and a bit earlier in the year.)

Related comments: 1) I would buy Rick Steve's brand new Switzerland book and follow his tips for what to do in the Oberland, Luzern area, and Lugano. (My only disagreement is about the Jungfrau excursion near Grindlewald--We found it super-crowded and overpriced.). 2) Having an apartment for a week cuts way down on transportation and restaurant time. For your child, you can easily maneuver around the weather, the energy level, and the need to rest or play. And apartments give you room to relax and avoid all the packing and unpacking.

Enjoy.

I agree with the general idea of the comment above. Your current plan spends every night on a lake, and none in actual mountains.

Lake Geneva is very kid-friendly but I suggest you use Montreux as a base, it will be more manageable. 2 nights is OK. Consider Rochers de Naye instead of the time-consuming Glacier 3000: less thrilling, but more relaxing. And the 7 year old should love Chillon Castle as well.

Then, I would definitely carve out 3 nights as a minimum to spend around Interlaken, and 4 if possible. Preferably in a place in the mountains, like Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren. The latter two are car-free, the 7 year-round should appreciate this novelty!

This would let you keep Luzern down to 2 nights

After Luzern, I would choose between Locarno and Lugano, but not do both. I lean towards Locarno, but make it 3 nights. The castles at Bellinzona could be a fun outing.

Finally, 4 nights is plenty of time on Lake Como. 3 would be enough. Como town is not the best base, though: try staying further along the lake, the middle of the lake (Lenno, Tremezzo, Varenna, Bellagio, Menaggio...) is ideal for convenient ferries and best scenery.

If my count is right, the plan I came up with does carve out 4 nights for the Interlaken area.

Rereading this, I see that you mention having used points and miles. If points and miles is what allows you to afford this trip, then disregard my comments. The lakes are great and your current plan does set you up for a very good trip already (if you minimize long day trips). I am merely suggesting ways to optimize it!

I agree with the comments above regarding better ways to use your time in Switzerland, and should have said the same at the outset. But I am reluctant to find fault at this late date with an itinerary with the hotels fully booked, when it can be redeemed somewhat with a few adjustments that do not involve changing reservations—-such as the Rigi excursion instead of Zurich. But the improvements suggested, especially by Balso, would make for a much more enjoyable trip, without starting over and totally changing everything. Do consider them.

Since you will have visited Paris, why not cut a day in the French speaking area (and cut another in the Italian speaking region) and add those to visit Zermatt to see the Matterhorn?

Also, between Locarno and Lugano, you only need to see one of them.

I agree with those who are urging you to spend time actually in the mountains. We stayed in Lauterbruen for 4 days. Lucerne will be fun for your son as well.

I don't think your day trips from Luzern really make sense. You're going there to just leave every day. Skip Zurich (it's a banking city, not a highlight spot) and if you're going to do the Interlaken area, go up into the mountains. Interlaken itself is more of a shopping destination and you'll get plenty of waterfront at your other stops. What you're missing from this itinerary is time up in the mountains. Everything you've listed is more waterfront, which is amazing, but a trip to the Alps needs time up in the mountains. Also, I think you need to move a bit less to really enjoy the destinations you're going to.

Something like this?

June 30 --Paris > Montreux (2 nights)

July 1 -- Montreux

July 2 -- Montreux > Luzern (3 nights)

July 3 - Luzern

July 4 - Luzern

July 5 - Luzern > Berner Oberland (staying in Grindlewald, Lauterbrunnen or Wengen, etc. for 4 nights)

July 6 - Berner Oberland

July 7 - Berner Oberland

July 8 - Berner Oberland

July 9 - Berner Oberland > Lugano (2 nights)

July 10 - Lugano

July 11 - Lugano > Lake Como (4 nights)