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Paris to Switzerland in October

Hi! I was hoping I could get some help and insights as I am drawing a blank!

We will be coming from a group tour that is ending in Paris and we would like to finish up Switzerland. We will have 6 nights in total. I am not sure where to enter Switzerland from Paris that is most reasonable logistic wise, We plan on hitting Zermatt and the BO region and base ourselves in Lauterbrunnen. How should I go about doing an itinerary? We would like to travel by trains.

Also, our flight out of Zurich is at 325PM. Will we be safe to check out the morning of from Lauterbrunnen and head straight to Zurich airport?

Thank you!

Posted by
21015 posts

The most direct route is the TGV Lyria train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Basel. At Basel change to a train to Bern, or through to Interlaken Ost, then change to the train to Lauterbrunnen. You can buy a unified ticket from Paris to Lauterbrunnen at www.sbb.ch/en.

You will want to be at the airport by 12:30. It takes 3 1/4 hours to get from Lauterbrunnen, and there are train connections every 30 minutes, so leave at 8 or 8:30.

Posted by
2444 posts

You could do both Zermatt and the Jungfrau Area, but in that case I would do Zermatt first.

Just look up Paris - Zermatt on www.sbb.ch, there is no need to try to second guess what the best route is. Just let the system do that for you.

For a flight at 15:25 I would not hesitate the slightest to stay in the Jungfrau Area. Even Wengen or Mürren would work.
If you plan on doing any cable cars get the Swiss Half Fare Card to get a 50% discount everywhere. The only trip you need to book in advance is then the Paris - Zermatt one.

Posted by
38 posts

WengenK,

Thank you, That was what I was thinking.. except that it is 6+hrs of travel time, I was trying to see where I could break up the travel time. But on the other hand, I also do not want to have to change base every couple of nights.
Decisions...decisions...

Posted by
2444 posts

Don't let 7 hours of train travel put you off. Train travel is not like air travel. Unlike with air travel you will spend most of your time moving, and time is experienced differently that way.

You will take a TGV to either Genenva, Lausanne or Basel, an SBB train from there to Visp, and then the local train to Zermatt. Trains are more spacious. You will have more space to stretch your legs. You can get up and walk. You can visit the bar on the TGV. And you have an ever changing landscape to look at. it will not appear as long as you may expect.