Ricks suggested Train itinerary

I don't have that version of the guidebook, but Switzerland just isn't that big. My experience is that RS gives a lot of alternatives in each country so people can make their own choices based on their interests The version of the guidebook I have includes suggestions to do all four of the longer "Panorama train" journeys within an ideal 2 week itinerary, but I personally wouldn't expect anyone to try to do all of them on one trip.... Pick and choose.

For our two weeks we began in Zurich, went to Lausanne next and worked our way back to Zurich through Berne, the Bernese Oberland, Lucerne, Lugano and Zurich. 14 days on the ground at three nights minimum gives you only 4-5 locations to visit. It was spring so we did not try to fit in a panorama train since their limited schedules at that time of the year and the dodgy weather part of the time didn't mesh with our other plans. We did not try to get to Zermatt on that trip because that would have been off our main path and would have used too much time.

You can have a great time by making up an itinerary of your own priorities - museums, art galleries, scenery, city/country, etc., longer journeys versus shorter ones with more time on the ground. You can't do it all even in a small country.

The Swiss trains are pretty amazing. It is the perfect country to travel completely by train.

Is there any way you can add more time to your trip? I like Rick's itineraries, but I feel that he moves very quickly. I notice that Rick has a lot of 1 and 2 nights in his Swiss train itinerary with only the Berner Oberland at 3 nights (and the Berner Oberland really deserves 4 nights in my opinion). I think you will be much happier if you can add 1 more night to each place with a total of 21 nights.

If additional nights are not an option, consider reducing the number of places.

Enjoy Switzerland!

These responses are very helpful. I am planning on a three week vacation, but really do want to spend a week in Tuscany before heading into Switzerland. As is always the case, there is never enough time. I do think I should spend more time in the BO. That is a helpful piece of advice.

Are you planning on taking a train from Italy to Switzerland? I haven't done it yet, but I'm pretty sure you can catch the Bernina Express in Italy from Lake Como or Lugano, Switzerland (which borders Italy). The Bernina Express stops in Pontresina and ends in Chur. From the Bernina Express you could take the Glacier Express to Zermatt. Then Zermatt to Lausanne or Montreux. From Montreux take the Golden Pass to Lauterbrunnen which is the gateway to the Berner Oberland. After spending time in the Alps, return to Lauterbrunnen and take the train to Zurich or Luzern with a stopover in Bern. If you are flying out of Zurich, a lot of people on this forum stay in Luzern instead of Zurich and catch a quick train to the airport.

I agree with Christine that Rick’s itineraries move very fast. I prefer at least 3 nights (and usually 4) at each overnight destination, and actually I spent 5 nights in Mürren and could have spent more with no regrets. I went everywhere on his itinerary except Zermatt and Zurich, plus I added a few days in Bern, but I spent quite a bit more time doing it than he suggests.

The Bernina Express was jaw-dropping, as was the Berner Oberland area. I enjoyed everyplace I went, but those were the highlights.

Melissa, your response here really helps me out. You have hit on the major item that has me concerned. How many nights did you spend there, and do you recall which specific towns you stayed?

Thanks again for your help!!

Rick's itineraries always seem to me to be designed for folks who can take only 2 weeks off work and want to think they've covered the entire country in that time. Even before I retired I didn't want to travel at that pace through major cities. And I like to go to a lot of what others would call Class B or Class C destinations, so it takes considerable time for me to feel I've adequately seen most regions of most countries.

Now, Switzerland is different in that its largest cities aren't really the main draw. It has tons of attractive towns (virtually all of them are gorgeous), and most are small enough that they can be covered easily in a short visit. Therefore, you can reasonably go to a lot of different towns during a short trip (not necessarily staying in different hotels).

But the weather is an issue for enjoying the outdoors, which for most is the major draw. I agree with the advice, often given on this forum, to plan an extended stay in the Alps so you are reasonably sure of a nice day or two for your top-priority outdoor activities. The Swiss transportation network is extremely dense, so you can bop around a lot, depending on the weather. Per-mile costs for the trains are high, though, so give some thought about the best way to mitigate that. Remember that the default fares shown on the SBB website assume you have a half-fare card.

Again, this forum is helping me out tremendously with some of my concerns. It does seem that Rick understands most people are under a two week time restriction. Therefore that’s the advice he gives. I’m sure he would recommend moving at a slower pace if possible. I am semi retired and have the luxury of being able to take a bit more time. Thanks again to you all for your thoughts here. It’s invaluable for me