I will be arriving in Milan in first week of August but plan to spend majority of my 2 weeks in Switzerland. I was debating about doing the journeys through train but am currently leaning towards driving due to the flexibility. I plan to rent a car in Milan, drive all around Switzerland and return the car in Milan.
I am debating between the two routes below (they try to hit scenic rail routes so that I can get some of that experience):
(this one hits the Golden pass rail and Bernina express scenic rails)
Milan --> Zermatt (park at Tasch) --> Lausanne/Montreux (1 day) --> Interlaken (through Zweisimmen) --> 3 days Jungfrau park at Lauterbrunnen --> Bern (1 day) -> back to Interlaken and to Lucerne via scenic route (2 days) --> Appenzell -> Pontresina --> Lugano/Como --> Milan
(this one hits the Golden pass rail, Glacier express & Bernina express scenic rails)
Milan --> Lugano --> Pontresina (tracing Bernina express route and stops at Bernina pass for hikes) --> Zermatt (park at Tasch) tracing the Glacier express route --> Zermatt (2 days) --> Lausanne/Montreux (1 day) --> Interlaken (through Zweisimmen tracingh golden pass route) --> 3 days Jungfrau park at Lauterbrunnen --> Bern (1 day) -> back to Interlaken and to Lucerne via scenic route tracing remaining Golden pass route (2 days) --> Appenzell --> Milan
Any issues with rental car companies when I cross birder (other than having to purchase the vignette)?
Will the views from the drives be as good as what we will see if we take the corresponding train?
Any modifications, additions, subtractions to routes above?