Single mother with age 7,9 boys! Suggest itinerary pls!

affordable places to stay

What is 'affordable' to you?

Switzerland is not known as a 'bargain' destination.

This year or 2025?

When I say "affordable," about 100-150 smth SFr per night? that it does not involve expensive accommodations or dining experiences. But comfortable stays, some paid and some unpaid scenic places or activities to do with kids etc.
I am planning for August 2024!
Thanks

You're going to have an extremely difficult time finding lodging for a month from now and definitely a difficult time finding things in the 100-150 CHF price range for 3 people. You don't say what you want to do or see, so it's a bit open ended. Are you envisioning hiking the mountains? Spending time in cities with museums, etc.? With that budget you're going to need to look a bit off the beaten path.

This is just an estimated budget based on my research for a night stay, not per day, if you feel that it is insufficient, I am open to adjusting it accordingly. My plan for the trip includes exploring the city and visiting indoor attractions such as museums. Additionally, I would love to incorporate a few hikes, as well as visit outdoor playgrounds, themed parks, and trails, as these activities are particularly enjoyable for children. Lastly, traveling around by train is also on our itinerary, as the kids have a fondness for trains.

My recent trip report details my itinerary:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/solo-in-switzerland-june-2024-my-trip-report

Some of my hotel rooms were over $300 a night. So, probably not what you would consider affordable.

Just as a point of reference for your budget; we stayed at a small, family owned hotel in Wengen that included breakfast. If you were able to obtain reservations at this late date, it would cost you approximately 330 CHF per night. Food is very expensive in Switzerland, so you need to consider that in planning the costs of the trip. We grabbed lunch every day at the COOP and had picnics in order to economize. What cities are you interested in visiting, and do you have airfare secured at this point? The Swiss train system is phenomenal, but again expensive. What research have done on the type of pass you would purchase?

Your question is so open ended that you haven’t yet gotten a lot of specific help. Here are a few suggestions.

1. Start with where you will fly in and out of. Then you will at least know what city to start and end with. You haven’t shared this with us so it’s harder to help you with a plan.
2. Switzerland is an outdoor dream, so plan more for outdoor destinations, as opposed to museum type destinations.
3. Look at the variations of Swiss Pass - it may save you money and make spur of the moment travel arrangements easier.
4. Decide how many nights you have. Then plan to move around and change lodging as little as possible. Easy destinations could be Lucerne for 3 nights and Lauyetbrunnen for 4 nights. Then maybe add one more place.
5. For affordable lodging, maybe look at hostel rooms. If you find a place that has rooms with only 4 beds, it might work in your favor to at for all 4 beds. Or you might find them with family rooms. (This suggestion is based on my experience with this in other countries, not in Switzerland.)
6. As has been said, this is very late to start looking for places to stay so be open to various towns. Maybe look at booking.com and use the Map feature.

With flights, places to sleep, and a travel pass, Switzerland could make a great flexible country to visit!

1. I am currently in the planning phase and intend to fly in and out of Zürich. However, I have not booked our return tickets yet, so I am open to suggestions regarding the best options.
2. I definitely lean towards outdoor activities.
3. I am planning to get the Swiss Family Card as it seems to be a more economical and convenient way to travel with kids. However, I haven't checked if the card allows for two kids. I would appreciate it if you could provide more information on this.
4. I have a total of 10 nights for my trip. I plan to spend one night in Zurich, then visit Lucerne. After that, I am unsure whether to go directly to Geneva or consider other options. Each place has something unique to offer, making it difficult for me to make a decision. Additionally, my elder child is asking to visit Paris as well, but I am unsure if I can handle the logistics.

Questions:
1. Would you suggest including a visit to Paris, or would it be better for me to focus solely on exploring Switzerland before returning home?
2. Considering my itinerary, would you suggest booking the return ticket from Geneva or returning to Zurich?
3. Which route would you recommend for my journey? Should I go from Zurich to Lucerne, then Geneva, and return to Zurich? Or is there another route you would suggest, such as Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken (or other options), and then returning to Zurich?

edit: looks like we were writing at the same time, but me slower

Are all 3 passports in hand and in date?

If you share your starting airport we can help you decide on a suitable Swiss or nearby airport.

In your 10-12 days (which is more likely, 10 or 12?) are you including your travel days or are these days on the ground once you're off the plane? In order to see expenses more clearly you might like to count in nights rather than days - the most expensive costs are likely to be overnight accommodation and meals so best to see that clearly.

Have you been to Europe before or is the first trip?

My mother used to travel internationally with me and my brother - we are 3 years and 3 months apart - when we were similar ages to your two boys, so fair play to you, but we had the advantage of always stayed with relatives in England. So I know you have your hands full.

I'm afraid that getting lodging this close to the trip, in the high season, will be a challenge, especially on a tight budget.

We are all here to help

thanks for more info.

I don't think I have a real handle on this yet.

Geneva is a new wrinkle. So do you prefer to stay in the lowlands, maybe walk between Montreux and Château Chillon along Lake Geneva over being up in the mountains and doing hikes while looking out at the peaks? Do you have a specific object in mind about Geneva?

Maybe you live in the mountains at home? Perhaps vegan so looking at grazing, bell ringing, cows is unpleasant?

Still we don't know much about you to give you the best help.

1. I am currently in the planning phase and intend to fly in and out of Zürich. However, I have not booked our return tickets yet, so I am open to suggestions regarding the best options. I definitely lean towards outdoor activities. I am planning to get the Swiss Family Card as it seems to be a more economical and convenient way to travel with kids. However, I haven't checked if the card allows for two kids. I would appreciate it if you could provide more information on this. I have a total of 10 nights for my trip. I plan to spend one night in Zurich, then visit Lucerne. After that, I am unsure whether to go directly to Geneva or consider other options. Each place has something unique to offer, making it difficult for me to make a decision. Additionally, my elder child is asking to visit Paris as well, but I am unsure if I can handle the logistics. Questions:
2. Would you suggest including a visit to Paris, or would it be better for me to focus solely on exploring Switzerland before returning home?
3. Considering my itinerary, would you suggest booking the return ticket from Geneva or returning to Zurich?
4. Which route would you recommend for my journey? Should I go from Zurich to Lucerne, then Geneva, and return to Zurich? Or is there another route you would suggest, such as Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken (or other options), and then returning to Zurich?

I will try to answer these before adding my further comments.

1. Paris? That would add a lot of extra expense to your trip, in terms of travel cost and lodging. It is going to be extremely hot there in August, and unpleasant unless you pay for a place with air conditioning. You and your children would be much better off staying in Switzerland, specifically in the mountains.

2. I would not suggest booking your return ticket from Geneva, or going there at all. Geneva is a very business-focused city, and lodging there is even more expensive than other Swiss cities. And I don’t know if there is much there of interest to children.

3. The route I would suggest would be from Zurich to Luzern, and from there to the Alps, specifically the Berner Oberland. With 3 nights in Luzern, you would have time for a daytrip by boat, train, and cablecar to Rigi, a nearby mountain. There are beautiful views over the lake and several playgrounds to visit.

https://www.rigi.ch/en/experience/families

This journey is fully covered with a Swiss Travel Pass with the included free Family Card. And yes, you can put 2 children on the Family Card.

We took our grandchildren (and their parents) to Switzerland when they were 6. The large Swiss outdoor playgrounds were their favorite thing. We visited these 2, near the alpine villages of Wengen and Mürren:

https://www.maennlichen.ch/en/summer/experiences/alpine-herdsmans-playground.html

https://schilthorn.ch/26/en/Adventure_playground_Flower_Park

You can get lots of ideas for playgrounds and more from this Swiss Family Fun blog:

https://swissfamilyfun.com/allmendhubel-flower-park-playground/

As noted above, your lodging budget is way low for Switzerland. But if there happens to be a vacancy for a few nights in the triple room at Chalet Fontana in Mürren, you might meet it. Email Denise at the address give, and ask. The apartment in Chalet Fontana and one room are listed on AirBnB, b;ut the rest must be booked b;y email. The availability calendar on AirBnB shows the apartment as fully booked through August, but the single room has 3 nights available in early August,, so maybe the triple room is available as well.

http://www.ferntree.ch/chalet/fontana.htm

Finally, I will mention that a single parent traveling with children must carry a notarized letter signed by the other parent, giving you permission to take the children out of the country. Both the airline and the immigration officers at Switzerland will want to see this.

Thank you all for the wonderful advice and suggestions. I'm incorporating your input into my travel plan, omitting Paris and limiting the number of stops, and yes, 10 days on land.

Coming from the bustling city of Hong Kong, I am seeking a relaxing trip with opportunities for mountain gazing while reading, writing and experience staying of a farm house (I wish). Which is most likely not possible with my kids. I am concerned about keeping my kids entertained and ensuring that they have fun instead its ab me. But I do want a relaxing trip, not to rush things and stress out myself especially when it’s my first time visiting Europe.

I understand that planning at this stage may be considered late, so I'm open to postponing the trip to January end or next year's Easter.

Regarding the notarized letter, although we are separated by mutual agreement, not official divorced yet, would it be still needed? I'll bring it along, just in case.

I was thinking you would be traveling from the US. But most countries are subscribers to The Hague Convention on International Child Abduction. In the US it applies to divorced and separated parents, regardless of custody agreements.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/International-Parental-Child-Abduction/abductions/legain-info-for-parents/why-the-hague-convention-matters.html

You should check for the legal requirements under Hong Kong law to be safe. You do not want to arrive at the airport and be denied boarding.

January is ski season, and expensive, and unless your kids want to play in the snow all day, may not be the trip you envisioned.
Also, the week before and after Easter can be extra crowded in Europe, but in Switzerland it's shoulder season, and many lifts and hotels may be closed. It's too early for the hiking trails to be open. The Swiss cities would still be nice.
Safe travels!

Your plans are in so much flux with so little lead time, you sound like an ideal candidate for the services of a travel agent. That's a suggestion not a criticism.

Switzerland is pretty large and travel is complicated by lakes and mountains, so assistance is useful.

Thank you, everyone, for your valuable advice! I truly appreciate your input. After carefully considering all of your suggestions and made some enquiries, I've come to realise that I might have been a bit late in my planning when I attempted to book accommodations. As a result, I've decided to take your advice on board and start planning for August next year instead. This way, I can ensure an stress-free travel experience and have ample time to make all the necessary arrangements. And be able to have a fantastic trip. For this summer, I am just gonna travel around China with the new speed trains (kids always comes first). Thank you again for your support!

Hi Coco!

I recently traveled to Switzerland with my three boys: 9, 7, and 4. Here is my trip report (it is long but I tried to write down what I learned that might benefit others): https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/family-trip-to-switzerland-june-2024

In my. trip report I reference a number of Swiss family blogs that you will find helpful in your research.

We first traveled to the Appenzell region and stayed in a lovely AirBnb there in the town of Gais. I believe it is easily reached from Zurich. I would be happy to share it with you. We were in farm country- tinkling cowbells and the greenest grass fields with lovely views of Säntis. We were able to get the Oskar Karte pass by staying there for three nights, which was a great bargain! The mountains there are beautiful and the hiking was excellent.

Happy planning!

My sister is a single mom too, with twins now aged 10. They visit me every year. The Swiss Half Fare Card is a very good deal, as it means your children will go for free everywhere. Even on expensive mountain excursions. So it amounts to 75% off in your case. It is a great deal for families.

The Swiss Travel Pass also comes with the Family card, so also gives you free travel for your kids. However it is more expensive, and only makes sens if you either travel a lot, or value the ease of use.

I would try to look for budget accomodation first.

Some options where I live:
- Camping Jungfrau: They have cabins, and simple rooms. https://www.campingjungfrau.swiss/
- Youth hostel Interlaken: https://www.youthhostel.ch/en/hostels/interlaken-youth-hostel

There are two other back packer hostels in Lauterbrunnen, but I do not think that those would be very good for children.