Trying to figure out an itinerary for 7 or 8 days in Switzerland. Most likely taking a train from Marseille to Geneva. We are open to having a car for a few days, but would also like to take some trains. Also looking for a good base town or two so that we are not changing hotels every night. We would like to do the Glacier Express but we have been to Zermatt before so we don't need to go there. Also don't need to go to Wengen or the Jungfrau - been there as well. Flying out of Zurich and have a reservation already at the airport hotel for the night before. Thinking that maybe we rent a car in Geneva and return it somewhere else then take trains? Any help/ideas would be appreciated!
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
Why do you need a car? Switzerland has one of the best rail systems in the world. Also - Geneva is NOT your typical Swiss Destination.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
My suggestion (merely that). You can see this route on the official Swiss Rail map: https://www.sbb.ch/content/dam/sbb/de/pdf/geschaeftsreisen/reisen/Uebersichtskarte_Synoptic_Map_2018_einseitig.pdf
What time of year is this? I am assuming summer.
- When you arrive in Geneva, keep going and take a train to Montreux. 1 to 2 nights.
- Train Montreux - Visp. Here you pick up the Glacier Express Route. You can travel on the official Glacier Express, or on one of the other hourly trains. Onward: - Brig - Disentis/Muster - St Moritz or continue to a smaller place somewhere in the same valley (called the "Engadin"). Stay for rest of nights.
- Train Engadin - Chur - Zürich airport. Your last night.
The Engadin is a high valley, stretching from St Moritz east to the Austrian border. With St Moritz as the main town, and lots of nice smaller places. Compared to the busy resorts of the Jungfrau region, it is more laid back and slow.
There is a rail line running the length of the valley from St Moritz to Scuol-Tarasp.
Official tourist website: https://www.engadin.stmoritz.ch/sommer/en/
Posted by
OP
22 posts
Thanks Chris for the info! It's always good to get info rather than another question! Follow up - what about going over the Luzern area and then down to catch the Glacier Express?
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
what about going over the Luzern area and then down to catch the Glacier Express?
Yes, but you then miss half the Glacier Express Route, look at aforementioned map.
Luzern is in the middle of Switzerland. if you go there (round the top of the Alps from Geneva, via Bern), you then have to head south to Andermatt, and you are in the middle of the Glacier Express Route. It is more complicated, as the north-south route is in a tunnel deep below Andermatt. No direct connection. You have to change for another train that climbs up via Göschenen to connect with the west-east Glacier Express Route.
It is your holiday, your choice.
The Alps in most of Switzerland have two main ridges running parallel west to east. A cross-section north to south would be M-shaped.
The Glacier Express Route is running between the ridges. Up the Rhone valley from Lake Geneva to the source: Martigny, Brig, Over the top in the middle: Andermatt, Disentis/Mustér, then down the Rhine valley from the source to Chur.
North to South you have to go under these ridges in long tunnels (or over the top on pass roads which are only open in summer).
Or PLAN B: Geneva - Montreux - Glacier Express Route (as before), but end up at Chur (1-2 nights)
Then train Chur-Luzern. And from Luzern direct to Zürich airport (only 70 minutes) for your last night.
You can look up train times and routes on the SBB website: https://www.sbb.ch/en
Posted by
London
12 posts
As someone who has lived in Switzerland, I will throw in some alternatives. Chris is right about the train system. There is no real need for a car. Great roads and great driving but why not leave it to the trains so you can relax and sightsee. And to that end, I am going to say forget the glacier express. It is expensive for one day of sightseeing and limited in scope. You will see the same things from the regular trains. Geneva is lovely and worth a day. Do a day trip around the lake - take the train around the lake passing through Lausanne and on to Montreux. You will pass through smaller towns and get great views of the lakes and the mountains and get off wherever it interests you. I would then suggest going to Luzern/Lucerne. It is a good base for a number of things. There is great little day tour, the Mt Pilatus tour, which starts out cruising on the lake taking you over to a cog railway that goes up the mountain and finally drops you off at the top by cable car. You can have a rosti or fondue then head back down by cable car stopping in the middle for a dry luge run. If you stay in Lucerne you can also take the train over to Bern, the capital. It has a different feel to other Swiss towns. Also near Lucerne by train is Thun. A great city for a wander with a castle. Then take the boat over to Interlaken and back up to Lucerne. Zurich is worth a day and if you get there a day before I would suggest going to the Rhine Falls just above Zurich. All this reachable by train and ferry. Hope that helps.