Switzerland 14 nights in September 2026

Rick Steves itineraries tend to be catered towards his guided tours, which have you moving a lot and are anything but relaxing. You have 6 bases listed in your plan, which is too much for 2 weeks, unless you’re on a guided tour where they take care of all your luggage and logistics. With 14 nights in/out of Zurich with your own luggage and logistics, I’d recommend 4 bases max — something like this:

Fly into Zurich > Wengen 5 nights > Zermatt 3 nights > Montreux 3 nights > Luzern 3 nights > Fly out of Zurich

*Lausanne is not a good base, as it’s a steep city that requires riding the subway system to get to the train.

*The Bernina Express is not realistic with your itinerary, as it’s a completely different part of Switzerland.

*You can ride the Golden Pass Express train from Montreux to Luzern. Make sure to reserve your seats ahead of time for that ride.

*I’d skip Appenzell for this trip, 1 night there with jet lag really isn’t worth your time. You’ll get plenty of amazing views and sights with the 4 bases listed above.

*I’d plan for 5 nights to start your trip in Wengen. This gives you a couple days to recover from jet lag and there is a ton to see and do in that area (what you listed + options for lake/castle exploration, etc.)

*It’s fine to use something like kayak to do searching for options, but I’d strongly recommend booking your hotels directly through the hotels. You often get just as good or better of a deal and if you have any issues, you can deal with the hotel directly instead of trying to get a middleman overseas on the phone who may or may not help you.

*Make sure to prioritize hotels close to train stations when you’re in the mountains so that you don’t have to hike to/from your hotel every day. In Wengen, the Maya Caprice is very convenient to the train and has beautiful views. In Zermatt, pick something not too far up the sides of the hills. In Montreux, being waterfront would be nice. Staying in Vevey is also a nice option there. In Luzern, prioritize staying in the historic district if you want a nice ambiance.

I agree with Wanderweg that you’ll need to pare down the itinerary if you only have 14 days.

The Berner Oberland will be a highlight and going there immediately upon your arrival into Zurich is a good plan. Views are what Switzerland is all about, so adding days to a location — particularly in the Berner Oberland— is wise just in case you hit a day or two of cloudy or inclement weather.

Then, possibly three nights in Zermatt, followed by three nights in Montreaux . Montreaux makes a better base than Lausanne and is just a couple miles from Chateau de Chillon.

Then, the Golden Pass train to Lucerne for your final three nights. The section of the route from Interlaaken to Lucerne is spectacular.

Depending on the weather, you may want to wing it a bit and add time to a location when the weather’s optimal. Rain is possible in the Berner Oberland and Zermatt during about 40% of the days during April. Keep in mind the weather during April in Switzerland is not like the weather in Florida and it will be cold, with highs in the 50’s and lows in the 30’s.

You also might want to try www.Skyscanner.com to search for airfares.

Have a great trip!

My wife and I took the RS Switzerland tour this summer. Wow! What a trip! You'll love the country.

We found the trip pretty full (and relaxing) but I hasten to add the two above posters really know their stuff and they give solid advice.

Happy travels!

In August of 2024, we did Zurich to Appenzel (relatively quiet) to Zermatt (extremely crowded) via Glacier Express (very scenic) to Wengen to Evian in a two week period (actually 15 days). There were 6 of us, 2 in their seventies, 2 in their forties and 2 grandchildren 7 and 9. We had a wonderful time. I think my favorite spot was sitting on a bench in Wengen overlooking the Lauterbrunnen Valley. We always want to stay longer in Switzerland but felt we had enough time to see what we wanted this time.

Skip Appenzell and Lausanne and add days to Berner Oberland … beautiful boat rides available on Lake Thun and Brienz from Interlaken. Wengen is a great, calm, picturesque base for all the BO offers.

Again, as mentioned, don't book anything thru a third-party vendor, such as Kayak. This is especially true of airlines! Often the hotels will offer a discount if you book directly thru their websites. Some hotels may be closed now, getting ready for ski season, so you may not get a response until they re- open around December.

You don't need to stay in Zurich the night before a flight home, unless your flight is very early. The world-class rail system is very dependable, and we often stay in an area an hour from Zurich, and train in. The train station is in the Zurich airport. So spending either the first days- or last days- in Lucerne works out great.

Stay in the BO at least 4-5 nights. You've come a long way, so sleep in the Alps. No one is ever ready to leave the BO. Stay in either Murren or Wengen. Gimmelwald is tiny, and an easy 30 minute hike from Murren, so don't stay there.
You are going to at a beautiful time of year. Enjoy!

3 nights in Berner. Oberland with a day and possibly a night in Gimmewald and Murren

Adding to the excellent advice above, you can easily see the heart of the Berner Oberland by basing in Mürren, Lauterbrunnen, or Wengen. You do not need to have a separate stay in Gimmelwald or Mürren. They are all in the same small area. 5 nights based in any of the three villages — with a preference for Mürren or Wengen due to their higher elevation, great views, and car-free status — would be an excellent anchor point for your trip. There are many easy mountain walks there as well.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to offer their recommendations for our 14 night Switzerland trip!
Seems the general consensus is to spend our first 5 nights in either Murren or Wenger.

RS mentions in his book that he prefers Murren to sleep but a few of you have recommended Wenger.
I'd like to hear from any of you out there as to whether we should select Murren or Wenger and why.

Thanks again!
R & C

Adjust73, you are opening a can of worms here. There are strong opinions on both sides of the Murren vs Wengen (note spelling) issue. Do a Search here for the hundreds of opinions already posted.
The good news- there is no wrong decision! Safe travels!

One reason we lean toward Wengen is that the trip down to Lauterbrunnen, the transportation hub, is easier and faster than from Mürren. But as said above, you can’t go wrong. Find lodging you like and go for it.

It really depends on your vision for that portion of the trip. If you want to explore the region at large with day trips, stay in Wengen for a more centralized location and quicker connections. There are also more hotel, restaurant & shop options in Wengen. If you envision yourself mostly relaxing, with simple walks and maybe just a couple outings, then Mürren is lovely. Typically for first time stays to the area, I recommend Wengen and suggest a southern facing balcony.

Thanks again everyone for your insightful comments! We ended up booking a great Airbnb apartment in Murren for 5 nights and Hotel Jagerhof recommended by RS in Zermatt for 3 nights.
Now on to Montreux and Lucerne. Next stay on trip would be Montreux. Any suggestions for lodging with a great lake view?

Hotel Des Alpes in Lucerne is right on the river - we had a room overlooking the Chapel Bridge, not large rooms and not cheap, but nice to sit on balcony in sunny weather (don't think all rooms have balcony and some don't face water).

On Berner Oberland area - look at Berner Oberland Pass - covers most lifts, some trains (including Golden Pass), boats on Lakes Thun & Brienz & more. Does not cover Jungfraubahn , but, at least in 2025 Schilthorn is covered in full as is Schynige Platte. Can buy for varying # of days. If you buy Swiss Half Fare Card (good for one month & can use all over Switzerland) - it is recognized for a discount on Berner Oberland Pass. https://www.berneseoberlandpass.ch/ https://www.sbb.ch/en/tickets-offers/tickets/guests-abroad/swiss-half-fare-card.html There is also a Jungfrau Pass, but it didn't suit my travel needs as well as Berner Oberland Pass, so don't know all details.

Wendy

As they say, compare and contrast. Look at suggested itineraries in a Fodors or Frommers guide, and also check out brochures for travel companies. You'll see a lot of overlap but also places where they diverge, and you can usually figure out where the package tours are staying as well.

You'll need to decide your endurance level, and if one or two night stands are your cup of hot chocolate.