Hi all, Our family of four (parents 60+, plus 30+ son and daughter) are hoping for a "magical" experience in Switzerland by train in December 2021. We expect to fly in and I hope that we don't need a rental car. We will likely have between 9-14 days total, depending on costs and work schedules. We aren't skiers, but we might be game for a sled ride. Know of any detailed trip reports that include rail as most of the public transportation with winter schedules? And what were your favorite hotels/towns along the rail lines open for winter? We enjoy B&Bs and talking with the locals, taking our time, exploring so we don't feel constant push to keep up with group tour. We love history, medieval period, interesting foods, wines, beers, nature, architectural history, birds, wildlife, folklore/storytelling, plants/gardens.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Shannon, Not a trip report as such, just a local's comment about Switzerland all 12 months of the year.
"rail as most of the public transportation with winter schedules?" - there are no "winter schedules" for the trains. The same timetable ("schedules" as you call it) runs 365 days of the year. Trains are basic transport for the locals, not just a tourist service.
A new timetable comes out every December, it is just a minor adjustment, 90-95% the same. So just use the current timetable for your planning.
You can look up times on the SBB website: https://www.sbb.ch/en
Definitely do not drive in the Alps in winter unless you are used to it, you need chains and many roads will be closed.
Rail lines do not close, and are extra scenic in all the whiteness. Occasionally the odd line is closed for a short period while they clear snowfalls (like ~3 times last winter there were closures of different lines for 1-3 days). When this happens usually the location is cut off by road as well.
The big snowfalls are usually in Jan or Feb, December is before the big snowfalls.
This news article from last January is about a snowfall blocking lines last January, if you scroll down there is a nice video about clearing the blockage: https://www.suedostschweiz.ch/ereignisse/2019-01-22/duenser-die-strecken-nach-davos-genossen-prioritaet
Also to aid your planning, a Swiss rail map is here: https://www.sbb.ch/content/dam/sbb/de/infotexte/uebersichtskarte-sts.pdf
Most tourist locations have two seasons, Summer for the nature lovers and hikers, Winter for the Winter sports enthusiasts. It is the times in between, Spring and Autumn, when hotels shut down and the mountain cable cars do their annual maintenance.
Conclusion: Plan your itinerary the same as you would in summer, the same locations will be open and welcoming. The difference is that the hotels will be catering mostly for winter sports tourists, and the mountain paths will be covered by snow and used as ski runs.
If you are here before Christmas, be sure to include some visits to Christmas markets. That will give you a big dose of "magical".
See here: https://www.basel.com/en/Christmas-in-Basel
And a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv-NZkEv8Xo
Posted by
Paris
7301 posts
When in December? Early December is likely to mean no/little snow, and no sledding. Xmas\NY has more snow already, but accomodation in ski resorts (including popular year-round destinations like Zermatt and Jungfrau région) is at a premium.
Now, when you mention rail and sled ride in the same paragraph, there's a famous sled ride between Preda and Bergün, near St Moritz, that's accessed by train right off a very scenic railway. If you sled, rent helmets, wear ankle-high boots, and check that your travel insurance covers that activity.
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
We ventured to Murren 2 years ago in early December, and they had a huge snowfall! Train is THE only way to go in Switzerland. It’s wonderful: clean, punctual and takes you everywhere you could possibly want to go.
If you choose one of the alpine villages you might want to ask if they can help you with luggage transport after you arrive. Murren is car free and has luggage sleds available for use at the train station in case of snow.