We’re going to be in Switzerland in the end of April for 5 days and plan to rent a car. I know there is probably going to be snow on top of the mountains but do you all think that is going to be driving difficulties? We’re from the south and I am a bit worry.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32699 posts
Nobody knows. We will know next May.
If it is a wet winter and hangs on you can have snow and ice anywhere in April.
If winter is short and dry you may have no snow or rain problems. Probably it will be somewhere in the middle.
I was In the Berner Oberland this April, middle of the month, and had snow at Mürren and shirt sleeves in Bern and Brig and Zug.
The road over the Simplon Pass had been cleared and there was a 20 foot wall of cut snow at the summit. The road both sides of the Pass for many miles was wet from melting snow and icy in parts, those toward the side of the road in shade. There were a few areas where the snow had blown over the road.
No problems - other than the usual precautions - for experienced mountain and winter drivers.
Weather is unpredictable these days. Past experience is no indicator of future performance.
April and early May are usually too wet and muddy for hiking and too warm for skiing. Many facilities close between seasons and others are open but performing maintenance or refurbishment.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32699 posts
Are you renting a car because you have no public transportation at home and didn't consider the trains, or do you have a purpose behind the car?
The Swiss trains take you all over the country, and to many places that cars either can't go or are forbidden.
Is this your first trip to Switzerland?
How many is "we"?
Posted by
OP
59 posts
We always rent a car to get around the countries we visit in Europe. There is two of us, my husband and I. The problem is that we have never travel in April before but we wanted to see the tulips blooming in Holland and from there jump (flying) to Switzerland
Posted by
Green Bay
20009 posts
Many of those Swiss mountains are only accessible by trains and cable cars. There are several towns that are car free and a train or cable car is the only way to get there. So tell us where you want to go in Switzerland and we can be of more help.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
Public transport in Switzerland is quite reliable, frequent, and well connected - even between different types of transport. You can also download a more detailed map of Swiss Travel Pass validity. Also see transportation advice in Ricks' guidebooks, for the locations he covers. Trains can also be a good method of scenic joyriding and even to make stops along the way.
Posted by
OP
59 posts
Thank you all for your willingness to help. The places in our list are: Lausanne, Bern, Interlaken, Ticino, Lucern, Lauterbrunnen, Stein Ann Rhein, and Zurich. I know realistically we can’t possibly cover all that in only 5 days but I have not done my organizing just yet. We already have a reservation in Sarnen and my gold is to do just day trips from there, so the places that are too far from there will be sadly eliminated.
We enjoy small villages, eating in hole in the wall restaurants where the locals eat and scenery most of all but we also appreciate the beauty of old architecture too.
Posted by
Moncton NB
1027 posts
The highest place on your list there is Lauterbrunnen. Obviously one can't predict weather, but climate graph shows typical April is around high of 13 degrees (Celsius) and low just above 0. I would expect to see ice early in the mornings, and obviously snow and freezing rain are possible.