My husband and I are in our mid 70’s and thinking of going to Switzerland. We haven’t travel since Covid and are a little nervous about doing it on our own. We don’t like tours, we like to plan it ourselves. I was wondering if it is possible to do most cities by train or should we do a tour. Any advice is appreciated. Just ordered RS book to help with the planning. We are planning our trip for September 2024. TIA
Posted by
Chicago
3125 posts
Switzerland is so easy to do on your own. I did my first Europe trip there in 2021 with my sister and her husband and my first solo trip there June 2022 and am going back next June by myself.
Here are the links to both my trip reports. They might give you some ideas:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/solo-in-switzerland-my-trip-report
And hopefully these will give you confidence that you can do it on your own. If my sister, brother-in-law, and I can manage there on our own, anyone can. 😊
Posted by
The Heartland USA
8965 posts
Yes you can reach just about everywhere by the efficient and convenient rail network. In fact, some of the more scenic towns do not allow cars to enter. The thing about Switzerland, is that the distances on the map are deceiving as it takes longer to get from one place to another than it might seem. The mountains get in the way and slow things down.
Posted by
San Diego, California
5603 posts
Above is my 2021 Swiss Trip Report. Obviously, ignore the references to COVID mandates, thankfully. You can easily do this trip by yourself , as the Swiss train system is so dependable, user- friendly, and efficient.
You don't say what time of year, but I'm assuming not in the winter. Overall, I think Sept is best, as the summer heat should be over, and the trails are still open. There can be issues in the spring, as many trails and lifts aren't open yet.
Tours can meet many needs, but tours usually don't spend enough time in the Berner Oberland, namely Murren or Wengen. You can easily spend 4-5 days in the BO when traveling on your own.
There's a wealth of info already posted, just review the threads under the Switzerland section here on the Forum. Many of the questions you haven't even asked have already been answered.
Many of the Swiss in the tourist areas have a very good command of English, so you should be very comfortable. The country is expensive, but so worthwhile- the vistas are unparalleled!
Safe travels!
Posted by
OP
Geneva, IL
116 posts
Thank you for sharing your info and links to your trips. I feel much better now about planning our own trip. Sounds like the trains are the way to go. I will search the different treads for more info and I get my Rick Steve’s book tomorrow.
Thanks again!
Posted by
234 posts
You can do the trains!
I planned a DIY 7-night tour for us and our friends ranging in age from 66-81! After an Avalon Rhine cruise we traveled by train from Basel to Luzern, where we spent 2 nights. In Luzern you can join an English walking tour conducted through the tourist bureau for only @ CHF20 per person., although we booked our own guide for us 10 via Tours by Locals. You can easily visit one of the nearby mountains-Rigi or Pilatus-on your own. We then traveled by trains to Wengen for 4 nights and then trains to the Zurich airport the night before our flight back to the US.
For all our train trips, I booked us in 1st class when available. We also all traveled with 2-wheel roll aboard suitcases and a personal item that slipped over the handle. Super Saver 1st fares using the Half-Fare 30 day rail pass were approximately as follows: Basel-Luzern CHF9, Luzern-Wengen CHF 32 and Wengen-ZRH CHF 35. The convenience and space of 1st was worth it. Not having large bags to deal with is crucial, especially since the "classless" 2 trains needed to get to Wengen from Interlaken were jam packed.
Plan on staying in one place for at least two nights and even more for some destinations. If you do go with a tour, find one that doesn't have you moving from one place to another daily as that is a grind especially if you have to be up and at 'em in the early morn.