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Switzerland in 7 Days

Bringing a group of 13 women from an Iceland tour to Switzerland June 2024. Few are hikers mainly enjoy touring the highlights. Working on an itinerary for this group and needing some advise. This is our itinerary:
Day 1. Fly to Lake Geneva and stay in Lausanne
Day 2 Train to Bern
Day 3 Stay in Bern
Day 4-5- Train to Lauterbrennen Valley
Day 6 Train to Lucrene
Day 7 Train to Zurich
Day 8 Fly home to USA

Am I packing too much into the trip? Should I start in Zurich instead of Lake Geneva? I have reviewed your 7 day trip and really like it. We will buy a train pass for the days we are in Switzerland. Any advise is welcomed.
Thank you
Jan Hall

Posted by
4384 posts

I would not do this solo, so I cannot imagine it with a group of 13. I would choose no more than three stops in a week, and that is only if you need a one-night stay in Zurich before your flight out.
If the flight is noon or later, you can stay in Lucerne and depart from there in the morning for an easy journey to the airport. That could help a bit, but if it is a morning flight, you'll need to stay in Zurich.

Posted by
8445 posts

Welcome jan, IMO too much time on the train. Not to mention trying to please such a large group and manage their movements. If it were me (again), I'd:

Fly to Zurich, immediately taking the train 1.25 hours from the airport to Luzern, three nights there. Then train to the Lauterbrunnen valley, and three nights there. IF you must see Lausanne, make that your last night before flying home. If not, either Bern or back to Zurich to fly out, or add a night to either Luzern or Lauterbrunnen.

I think Luzern has the best combination of outdoor beauty and larger city activities (such as shopping) allowing your group to safely divide up. Bern is a nice city, but it's not in the mountains so strictly indoor things to do, and thats not what I go to Switzerland for.

Zurich is better to fly in and out of, because there are actually direct flights to North America from there. With Geneva, you have to make a connection.

Posted by
201 posts

For your group here are my suggestions (I am the "leader" for 10, but we all have similar interests, so much easier to plan!)
Day 1: KEF to ZRH, take train to Luzern
Day 2: Luzern
Day 3: Train to Interlaken. This location allows for a variety of options such as day trip to Bern, boat cruises on the lakes, easy walks in the Berner-Oberland (or just riding mountain transport), the Ballenburg Folk Museum, etc. The Berner-Oberland Pass will allow each group member to do her own thing. https://www.berneseoberlandpass.ch/all-in-1-ticket-bernese-oberland/
Day 4: Interlaken
Day 5: Interlaken
Day 6: Interlaken
Day 7: Train to Zurich
Day 8: Flight home