We would love any ideas for our upcoming trip to Switzerland and France and help with choosing the right train pass. This trip is part of a longer trip with time in the UK before and after.
We will arrive (from London) in Zurich (this July) at 14:40 and plan to go to Lucern that day and stay for 3 nights.
Then Lucern to Wengen where we will stay for 7 nights.
Then Wengen to Colmar for 4 nights.
Then Colmar to Bern for 3 nights.
Then Bern to the Zurich airport the morning of our 14:55 flight back to London.
My questions are:
What is the best way to do the public transport part of this? I am assuming it would be to buy some kind of pass, but which pass, and should we buy all tickets ahead of time, and how far ahead?
When we are in Wengen we would like to get to trailheads every day for easy to moderate hikes or walks. (3 - 6 miles but not too steep, actually steep is okay, it is slippery and very rocky that we want to avoid.)
Would the pass cover getting to the trailheads?
How can we find these kind of hikes? Anyone have a website or book recommendation for that?
Thanks so much!
Posted by
Schaumburg, IL
297 posts
Recommend the half fare card and the Berner Oberland pass 1st class for better train and boat ride seats… plenty of great hikes in the Wengen area and a great TI office in Wengen to assist… been there three times in last two years and heading back in ten days… private message me if I can help you with the hikes… you will luv the area.
Posted by
Nashville, TN
1000 posts
Half Fare Card + Reduced Fare Berner Oberland pass (for your time in Wengen) OR Half Fare Card + Reduced Jungfrau Travel Pass (for your time in Wengen)
No, don’t prebuy tickets. Just get things as you go at half fare via the SBB app on your phone or the machines at the station and if your pass covers a route then that is your ticket, no additional required.
The passes mentioned will get you to a lot of trailheads, but they each have different validity.
My husband & I spend our summers living in Mürren (across the valley from Wengen) and do a lot of hiking in the region, so you’ll see lots of recommendations in my previous posts to others.
Some highlights to look into:
*Mannlichen + Royal Walk Detour > Kleine Scheidegg > Fallbodensee > Wengernalp
*Northface counterclockwise from Allmendhubel to Mürren + Gimmelwald
*Schynige Platte Panorama hike
*Grindewald First to Grosse Scheidegg via the Marmot Trail
*Mountain View trail from Allmendhubel to Grutschalp
*Lauterbrunnen Valley all the way to the back roundtrip (biking it is also nice)
**Giessbach Falls from Lake Brienz
In addition to hiking, a trip up to the Schilthorn for amazing views + the Brienzer Rothorn steam train is amazing. Also nice is a boat ride on Lake Thun to enjoy the castles at Spiez, Oberhofen and Thun, which could also be done during your time in Bern.
SwissFamilyFun.com is a very good resource and I’ll add some links to the hikes above when I get to my computer later.
Posted by
OP
620 posts
Thank you both for your replies! They are very helpful.
I am wondering about the SBB app. I see two in the app store. One says SBB mobile and one says SBB inclusive. Are either one of those the right one?
Posted by
West Michigan
382 posts
Regarding SBB app, that's interesting. I'm an Android person, and all I see on the Go oog le app store is SBB Mobile. I've been using it for years, it works very well. I'd download that one. Maybe try it at home to get used to it.
Edit: I just searched for SBB Inclusive, and found it. It's the same as SBB Mobile, but optimized for poor eyesight, it has larger text and "optimized for Talkback".