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Switzerland Itinerary Help

My family and I are heading to Switzerland in August. We can fly into/out of Geneva or Zurich or make it multi-city, but Geneva is the cheapest. We will have 7 nights in the country and two days of travel. We would like to visit BO, Lucerne and the Lake Geneva areas. We are also tempted by Appenzell but I don't know how to work it into the trip. Same goes with Zermatt. For those who know the trains, what would you recommend for ordering of cities/areas and what are your thoughts about squeezing in either Appenzell and Zermatt? Thanks for any input!

Posted by
19654 posts

Multicity would be the most effective use of your time. Into Zurich and out of Geneva, or reverse. There is no advantage to going either direction, so pick the one that has the best price and schedule. 2 nights in Luzern/(Lake Geneva), 3 nights in the B-O, 2 nights in Lake Geneva/(Luzern).

Posted by
4217 posts

You cannot fit all of that into a week long trip, but don't despair because what you do see will be utterly amazing. I would actually limit it to two stops, but I know it is hard to resist. A lot will depend on your arrival and departure times. I arrived in Zurich and immediately departed for the Lake Geneva area (part of a work trip), then went to BO for four nights and finished in Lucerne for two--you can easily get to Zurich for an outbound flight from Lucerne if it is not too early (say noonish). Geneva and Zurich are fairly comparable in convenience for the top three on your list--I am setting aside Zermatt and Appenzell for now because I see no realistic way to include them in a week.
How many are in your group? I travel as a couple--we are still slow--moving children or a group tends to take more time.
The Swiss train system is SBB, and you can plug in all of your travels on the website to get a sense of timing and routes. It is a lot to grasp.
I would just keep reading up on your top three because they are all great choices, make a list of what you want to see and do in each place, look at the transport logistics, then you can see if you can cut anything. More time in fewer places never disappointed me.

Posted by
12 posts

I'd save Zermatt for another time when you can spend a few days. Not really worth the extra travel time for a one-night stay. If flying into Geneva, I'd jump on the train to Lausanne, Vevey (where we stayed) or Montreux where you can continue next day via the Golden Pass route to Interlaken. From there it's just a short jog to Lauterbrunnen/Murren, definitely worth 2-3 nights. It's just as spectacular as Zermatt and far more accessible given your plans. Do take the cogwheel at least up to Eigergletscher for the high Alps spectacle. Then back to Interlaken and on to Lucerne, Zurich or wherever.

Posted by
3 posts

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. They are all so very helpful. To answer one question, we are a family of 6, four kids ranging in age from 17-23. They are great travelers and are always up for adventure. If we had more free days on our family calendar and a lot more cash, we would have planned on a longer stay in Switzerland to see more of the beautiful country.

Posted by
4616 posts

Fyi-
The various Swiss Travel Passes go on sale April 15. Not sure that's the best option for you all, but just so you are aware.