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Switzerland September 2025 - Itinerary Suggestions?

Hi Folks!
I have traveled extensively throughout Europe .. but never in Switzerland, and quite frankly, I really do not know enough to come up with an itinerary that would suit my Wife and I. Here are some thoughts I have:

  • Thinking of flying in to Geneva, and taking train to Lausanne.
  • Thoughts are first number of days utilize train for Lausanne, perhaps Bern. Pick up car in Bern (I assume we can rent a car in Bern - of course, I have not researched this as of yet)
  • Thinking of road trip around Lauterbrunnen area - where else with a car?
  • we thought we can possibly end trip and fly out of Zurich back home.
  • We think 12 nights in all. We typically prefer to base somewhere on our travels and emerge ourselves - but this trip will be different as we really want to drive around and see the beautiful Alps.
  • Thinking September timeframe

I have started to do research but not finding anything so far that helps. My thoughts are to initially plan out areas to see (train first? then car?), how many days in each area, etc. Then we can fine tune what we want to see in each.

We are both early 60's, perhaps do some light hiking, but mostly want to experience the beuaty. Food is always a priority, but we can figure that out after we figure where to go.

Any thoughts on good itinerary's for this are of Switzerland? We had initilaly wanted to continue into Germany from the area to black forest area (Wife's Family roots form there and Bavaria), but thinking 12 nights not enough time.

Any suggestions would be helpful. My concerns are Tourist crowds (Lauterbrunnen?) and time of year. I am hopeful September is after some of the crowds, but still within good weather (we are very flexible on dates, so can be early or late September).

Thanks,

Glenn

Posted by
214 posts

I realize my above post is pretty all over the place - In general, just looking for good ideas on where to go for 12 nights, utilizing both train and car. I ordered Ricks Switzerland guide book to help as well.

Thanks,

Glenn

Posted by
976 posts

Get to the library and look for other guidebooks, RS tends to concentrate on the places his tours visit. Fodor's, Rough Guides, Lonely Planet tend to cover more areas.

Posted by
919 posts

About to fly to Geneva Tuesday for a 10 day trip in Switzerland…….4th time……advice……..DO NOT WORRY ABOUT A RENTAL CAR IN SWITZERLAND…….we have rented cars all over Europe….we love driving and doing our own thing….but it is so unnecessary in Switzerland….the car will stay parked and you will be paying garage fees the entire time you are there. Flying into Geneva Tuesday because right now the Zurich tickets were a lot pricier…….those Swiss trains are amazing……they go everywhere and cover every time you need. You can draw a line from Geneva all the way to Zurich and that will mostly be your travel area…….Geneva is nice and so is Lausanne….you can see everything there quickly…..train to Interlaken…..delightful but more touristy than we liked….train to Lauterbrunnen and then up into the alps to Wengen or Murren and stay there…….use that for your base as you will be right in the middle of it all. We are early 70’s and walk 3 miles daily and have no trouble with anything physical we want to do there. We get a SWiss pass and take a hike one day, train hop the next, hike, train hop…….WONDERFUL hikes all around that area that are basically roads on the sides of the alps……so they are very walkable. Then you have wonderful excursions like a day spent boating to Hotel Geissbach and its falls, lunch there and a beautiful hike back to Iseltwald or Interlaken and a train home. We will spend 2 nights at the end of our trip in Luzern before heading back to Geneva on the GOLDEN PASS SCENIC TRAIN before flying home from Geneva……a wonderful week! DM if you need more info……we research lots and have more we can share….BTW, go to YOU TUBE and search JANA AND BRETT IN SWITZERLAND!

Posted by
3110 posts

Here’s the link to the you tube channel mentioned by Jane:

https://www.youtube.com/@AplinsintheAlps

and another channel I also like:

https://www.youtube.com/@TheTravelingSwiss

My trip reports might give you some ideas:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/solo-in-switzerland-june-2024-my-trip-report

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/solo-in-switzerland-my-trip-report

The trains are fabulous!!! I could not imagine driving in Switzerland.

Posted by
2974 posts

Hi,

“ Thinking of road trip around Lauterbrunnen area - where else with a car?”

This is one of the most car UNfriendly areas of Switzerland. The most scenic villages (Wengen, Muerren, Gimmelwald) and vistas are car free, plus there are no roads that go to them or between them.

Once you read Ricks book (or watch a few videos on you tube) you’ll see a car is not needed, nor will you want one, in Switzerland.

We use a rental car for our trips to Germany, Austria and the Italian Dolomites, but haven’t even thought of renting a car for Switzerland.

The Berner Oberland (Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Muerren, etc) needs at least 4 nights. The most amazing scenery in all of Switzerland. Lucerne is well worth seeing as is Zermatt and the Matterhorn.

Posted by
11758 posts

Take a good look at spending a few nights in Pontresina. As of our last visit in September 2023, still far less touristed than the Central area around Lauterbrunnen. The only truly busy place we found was the Panorama hike which was harder than we expected partly because it became a conga-line of people. We’ve never seen anything like it even in the Greater Jungfrau Region. Pontresina is also a great place to pick up or end a ride on the Bernini Express. Consider riding from Chur to Pontresina and the spending a few nights. Fun thing to do there: ride a horse-drawn wagon with about a dozen people to a hotel in a glacial valley, have lunch there, then walk back, gently downhill, to Pontresina.

Also look at Kandersteg, a less-visited location in the Berner Oberland. There is a nice easy hike on a plateau at Sunnbüel and several lovely strolls in the valley.

Posted by
214 posts

Thank you all - this is EXACTLY what I was looking for. As I said, been to Europe many times (40+) but never to Switzerland (well, day trip to Basil once lol). I appreciate the feedback on car vs train - that is a huge help.

Glenn

Posted by
5573 posts

There are so many car- free villages in Switzerland, and gas and parking is expensive.Many of the locals don't have cars, so if you want to live like a local, use the world-class Swiss train system. Also, the train stations bring you right into the center of the old towns. We usually fly into /out of Zurich, and usually get the best prices that way.
Switzerland IS the Alps, so center your trip on 4-5 days in the Berner Oberland,( Wengen or Murren), and design the trip around that. No one is ever ready to leave the BO.

A few proposals. I'll also attach my Trip Report, perhaps it will be helpful.

Zurich > directly to Lucern 3 nites minimum
Lucern > Berner Oberland 4-5 nites
BO > Montreaux 3 nites
Fly out of Geneva or Zurich.

Or
Milan > Varenna, Lake Como
Lake Como 3 nites
Varenna > Tirano, Italy
Bernina Express train route to Pontressina. 2-3 nites
Pontressina > BO. 4-5 nites
BO > Lucerne. 3 nites
Lucerne to Zurich airport easy commute.

Now you have some proposed itineraries, do your research, and see what appeals to you . Enjoy this beautiful, spectacular country. Safe travels!

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/lucerne-62eb4d28-60ab-4837-b4b4-91a2486eb732

Posted by
2974 posts

Pat is SO right!

“ No one is ever ready to leave the BO”. Never ready to leave the BO!