We are a couple visiting Switzerland from Nov 12 to 16, 2023 and well aware that many activities are closed but these dates are locked and we just want to relax mountain scenery rather than doing museums or lake trips etc. Need kind guidance on following itinerary:
Nov 12: Arrival at 10 pm Zurich airport. At this time I could not find many train options. Only feasible option is the train to Luzern leaving Zurich airport around 11:37 pm, train to Interlaken or Grindelwald not available at this time? So will be taking train to Luzern and staying overnight there in any hotel near to the train station of Luzern to avoid any walk / taxi. Don’t want to stay in Zurich overnight.
Nov 13: Travel to Interlaken from Luzern around noon time by Golden pass train and then from Interlaken Ost to Grindelwald by Berner Oberland Bahn? Stay in any hotel in Grindelwald from Nov 13 to 14.
Nov 14: If weather feasible, go to jungfraujoch otherwise just explore Grindelwald on foot. For Jungfraujoch, use eiger express from Grindelwald to go up and then come back to Grindelwald through Kleine Scheidegg. Online search showing that these options would be open during these dates in the month of November.
Nov 15: Leave Grindelwald and travel to Interlaken to spend one night in any hotel near the train station.
Nov 16: Morning train from Interlaken to Zurich airport to catch an international flight from Zurich airport around noon time.
1) Is above itinerary ok considering that we don’t want to see many places and just spend more time in mountain / forest / trail area.
2) I understand that above train routes would be functional during above dates, have tried to find online and seems that these routes are open throughout the year, kindly confirm
3) Would it make sense to buy any pass like Swiss pass, half pass etc considering above itinerary
4) Would any restaurants / grocery stores like Coop market would be open in Grindelwald in November or it would be difficult to find any convenient store open?
5) What is the best website to check webcam for Jungfraujoch.
6) Any recommendation for “good value for money” hotels in above areas with beautiful scenery and not more than 250 CHF / night
Sorry for several questions as it is our first trip to Alps.
Thank you
Posted by
Green Bay
20117 posts
Unfortunately, the Luzern-Interlaken Ost rail line will be interrupted during your travel dates. This site indicates that there will be rail replacement bus service around the closed portion of the track, but at this time the sbb.ch journey planner is showing a diversion via Olten to get to Interlaken Ost by rail.
https://sbbcffffs-community.sbb.ch/t5/On-the-go-with-SBB/PE-Lucerne-Interlaken-Express-line-interruption-from-2-October/m-p/64119
You can wait to get closer to your travel dates to see replacement bus service.
Posted by
Thun, Switzerland
485 posts
train to Interlaken or Grindelwald not available at this time?
Correct, you are arriving too late. Trains stop running at around midnight, so not enough time to make the entire journey from Zurich to Grindelwald
Interlaken Ost to Grindelwald by Berner Oberland Bahn?
Yes, but you don’t really need to worry about what train company is taking you. Just use the SBB app to plan your journey.
2.Yes, looks like it
https://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/live/operating-info/
4 Yes, grocery stores will be open. They do not close for the season, lots of people live in Grindelwald.
5 Here is a map with the mountain webcams in the Jungfrau region.
https://www.jungfrau.ch/de-ch/live/webcams/
edited to try and fix the numbers answering your questions...sorry if they are off.