Itineary and transportation questions

Your list doesn't include Luzern (Lucerne). It is an amazing little city situated on a river and a huge lake and surrounded by mountains. I day tripped to Bern from Luzern. I didn't find Geneva all that interesting unless you are a physics geek like those in my family. If so, CERN is an amazing visit. Lausanne looked pretty and close to Lausanne is Montreaux and chateau Chillon, situated quite nice on Lake Geneva with mountains surrounding. So , to specifically answer your question, I'd base in Wengen and Luzern, and personally wouldn't spend much time around Lake Geneva.

Also, how do we get from place to place? Train?

Yes, especially as you can't get to Wengen or Gimmelwald with a car.
www.sbb.ch/en

Wengen will cover both Lauterbrunnen and Gimmelwald. They are close together. You go through Lauterbrunnen to get from Wengen to Gimmelwald.

Lausanne will cover Lake Geneva (Lake Leman actually) and Geneva.

"We" covers anywhere from 2 to 100 people, How many and ages will help you decide the train ticket strategy. Half Fare Cards for 120 CHF per person might help, depending on how many trips you take.

Thanks everyone

To expand upon what Sam says, here's a map that shows Wengen, Gimmelwald, Lauterbrunnen, and many more, and the train or cable car connections between them:

http://www.mappery.com/maps/Jungfrau-Grindelwald-region-summer-map.jpg

It's hard for folks to answer your questions about other cities like Geneva, because it depends your individual interests. I liked the Red Cross Museum and John Calvin's church and the free bike rentals in Geneva, but that's just me.

Thanks for the info and for the map!

CM - Just saw this post. You've probably already made your plans, but I'll throw out my $.02. The Berner Oberland is #1 on my list, and I see you're spending 3 nights there, so I won't discuss further. I consider Kandersteg to be part of BO, and it's great, especially Oeschinensee, one of the most scenic alpine lakes.

My other Swiss favorites are (1) Luzern, (2) Lausanne, (3) Murten, and (4) Bern -- probably in that order (although I like Murten and Bern very much). All of them are very different. I personally like boat excursions and Luzern and Lausanne offer fantastic choices. If you go to Lausanne, be sure to take a cruise on Lake Geneva with stops at Vevey, Montreux, and Chateau de Chillon. It's an all-day adventure with great sightseeing at the three stops.

Thanks Bill. I will be sure to add the stops you mention on the lake tour near Geneva! What do you think are the main differences between Lausanne and Luzern?

Luzern has 60,000 residents and Lausanne has about 140,000. To me, Luzern felt like a small town whereas Lausanne felt like a medium-sized city. With respect to being "scenic" and "special," I've got to give the nod to Luzern. My wife and I took long boat excursions at both locations that were excellent, but I'd give a slight nod to Lausanne. Good restaurants at both. More hiking options at Luzern. For an extended weekend, I've go back to Luzern in a heartbeat. But I'd stop at Lausanne for a day to take the boat to again visit Vevey, Montreux, and Chateau de Chillon. Just my opinion. Hope that helps.

It does. Thank you!