At the end of a group choir tour in July we are extending for a couple of days and staying in Murren. Hoping to do some hiking in the area. On Monday, July 22nd we have a flight departing Zurich at 1:10 pm. Is it realistic to think that we can wake up in Murren on Monday morning and make it to the Zurich airport by approximately 10:00 am? Considering a Swiss Rail pass or rental car (which would be parked in Lauterbrunnen).
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16265 posts
Have you checked the schedule on the SBB website?
Short answer: the first departure from Muerren in July is at 6:06 am, and will get you to the Zurich airport at 9:14 am, with four changes on the way. Two later departures (as a backup) would get you there at 9:42 and 10:14.
Is this a flight going home? What is your level of risk tolerance?
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Yes, possible. As per timings above.
How early you need to get to the airport depends on where you are flying to and with which airline.
If you are only doing 1 (or 2) rail trips a pass is not the best option.
How big is your group? If above 10, SBB offers special group rates. You also get reserved seats, all together.
See here: https://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-and-tickets/tickets-for-switzerland/group-tickets.html
Curious, how are you getting to Mürren, and wherefrom? Presumably you will use the same method of transport both ways.
Posted by
OP
Dallas, TX, USA
9 posts
Thanks to you both. Yes, I checked the train schedules, and it looks doable. I was mainly wondering if there was something I was missing. We (2 of us) will be leaving our group in Geneva on Saturday morning and either taking the train (Geneva to Lausanne to Bern to Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen) or driving a rental car. Since we don't really need a car again until Monday to get to the Zurich airport I was l was leaning toward train travel. However, when I add up the costs of the various legs of the trip from Geneva to Murren and then Murren to Zurich it looks like a 3-day Swiss Rail pass is a better deal. My primary concern is getting down the mountain on Monday morning. I'm sure it's simple, but having never been to Murren I don't know. That's seems to me to be the most chancy part of the trip given the tight schedule. Our 1:10 pm flight is on BA to London and then on to the US.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16265 posts
We have taken the train/cablecar combination from Mürren down to Lauterbrunnen and onward many times, with never a glitch.
You board the little train at Mürren and it takes you to Grutschalp. You get off the train and walk with all the others onto the cablecar. They pretty much wait for everyone to transfer over. You can even hand over your luggage before boarding the little train and they will Transport it in a wagon that hooks to the cablecar. You pick up your bags in Lauterbrunnen and follow the marked path the train station for the ride to Interlaken Öst. There you board a train to Bern, changing there (10 minutes to make the change) for a train that goes to the Zurich airport with no further transfers.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Our 1:10 pm flight is on BA to London and then on to the US.
Zürich to London is a short hop, you only need to be at the airport 1½-2 hours in advance. I know someone who flies this regularly and he times it to get to the airport minimum 1 hour in advance (he does his check-in and gets his boarding pass online).
The extra time-consuming procedures for a US-bound flight will happen in London.
That being so, you have plenty of time.
Posted by
OP
Dallas, TX, USA
9 posts
Lola & Chris - Many thanks! This is very helpful information!