We are leaving Montreux with a car after a meeting and want to go thru Grimmewald and then our nightly reservations are in Lucern. Is this a reasonable day trip? Would you recommend another route and skip Grimmewald ? We are in Lucern for two nights and then onto Salzburg. I am not sure that there are good roads to travel this route? I would welcome suggestions as we want to see and make the most of this journey across Switzerland. I am not able to hike so this was what we thought would be a beautiful area to see?
Thanks so much....
Posted by
Bay Area
3551 posts
If u mean Gimmewald in Berner Oberland area, it is car free. Only accessed by ski lifts from valley floor of Lauterbrunnen. There is also a Grindelwald.
Pls clarify.
Also parking can be difficult in Lucerne hopefully u have a plan for safe parking there.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
Nancy, you can take a car as far as Stechelberg, then a gondola lift up the mountain toward Gimmelwald, Muerren, and the top of Mt. Schilthorn, which would be the easiest way to get a great mountain view. Note that Grindelwald is a town on the other side of this little valley, which is accessible by road, but that might not be the destination you had in mind.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
"I am not sure that there are good roads to travel this route?" - The roads are all good, what exactly were you expecting as "not good"?
You cannot drive to Gimmelwald, no roads. You need to park in the valley (and pay for it) and take a cable car up to Gimelwald.
This is all very beautiful.
This sounds OK with 2 caveats:
1) Have you checked all your hotels have parking? Many do not and you have to park some distance away and pay.
2) Is this car rented in Switzerland? Are you going to return it in Switzerland? If not you will be hit with a high surcharge for international one-way rental.
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
Driving into cities as well as car-free destinations (Gimmelwald, Murren, Wengen, Venice, etc) is a mistake.