My wife and I will be traveling to Switzerland this spring/summer for two weeks and will be utilizing trains to get around. Is there a better month to go there due to weather? We are contemplating the following cities: Zurich (probably our starting/end point), Lucerne, Murren (we've been here once before), Bern, Basel and Geneva. Are these all easily reached by train and is there any particular order we should travel. Also if you have any recommendations on hotels/B&B's (we like lake front or old town but will be without local transportation), tourist sites, restaurants etc we would appreciate it.
Posted by
Green Bay
20143 posts
Later is better for Muerren. Skip Zurich on arrival and go directly to Luzern, then to Muerren. You could take the slow route via Spiez, Zweisimminen, Montreux to go to Geneva. Unless there is something specific you want to see in Geneva, Montreux or Lausanne might be more interesting. Then Bern, Basel, and Zurich. You could go in reverse order as well. In Switzerland there is a train in each direction minimum once per hour. All of these are well connected by rail.
15 day Swiss Travel Pass at 440 chf per person may not be the most cast effective product, but certainly the most convenient. It will include local transport in all major cities plus 50% discount on the Schilthornbahn above Muerren, and free admission to most museums.
Posted by
Los Angeles
4412 posts
Did you check Rick's book, I bet he has a suggested 2 week itinerary. Well except for Geneva, he recommends a pass on that. Which was disconcerting the first time I read the guidebook, I was sure there was a chapter missing.
As for trains, they will take you everywhere you want to be (to quote the credit card company). And with all that time, you should take as many of the scenic name-brand trains as possible.