We are watch/time piece enthusiasts and know the towns we want to visit. Our tentative itinerary for mid-Sept 2025 is: Geneva to Bern to La Chaux-de-Fonds to Biel to Holstein to Zurich to Schaffausen. Zurich is tentative (not on our "watch" list) only because it seems we might need to go through either Basel, Baden or Zurich to reach Schaffausen. Big questions: (1)is this doable or insane, (2) how much time in each place, (3)which towns to spend the night in, (4)can we actually arrange public transportation between these places. Perhaps there's a more sensible order. We've already spent hours researching online resources, travel forums and travel books. Our next visit will include more sightseeing and relaxation throughout the country.
Thank you! ~BH
Posted by
Washington DC
28697 posts
Switzerland has excellent public transportation. It can be expensive, so you might well benefit from the Half Fare Card or some other transit card or pass. You can check schedules here: https://www.sbb.ch/en. Caution: The fares you'll see on that website--unless you change the settings--will assume you have Half Fare Cards. Double those prices to see what you'd pay without the HFC.
I haven't spent much time in Switzerland recently, so I'll leave the rest of your questions to others.
Posted by
Bend, Oregon
2610 posts
I recommend that you download the SBB Mobile app and plot out these journeys. Question # 4 should be your first priority. I would then look at whether you can base in one place and take the train to several of these places.
2) I have no idea how much time a watch enthusiast might need to spend in each place! Are you just shopping? Can each of these places be a day trip? A few hours in each place? Are there watch museums or gurus to talk to?
Posted by
West Michigan
190 posts
Couple of Geneva items:
I've been to a watch/clock museum near the Old Town Geneva, it was interesting to me. Not very large as I recall.
And of course, the famous outdoor clock near the water just over the Mont-Blanc bridge.
If you are in Geneva on a Wednesday, there is a giant outdoor flea market at the Plaine de Plainpalais, easy to get to by tram from anywhere. It will have a lot of watches for sale, and interestingly, a few vendors who sell lots of old watchmaking tools, fixtures, watch parts, clocks, etc... The vendors might be very interesting for you to talk to.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Greatly appreciate all the suggestions and information. We'll keep working on various train routes and schedules. We're not at all on a watch purchasing trip. This is to walk the towns to view clocks/watch displays and talk to folks at the manufacturing areas and stores, which we've already researched. Some places would only require a few hours, so we'd wondered about setting a home base. We'll continue our research with this additional advice. Many thanks to all!