Bernese Oberland

Mary, Your proposed Itinerary looks reasonable. Two days is adequate for a quick look around Lucerne, however if you're planning a trip up Mt. Pilatus or other excursions, you might want to add a day. Regarding where to stay in the Berner Oberland, I'd suggest having a look at the Switzerland Guidebook or internet sites to see which location appeals to you the most. You didn't indicate what type of accommodations you prefer, so it's difficult to offer specific suggestions. In terms of location, Lauterbrunnen is perhaps the most convenient choice. I'm also planning a return visit to that area in September, and planning to stay in Mürren. Happy travels!

I haven't been yet but I've researched places to stay in the Lauterbrunnen valley.... Googled "Murren vs. Wengen," etc. 1) Depends on how isolated you want to be (how high up the mountain). If you want easy/convenience then Lauterbrunnen... then Murren... then Gimmelwald (remote). 2) Cost: Wengen seems to be more expensive than Murren. 3) Views: Do you want to look outside your window and see the valley, down into the valley, or see the rocky Alps up high. Which mountain do you want to look at? Pete

Ken & Pete, We would like to stay somewhere nice, but it does not need to be four star.
Not sure it matters whether we have a valley or mountain view, as I am sure both are outstanding, and special in their own right! Also there is no preference in which alp we are viewing. We do not wish to be to remote, and I should mention that we have to be able to reach our desired location by train only. My husband has a fear of height and being the great husband he is going along for my sake, but as of now he is saying " no gondolas" ! However that may change once he sees the area and the splendor of the alps. He said the same about going up the Eiffel Tower and has now been up twice! But I may be taking the alp tour myself. Also how is it doing the train changes with luggage, I am not always known to travel light, but I try.

Hi Mary- if you will be traveling by train only, not cable car, then your choices are limited to Lauterbrunnen in the valley and Wengen upon the hillside. And to higher, you will want the Jungfraubahn trip by train, not the Schilthorn, with goes by cable car. Your husband may have the wrong impression of the cable cars, as these are large and sturdy ( and Swiss). The one going up to Mürren is not far off the ground and not scary. But beyond that, to the peak, it travels waaaay off the ground so you won't want that. We stay in both Wengen and Mürren and like both very much. And we prefer both over staying in Lauterbrunnen, which has lots of cars passing through, and is not as peaceful or filled with views. There are alps above and below Wengen which should have cows, but the surest way to walk among cows and bells might be to take the train up to Kleine Scheidegg and walk down to Wengernalp or out along the Mannlichen trail. There are lots of nice hotels in Wengen. Check out the Alpenrose, the Bellevue ( good for model railroad fans), the Bären, and the Schoenegg. All have Swiss ambiance, great views (pick a south-facing room) and great food. Half-board is generally the way to go as there are not many restaurant choices in Wengen.

Mary, from what you are saying, I would say that Lauterbrunnen sounds best. It has lovely views of the mountains and is where the regular train stops. There are several hotels and the Hotel Oberland has wonderful dinners. You can get to Wengen via cog train. From Lauterbrunnen you can see the cable car that goes up to the Meuren level. From the top of the cable run, there is a train that goes to Meuren. To go above Wengen, you will need either a steep hike or a cable car.

Thanks Lola, great info for us. I think it will be Wengen for sure as I like what the travel books are saying as well.
Any suggestions on what we will need as far as clothing, how heavy a jacket etc.....? Also which pass should we be looking at? I think my husband will get over the gondola once he arrives and sees what he will be missing if he stays behind.

Spent about a week in Switzerland a few years ago. I really didn't like Lucerne that much after being in Murren for 3 days (back to the city). I did enjoy spending an afternoon and evening in nearby Vevey. Less crowds and I thought it was beautiful. You can't go wrong with Murren or Wengen but if you stay in Wengen I would recommend at least getting the other side of the valley to check it out. Flew out of Geneva. Had an afternoon and evening and that was about right for me. Good luck!

Mary,
We stayed in Luzern a few years ago and did the trip up Mt Pilatus. I enjoyed it imensely and the views were breathtaking. We went up by gondola and came down on the train, but I know you can do it all by the incline train so your husband could go up for the views without riding the gondolas. I'm not sure of the logistics of getting to the gondola or the train as we were on a tour and had a bus to get between them, but it may be doable by regular train from wherever you are staying. Just a suggestion.

Mary, Also, you might want to check out this website.
http://www.pilatus.ch/en/

Addressing some of your questions: Train changes are easy, even with luggage. From Luzern to Wengen, you go first to Interlaken Ost, and change there for Lauterbrunnen. The platform there is small and generally you just walk from the track on one side to the track on the other-a few yards, no stairs. At Lauterbrunnen you get off the train and cross the tracks (at the designaged place) to the cogwheel train that goes up to Wengen. Wengen itself is quite hilly, and it is a downhill walk to the Bären and the Alpenrose; a more level walk but farther to the Bellevue. Clothing for early September needs to be flexible, as the weather can range from warm and sunny to cool and rainy to even snow. (One year I was up at mannlichen in shorts and T-shirt on Sept. 2, and friends came through a week later and found a foot of snow there.) Think layers, And the one essential is a waterproof/windproof jackeet, like Goretex. If you don't have one, you can surely find something nice on sale at Mountain Equipment Co-op, the Canadian company: http://www.mec.ca/Main/home.jsp The pass question is always tricky and there is no one right answer. This synoptic map will show you the coverage of various passes: http://www.swisspasses.com/railpass/overviewmap_en.pdf The Half-Fare card is often recommended if you are going up the Jungfraujoch, as it gives a full 50% discount on this expensive trip. The other Swiss passes cover 50% up to Wengen and 25% beyond that. However, as you can see from the map, a Swiss Pass will cover travel to Chamonix, while the half-Fare card gives no reduction once you cross the border. Our personal favorite, since we don't go up the Jungfrau any more, is the 3-day flex (Saver). This fully covers 3 days of travel, which must include your first and last day of use, plus one other day (use for the most expensive). All other travel is 50% off.

" ...The other Swiss passes cover 50% up to Wengen and 25% beyond that..." The Swiss Pass covers the journey to Wengen. It's only above Wengen that the discounts kick-in.

Michael, that is correct, if you are riding to Wengen on a "covered" day on a Flex pass (or any day on a consecutive day pass). For other days on a Flex pass, coverage is 50%.

I second the recommendation to stay in Murren. We were there in August and spent 5 nights at Hotel Eiger in Murren and it was amazing. The views and the walks are just incredible.

Mary, I was also going to suggest that staying in Mürren would be a good idea, but if your husband suffers from Acrophobia that could be a problem. Based on your description, it sounds like it is possible for him to deal with it (ie: going up the Eiffel Tower TWICE). Unfortunately, both routes to Mürren involve a Cable Car ride. The new Cable Car that goes to Grütschalp is not as dramatic (steep) as the one at Stechelberg which goes to Gimmelwald. The trip from Stechelberg involves two Cable Cars, while the Grütschalp route involves a shorter and lower ride on one Cable Car, and then transfer to a small mountain railway. You may find it helpful to have a look at This Short Video. You'll note at the end that the small train comes right to the Cable Car station. The remains of the old Funicular can be seen underneath the Cable Car on the trip. Your husband may find that he's so overjoyed to be in the magnificent setting of the Swiss Alps and Berner Oberland, that the height concerns vanish. With the Cable Cars, it's important to keep in mind that Swiss engineering and design are exceptional! These are maintained on a regular basis and thousands of tourists as well as the local residents use them every year. If you can't resolve the height issue, then you could certainly stay in Lauterbrunnen or one of the other locations that have been suggested here. Cheers!

I would second Ken's suggestion. The cable car is the only way to Murren. Choose another option such as Wengen or Lauterbrunnen (don't worry, you won't bet a stiff neck in Lauterbrunnen). Hopefully your husband will find that he can handle the cable car. If so, again Ken is correct, the one from the rail station in Lauterbrunnen is the one to try first.

Thanks everyone you have been so helpful. And all great info. I'm getting there putting our trip together.
About going to Chamonix, any suggestions on getting there and how long we need to see the sites? Is it best to go to Geneva then on to Chamonix and back to Geneva for the trip home? Or am I trying to do to much?