In another thread someone made the suggestion of adding Pontresina/St. Moritz to my itinerary. I am trying to figure out how to piece it together, if I were to do that. I like the idea but I am not sure how to minimize train time and maximize efficiency, plus I don't want to make the trip too complicated. Here is my itinerary with a possible addition of Pontresina/St. Moritz. Any suggestions would be great regarding additions/subtractions of days to towns as well as route suggestions. Day 1 Fly Day 2 Arrive Geneva, sleep in Lausanne Day 3 Lausanne to Murren Day 4 Murren Day 5 Murren Day 6 Murren to Varenna (via Milan) Day 9 Varenna Day 10 Varenna to Pontresina? Day 11 Dolomites Day 12 Dolomites Day 13 Salzburg Day 14 Salzburg Day 15 Salzburg to Vienna Day 16 Vienna Day 17 Vienna
Day 18 Fly out of Vienna Thanks!
Posted by
Kansas City USA/Birmenstorf, Switzerland
453 posts
Skip Lausanne unless you have some compelling reason to stay there. You can easily make it from the Geneva airport to Murren in a single day. Depending on the route you take, it'll take you between 3.5 and 5 hours (the latter is if you go there via Zweisimmen). Also I'd recommend heading to Varenna via Pontresina/Tirano - that would save you some backtracking.
Posted by
OP
St. Louis, MO, USA
225 posts
How would you describe the differences between Lausanne and St. Moritz? I was hoping to visit Lausanne so I could spend some time in vevey and the vineyards. Do you think that is worthwhile?
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16178 posts
I assume the point of going to Pontresina is to ride the Bernina Express route. It fits best between Mürren and Varenna. You would go Interlaken to Chur ( not direst, changes at Bern and Zurich), to Samedan and Pontresina. From there it is a straight shot south to Tirano, where you change trains for the ride to Varenna. If you put it after Varenna, then you would go north to Pontresina. Then from there to the Dolomites, you would go via Zernez, Lales and Merano to Bolzano.
Posted by
OP
St. Louis, MO, USA
225 posts
Thanks, Lola. What would you say there is "to do" in Pontresina? I know there is hiking, but if I am already including Murren and Dolomites, would this region add something new/different? Is seems like a lot of travel for a short time there. Maybe I will save it for another time.
Posted by
OP
St. Louis, MO, USA
225 posts
I agree with you, I have officially decided to leave it out. Thank you for your feedback.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16178 posts
Besides hiking, the only thing to "do" in Pontresinanis to experience a different canton of Switzerland and the Graudunden culture. It is quite out of the way to fit it into your itinerary, especially for just one night. You might save it for another trip. (I have been telling myself that for four trips now, so have yet to get there myself!)
Posted by
Santa Barbara, CA, USA
177 posts
I think the Lavaux vineyards and the Chillon castle deserve a day. You will have plenty of time in the alps so maybe Pontresina is redundant. I am personally not really found of St.Moritz.