Mulhouse Basel Airport to Lucerne

Can you cancel the car hire? If you can then take the bus from the airport to Basel station and take the train check times etc at www.sbb.ch/en using Basel as the departure point and Lucerne as the destination, forget the box marked "via" As for the currency it's the Swiss Franc (chf), don't try and use Euros, you may well find some shops will accept them but your change will be in chf and the exchange rate will not be the best. Get some francs the ATMs at the airport. Make the usual checks with your own bank before you leave so that they know you are travelling and freeze your account.

Pauline Thanks for the advice. I think I may be able to cancel the car for a very small cancellation fee. That's not a problem. But my original idea was to visit the little villages around the lake such as Weggis, Vitznau and Brunnen. We were also heading down to Wengen for three nights, and if time permits, I thought we could cruise around Lakes Thun and Brienz. I thought the car would give us more freedom than relying on trains and boats. Is this a bad idea? I wasn't sure how expensive parking would be. I thought we possibly could find parking along the roadway instead of putting it in a garage or parking lot. I hate to sound so naive but we were pretty lucky on the French Riviera finding free parking. If you can give me more info on the parking and toll situation it would be greatly appreciated. Maxine
Thanks again for your generosity in sharing your knowledge.

Hi Maxine. Rental cars work well in Switzerland if you want flexibility. There are no tolls on Swiss roads, and driving there is the same as driving in a mountainous area of U.S. Parking cost will vary by town, just as it would in U.S. There will be some free parking, some pay. Enjoy your trip!

If you want to visit towns on the lake such as Weggis, Vitznau etc. Why not go by boat? That is half the charm of visiting Switzerland, the places you can visit by boat or cable car or cogwheel train.

Bob FYI - I went on Google.com/maps and they indicated the route they are suggesting from Basel to Lucerne has tolls. I believe it is the A3 on the longer route, which I picked to avoid the many toll roads shown for the faster or shorter route. I assume the faster roads are toll roads, not sure. Thanks for your advice Maxine

All autoroutes and main highways between towns in Switzerland are toll roads. They just collect the toll a different way. There are no toll booths or restrictions on driving. All cars, trucks, etc., driving in Switzerland on any roads designated by a green highway sign must have a sticker on the front windscreen. It is called a "Vignette" and costs CHF40 per year. Many hire cars in Switzerland used to have them but I have recently seen stories of hire car companies removing them and new users of the car having to buy them again. They must be properly affixed to the glass and will show evidence of removal if they are removed. You will need the Vignette before you drive on the first road requiring it. Police will sit near the road as you go through Basel checking. If they find a car without one the fine is substantial. The Europort at Basel Mulhouse Freiberg is actually in France so you can get the Vignette as you cross the border into Switzerland. The border guards will actually put it on the window for you if you let them. A35>A3>A2>A1/A2 is the quickest, just over an hour. Driving in Switzerland is quite different. RS in his guidebooks, and the Michelin Green book for Switzerland both go into detail about the differences. The best way to see the lakes is by boat. Parking in Switzerland is rarely free in the tourist areas. Almost all tourist areas have metered parking for the few spaces available. We parked at the Luzern train station. While roads will approach and in in some cases briefly run next to lakes it is rare to find a road going all the way around. The topography of Switzerland means lots of tunnels. You MUST learn proper tunnel techniques, and you must reduce your speed. Be prepared to expect road junctions within the tunnels, and you need to be able to drive in the tunnel while reading road signs. GPS units do not work in tunnels. ... more

Wengen is not a town you can drive in or to. You park in the parking structure in Lauterbrunnen and take the train. The same is true of Muerren and Gimmelwald, using cable cars and trains. All three towns are on the edges of cliffs. The towns on Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstaettersee) are not easy by car. Far nicer by boat which goes to all the little places - the scenery is marvelous. We love it there. All in all you have described a trip which would work very well by train and boat.

And you'll pay to park in that parking place in Lauterbrunnen while you are in Wengen. May re-think the car?