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Switzerland in October

I will be in Switzerland from Oct 17-21st. I know this isn't the ideal time to visit, but it's the only time i have so I hope to make the most of it! Here's my current plan:

Oct 17 - train to Lausanne/Montreux/Chareau de Chillonn (night in Lausanne)

Oct 18 - earliest train to Interlaken - Hike Harder Kulm and then in the afternoon take bus to Thun, visit caves, take boat back to Interlaken.

October 19 - Hike Mannlichen - Kleine Scheidegg, from Kleine Scheidegg take Jungfraujoch roundtrip, Kleine Scheidegg to Lauterbrunnen, in Lauterbrunnen take bus to Trummelbach Falls.

Oct 20 - Golden Pass from Interlaken to Luzern. Sight seeing in Luzern.

Questions:
1. Is this good use of my limited time in Switzerland? Any suggestions welcome!

  1. How cold will it be in Interlaken? Will hiking be be feasible? How should I pack (I am from Houston, Texas and cold is 60 degrees!)? I am not looking to do anything difficult, but would love to hike some simple trails if possible.
Posted by
213 posts

Haley, my first impression is that you are trying to pack a lot in just to make the most of your time. Often the best way to make the most of limited time is to not try to cover so much and remember the adage that less is more. Having said that, what you are planning is possible, but you will probably not have much time to savor each destination. Your October 19 plans look particularly crowded given the in-transit time you'll have to include in your schedule. (E.g., train from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen, cog train to Wengen, cable car to Mannlichen, cog train from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen, cog train to Lauterbrunnen, bus to Trummelbach Falls and back to Lauterbrunnen, train from Lauterbrunnen back to Interlaken.)

Average October temperatures in Interlaken are in the upper-50s to mid-60s for highs--cooler later in the month. Lows are in the 40s. It will definitely be colder up higher--Mannlichen and Kleine Scheidegg--and possibly downright frigid on Jungfraujoch, expecially compared to your Houston standards. Weather can be "ify" in the region in later October--snow in the mountains, for example, rainy in the valley. Given the vagaries of weather that time of year, you'd need to be flexible with what you do. The Mannlichen-Kleine Scheidegg hike may be out of the question as may Jungfraujoch--it will depend on the weather. Remember, too, that daylight will be shorter.

If, because of the weather, you need to bail out of the Interlaken/Lauterbrunnen area, consider going on to Lucerne and spending more time there. There is lots to explore in Lucerne, and the half-day you'd have with your present schedule is not much. Interlaken is not a good place for a "rainy day" unless you like overpriced restaurants and souvenir shops. If weather (i.e., snow) does not allow hiking the Mannlichen-Kleine Scheidegg trail but you still want to hike in the area, consider the walk from Lauterbrunnin to Stechelberg with a stop at Trummelbach on the way. It's beautiful.

Posted by
32355 posts

Haley,

I've been in that area in October (Gimmelwald, etc), and found the weather to be quite pleasant. When the sun was shining in the daytime, I was quite comfortable hiking without a jacket (even at the top of the Schilthorn at 10K feet).

However, nights were getting a bit "chilly" and the heat wasn't yet activated in my somewhat "rustic" room. I was enormously thankful for the very thick Duvet that was provided! Putting feet on the floor first thing in the morning was a bit of an adventure.

There are no guarantees with the weather, so you may have to be a bit "flexible" and adjust your activities accordingly.

Happy travels!

Posted by
14 posts

Haley, This is exactly the trip we are taking in mid September. I have done a ton of reading and I think your trip sound perfect for the time you have. Thanks for asking about the weather. It helped me.