My friend and our 4 kids are in the process of planning a trip and have all of our accomodations in Italy and Germany but are having a hard time organizing our trip to Switzerland and Austria. We need to get north from Tuscany and want to see the alps and Salzburg. Any easy travel ideas like train vs. rental car, where to stay and the what we can't miss catagory. We have 6 days and then we are off to Heidelberg....
Posted by
Redding, CA, USA
1568 posts
Have you considered packing a lunch and taking the train. It is wonderful just sitting back and watching the scenery. Children seem to love trains. Rail site for Germany:...http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en......Rail site for Switzerland:....http://www.sbb.ch/en/index.htm......
Rail site for Austria:....http://www.oebb.at/vip8/oebb/en/..usually enter dates a week ahead of the present and the time as 06:00 when checking out the trains....Our favorite place/area to visit in Switzerland is the area: Lauterbunnen, Gimmelwald, Murren and Wengen. Great and safe family area.
Enjoy your trip.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17418 posts
Are there 6 of you? Definitely the train. You can't all fit in one car with your luggage. The kids 15 and under travel free on Swiss trains. From Milan, take the main train north into Switzerland and stop in Kandersteg for a night or two. Go up to Lake Oeschinensee (you can stay up there is you like; it's gorgeous) and the kids will love the Rodelbahn. From Kandersteg, take the train to Interlaken and on to either Lauterbrunne, Wengen, Mürren, Gimmelwald, or Grindelwald. Stay 3 nights so you can get an apartment instead of hotel rooms. Then take the train toward Luzern, stopping in Brienz for the Ballenberg musuem. Spend the last night in or around Luzern (try the Jail Hotel) or on top of a mountain---Mt. Pilatus has 2 hotels on top and a ropes course that kids enjoy. From Luzern, it's an easy trip via Zürich to Stuttgart and on to Heidelberg. Easiest train website: www.rail.ch