traveling to switzerland for the first time

varun, Since you'll be travelling in July 2012, you might find it useful to order a copy of the Switzerland Guidebook as there's a wealth of information there on all the locations you'll be visiting. It also includes great information on transportation, ways to save money on lift tickets, etc. The Guidebook is also available as an E-book, if you have a Kindle, iPad, Laptop or other Reader (the Kindle Reader for PC, Mac, iPhone or iPod Touch is FREE to download from Amazon, but of course there's a cost for the book). I most definitely agree with Tom. All the locations in the Lauterbrunnen Valley are relatively close together, so changing locatons every few nights is not the best idea. Have a look at websites for that area to get some idea on which town you prefer the most (Mürren is the quintessential Swiss town so is very popular). Happy travels!

Make it much easier on yourself. If you're going to dedicate 6 nights to the Berner Oberland, just stay in one location. Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Murren and Wengen are all very close to each other.

Just a note, the town you call Murren is actually Mürren. If you can't make the Umlaut, you can also use Muerren. If you search with just Murren you could get the wrong place. For instance, the town website is www.muerren.ch, and it has a listing of hotels in town. If you use www.murren.ch, you'll get the website for just one of the hotels, Eiger, in Muerren.

Hi, As others stated, Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Muerren and Wengen are very close to each other. For instance, Lauterbrunnen to Wengen is about 20 minutes or so. IF you just wanted 2 different locations, maybe do 3 nights in Wengen and 3 nights in Muerren. At least this way you are on opposites sides of the valley with a different perspective. Plus, trips such as the Jungfraujoch is easiest from Wengen (from your list of places in the BO) and the Schilthorn is easier from Muerren. Just an opinion. Other wise I'd pick 1 place to spend 6 nights. Will it be comfortable traveling between the places you want to visit? Yes. All of them are not all that far apart. Paul

thank you all for your detailed suggestions.

Varun, I think you got the idea that all of the places in the Lauterbrunnen Valley are close together. From the cliffs of Muerren (5,200'), you can look across the valley and see Wengen and you can look down and see Lauterbrunnen. Or, you can look up and see the 12,000' top of the Jungfrau. In the Lauterbrunnen Valley, you stay in one place and easily get to the other locations you mention or if it appeals to you to stay according to your travel itinerary above, that's OK too. It's all very beautiful. As for travel between all of these places in the Berner Oberland, it's all by train, bus and cable way. Sounds like a lot but it's really not. It's actually very easy. The Lauterbrunnen train station is the central point. From there, you can get to Wengen, Grindelwald, Kleine Scheidegg, the Jungfraujoch on one side of the valley or Gimmelwald, Muerren or the top of the Schilthorn on the other side of the valley.

I second/third those votes. You do not need to move around like that in the Berner Oberland. We just came from there. Pick one spot and explore the area. All those towns are with walking distance although Interlaken isnt but no need to stay there. Just visit it for a day when your in Berner. Lucerne is a beautiful area. 3 nights is perfect to really get a good taste of the city. I would stay somewhere more interesting then Zurich. There are many towns (check out appenzell area) with very short drive times into Zurich, maybe just leave 1 day to explore that city, if that.