Switzerland

[Dr. Lab]

We are sailing on the May 7, 2007 Basel to Antwerp cruise on the Viking Sun. We are going to spend 5 days in Switzerland before the cruise. We are considering renting a car and driving around Switzerland and staying in bed and breakfasts. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[tinlizzy]

I loved Switzerland. It's like Hawaii in that pictures don't do it justice.

 

Buy a swiss saver pass...good for almost all transportation. Transportation is always on time and clean. Cute trains in small areas.

 

My advise is head for the alps. Interlaken/Lauterbrunnen area. Bernese Oberland. It is breathtaking. We stayed in Wengen at the Beausite Park hotel. Had a fabulous 5 course meal every evening and a buffet breakfast that was included in the price (half-board). We had a room overlooking the Eiger, Jungfrau and Monch.

 

Just get on a train heading for Interlaken then on to Lauterbrunnen and Wengen. When you get off the train you can easily find the tourist office (across the street) but there is also a giant board on the platform with the names and prices (discounted for last minute arrival) of the hotels. They all have call buttons...if the button is lit they have rooms available and you pick up a handset and push the button and it calls the hotel. The Beausite then dispatched a golf cart to come get us (no cars allowed in town-don't rent a car).

 

I loved this hotel; balconies, cork floors, heated towel bar, down comforters and pillows. Had brand new white socks and not a speck of dirt on them after walking around the room. Multi-lingual staff. French trained dining staff. They have a sitting room next to the dining area or a heated lanai/terrace looking onto the alps for coffee and conversation after dinner. US ski team stays here. BUT there are also chalet style hotels with home-cooking. You cannot go wrong in this area of Switzerland....no fears!

 

Go visit from here the Trummelbach Falls...hint: when you come out walk across the street and catch the bus to Schilthorn/Piz Gloria (James Bond) about 10 minutes up the road. Top of Europe train ride.

 

http://www.myswitzerland.com/en.cfm/destinations/resorts/offer-Destinations%5FResorts-General-10145.html

 

http://www.myswissalps.com/swisspass.asp?lang=EN

 

I put this on e-mail notification if you have a question...wish I was going!

[Bobblsc]

Look at The Glacier Express from Zermatt to St. Moritz, or the other direction. This is a one day slow trip across southern Switzerland on narrow gage rails, much of it on cog rails to make it up inclines. Zermatt is easily reached by train from Basel, with one easy train change. Or if you fly into Zürich, the train to Zermatt should also be easy. If you go, I would suggest that you overnight in Zermatt before the trip. There are many hotels, both small and large.

 

If you don't want to take the Express, but only want to visit Zermatt, you will have to park a few miles below Zermatt because no autos are allowed in the town. My memory is that there is parking available at a public facility. The train on to Zermatt is spectacular. The Glacier express then returns down the mountain from Zermatt.

 

Bits and pieces of info: Trains go from Zürich airport directly to the main Zürich rail station. Swiss rail pass saved money for the one trip Basel to Zermatt, then the Glacier Express. In Basel there is a small park with a pond containing sheet metal figures which are moved by timed water fountains. Fun to watch. St. Moritz had a Hertz (and probably others) auto rental. We picked up a car there and turned it in at Brussels airport. One way rentals should be no problem for you.

 

The southern part of the Rhine doesn't have much good scenery, but going farther north makes up for that.

 

Bob :cool: