Swiss Vacation From India (2017)
Day 1:
Flew Qatar Airways and reached Zurich airport by 1:30 PM. Immigration took 15-20 mins and we were asked basic questions. Once the luggage is collected and before you exit the airport there is a tourist information center where you can purchase the Swiss travel pass. 8 day Travel pass costed a whooping CHF 372 (per person). Once you exist the airport the railways station is just opposite where you can purchase the Swisscom SIM card for CHF 20 which will be loaded with credit of CHF 20 and the charge for unlimited data access is just CHF 2 per day.
We took train from Zurich to Bern and changed train to reach Interlaken OST. Since our apartment (booked through Airbnb) was in Wilderswil we had to take a local train from Interlaken OST to Wilderswil. We spent the evening settling in the apartment and taking few snaps near our apartment.
Day 2:
Initially a trip to First, Grindelwald was planned for day 2 but since the weather was good our Host recommended to visit Jungfrau. We bought our tickets to Jungfrau (CHF 135 for return ticket, with 25% discount on swiss travel pass) in Wilderswil station. The trip from Wilderswil to Lauterbrunnen and Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Scheidegg was covered by pass. This is approximately a two hour trip and the journey itself is memorable. You need at least 2 hours to spend in Jungfrau since there are 8-9 attractions and couple of restaurants. There is a Lindt chocolate shop and the price was also cheap when compared to other cities.
Day 3:
We started early in the day and reached First, Grindelwald. The trip was covered in pass but the cable car to the top costs CHF 60 per person (Return trip). We had bought the ticket in Wilderswil station and thus avoided standing in the queue. The cable car starts at 9 AM (or 10 AM?) and we were the first batch of people who went up and thus avoided crowd. The first walk was awesome experience and good photo op. The trip up in the cable car was very beautiful and while coming down we got down in between since there was a kids play area. We spent quite sometime watching mesmerising alps while our daughter was playing in the play area. After reaching Grindelwald we decided to go to Lauterbrunnen to trek to the beautiful falls in the valley. The path leading closer to the falls was closed but we still managed to take some photos near the beautiful meadows and the falls.
Day 4:
Took a train from Wilderswil to Interlaken OST and then reached Brienz. Too the cruize from Brienz to Giessbach. You can reach the falls either by trekking or taking funicular (CHF 5 per person one way). We took one way ticket and trekked back while returning which took around 15 mins. The waterfall is so beautiful and you can actually walk behind the falls. This is a must visit place if you are in Brienz. We again took a cruise to reach Interlaken. We planned to go to Harder Kulm but due to rain we couldn't. (50% discount with pass). We then headed to Lauterbrunnen from where we took cable car to Grutschalp and took another train to Murren, a beautiful village with wonderful view of the mountains.
Day 5:
Our stay in Bernese Oberland comes to an end. We checked out after breakfast and took a train to Lucerne (around 2 hours trip). Our hotel was in Meggen which is another 15 mins from Lucerne station. After checking in the hotel we took a cruise trip from Lucerne to Weggis to meet a friend and spent evening exploring Lucerne town.
Day 6:
It was a long day. Since Bernina Express starts from Chur at 8:25 AM we had to start from Meggen at 5:30 AM and hence we decided to take the northbound trip which starts from Luggano to Chur. We started from Meggen at 7:30 AM and reached Luggano and took 3 hour Bernina express bus from Luggano to Tirano, Italy. We reached by 1 PM and the Bernina express started at 2:35 PM. Had good Italian food at the restaurants near the station and boarded the train. The journey was spectacular and was almost 4 hours journey. We reached Chur by 6:30 PM and reached Meggen by 9:30 PM. Reservation for Bernina Express has to be done prior by paying reservation fee for both Bus and Train (~CHF 15 per person). While reserving the seats the person in the counter gave us Aisle seat and said window seats are not available even though there were window seats available in the train. Later the conductor was kind enough to ask us to move to a different coach where there were lot of window seats available.
Day 7:
Went on a day trip to Mt Pilatus. Took a train from Meggen to Alpnachstad and took cogwheel train to the Pilatus. On the way back took the cable car down to Fräkmüntegg and then gondola to Kriens. It's a 10 minute walk to the bus stop and took bus line 1 to the Lucerne rail station (15 mins).
Day 8:
We went on a day trip to Mt. Riggi. Took train from Lucerne to Arth Goldau and then to Rigi Kulm. The view from the top was really spectacular. Spent around 2 hours and returned back to Lucerne. Just like any other tourist did souvenir shopping in Casa Grande, Lucerne.
Day 9:
Our flight was at 10 AM so left Hotel by 5:50 AM and took train at 6:03 from Meggen and reached Airport by 7:40 AM.
Food:
Food is expensive in Switzerland just like everything else. Water costs CHF 3.5 - 4, Sandwich cost around CHF 7-8. Every restaurant has vegetarian option and in Lucerne station there is a Vegetarian restaurant called Titbits. Its very expensive but has lot of varieties. McD and Burgerking has vegetarian burger which costs around CHF 7 and meals is around CHF 12. There are couple of Indian restaurants in Lucerne.
Tandoori: They serve limited varieties of Thali which consists of Rice, Dhal and 2 curries. Most of the Thali is priced at CHF 10 and it taste good. Note: They do not accept credit cards.
Bombay Masala: They have lot of dishes and spice level can be customized. It is quite expensive as well but also tastes good.
Note: Initially I thought I should have taken Half fare ticket since it costs less (CHF 120) and valid for 30 days and hence I could have saved CHF 30 on the 9th day to reach airport. Also I could have saved around CHF 90 since Half fare card provides 50% discount in Jungfrau train instead of 25% provided by swiss pass. Once I came back and did a rough math and found that I have in fact saved few franc and also with Swiss pass we can Hop In Hop out without buying ticket which saved lot of time and it was very convenient.
Flew Qatar Airways and reached Zurich airport by 1:30 PM. Immigration took 15-20 mins and we were asked basic questions. Once the luggage is collected and before you exit the airport there is a tourist information center where you can purchase the Swiss travel pass. 8 day Travel pass costed a whooping CHF 372 (per person). Once you exist the airport the railways station is just opposite where you can purchase the Swisscom SIM card for CHF 20 which will be loaded with credit of CHF 20 and the charge for unlimited data access is just CHF 2 per day.
We took train from Zurich to Bern and changed train to reach Interlaken OST. Since our apartment (booked through Airbnb) was in Wilderswil we had to take a local train from Interlaken OST to Wilderswil. We spent the evening settling in the apartment and taking few snaps near our apartment.
Day 2:
Initially a trip to First, Grindelwald was planned for day 2 but since the weather was good our Host recommended to visit Jungfrau. We bought our tickets to Jungfrau (CHF 135 for return ticket, with 25% discount on swiss travel pass) in Wilderswil station. The trip from Wilderswil to Lauterbrunnen and Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Scheidegg was covered by pass. This is approximately a two hour trip and the journey itself is memorable. You need at least 2 hours to spend in Jungfrau since there are 8-9 attractions and couple of restaurants. There is a Lindt chocolate shop and the price was also cheap when compared to other cities.
Day 3:
We started early in the day and reached First, Grindelwald. The trip was covered in pass but the cable car to the top costs CHF 60 per person (Return trip). We had bought the ticket in Wilderswil station and thus avoided standing in the queue. The cable car starts at 9 AM (or 10 AM?) and we were the first batch of people who went up and thus avoided crowd. The first walk was awesome experience and good photo op. The trip up in the cable car was very beautiful and while coming down we got down in between since there was a kids play area. We spent quite sometime watching mesmerising alps while our daughter was playing in the play area. After reaching Grindelwald we decided to go to Lauterbrunnen to trek to the beautiful falls in the valley. The path leading closer to the falls was closed but we still managed to take some photos near the beautiful meadows and the falls.
Day 4:
Took a train from Wilderswil to Interlaken OST and then reached Brienz. Too the cruize from Brienz to Giessbach. You can reach the falls either by trekking or taking funicular (CHF 5 per person one way). We took one way ticket and trekked back while returning which took around 15 mins. The waterfall is so beautiful and you can actually walk behind the falls. This is a must visit place if you are in Brienz. We again took a cruise to reach Interlaken. We planned to go to Harder Kulm but due to rain we couldn't. (50% discount with pass). We then headed to Lauterbrunnen from where we took cable car to Grutschalp and took another train to Murren, a beautiful village with wonderful view of the mountains.
Day 5:
Our stay in Bernese Oberland comes to an end. We checked out after breakfast and took a train to Lucerne (around 2 hours trip). Our hotel was in Meggen which is another 15 mins from Lucerne station. After checking in the hotel we took a cruise trip from Lucerne to Weggis to meet a friend and spent evening exploring Lucerne town.
Day 6:
It was a long day. Since Bernina Express starts from Chur at 8:25 AM we had to start from Meggen at 5:30 AM and hence we decided to take the northbound trip which starts from Luggano to Chur. We started from Meggen at 7:30 AM and reached Luggano and took 3 hour Bernina express bus from Luggano to Tirano, Italy. We reached by 1 PM and the Bernina express started at 2:35 PM. Had good Italian food at the restaurants near the station and boarded the train. The journey was spectacular and was almost 4 hours journey. We reached Chur by 6:30 PM and reached Meggen by 9:30 PM. Reservation for Bernina Express has to be done prior by paying reservation fee for both Bus and Train (~CHF 15 per person). While reserving the seats the person in the counter gave us Aisle seat and said window seats are not available even though there were window seats available in the train. Later the conductor was kind enough to ask us to move to a different coach where there were lot of window seats available.
Day 7:
Went on a day trip to Mt Pilatus. Took a train from Meggen to Alpnachstad and took cogwheel train to the Pilatus. On the way back took the cable car down to Fräkmüntegg and then gondola to Kriens. It's a 10 minute walk to the bus stop and took bus line 1 to the Lucerne rail station (15 mins).
Day 8:
We went on a day trip to Mt. Riggi. Took train from Lucerne to Arth Goldau and then to Rigi Kulm. The view from the top was really spectacular. Spent around 2 hours and returned back to Lucerne. Just like any other tourist did souvenir shopping in Casa Grande, Lucerne.
Day 9:
Our flight was at 10 AM so left Hotel by 5:50 AM and took train at 6:03 from Meggen and reached Airport by 7:40 AM.
Food:
Food is expensive in Switzerland just like everything else. Water costs CHF 3.5 - 4, Sandwich cost around CHF 7-8. Every restaurant has vegetarian option and in Lucerne station there is a Vegetarian restaurant called Titbits. Its very expensive but has lot of varieties. McD and Burgerking has vegetarian burger which costs around CHF 7 and meals is around CHF 12. There are couple of Indian restaurants in Lucerne.
Tandoori: They serve limited varieties of Thali which consists of Rice, Dhal and 2 curries. Most of the Thali is priced at CHF 10 and it taste good. Note: They do not accept credit cards.
Bombay Masala: They have lot of dishes and spice level can be customized. It is quite expensive as well but also tastes good.
Note: Initially I thought I should have taken Half fare ticket since it costs less (CHF 120) and valid for 30 days and hence I could have saved CHF 30 on the 9th day to reach airport. Also I could have saved around CHF 90 since Half fare card provides 50% discount in Jungfrau train instead of 25% provided by swiss pass. Once I came back and did a rough math and found that I have in fact saved few franc and also with Swiss pass we can Hop In Hop out without buying ticket which saved lot of time and it was very convenient.
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