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Switzerland advice

  • 23 April 2023
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Spending 4 days in Switzerland and looking to base ourselves in Lucerne to do as many scenic train trips  as possible.  Coming from Strasbourg/Colmar initially and leaving from Buchs SG - any tips and guides would be appreciated - especially thinking of multi point routes so we can return to base each day if possible.

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Best answer by thibcabe 23 April 2023, 13:32

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From Lucerne :

DAY TRIP 1

- Lucerne - Locarno IR26 via Airolo (Old Gotthard Railway)

- spend a few hours in Locarno

- back via the Gotthard Base Tunnel (1h faster)

DAY TRIP 2

- Lucerne - Vitznau boat 50% discount

- Vitznau - Rigi Kulm cogwheel railway 50%

- Rigi Kulm - Arth-Goldau cogwheel train 50%

- Arth-Goldau - Lucerne train (scenic S3 and IR Voralpen-Express or IR26/IC21 bit less scenic)

DAY TRIP 3

- Lucerne - Brienz direct train

- Brienz - Interlaken boat (pass valid)

- Interlaken - Thun boat + Thun - Bern train OR Interlaken - Bern direct train

- spend a few hours in Bern

- Bern - Lucerne RE train (much more scenic than IR15)

DAY TRIP 4

- Lucerne - Pfäffikon SZ

- Pfäffikon SZ - Sargans

- Sargans - Buchs SG

If you need to be there for the night train in the evening, either first a short hop in Liechtenstein (12 CHF bus day card) OR

- Lucerne - St. Gallen IR Voralpen-Express (very comfy train)

- spend a few hours in St. Gallen

- St. Gallen - Gais

- Gais - Altstätten Stadt very quaint little train

- Altstätten Stadt - Altstätten SG walk or short bus ride

- Altstätten SG - Buchs SG rail replacement bus (pass valid)

Use SBB for all connections and remember that trains run at least hourly :)

Do not hesitate for questions !

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thank you - checking out Lucerne hotels they seem really expensive - any tips on a place close to there by rail but a bit more reasonable? 

Userlevel 7
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What is expensive for you ?

Olten has great train connections and prices seem a bit lower... otherwise Rotkreuz ? Zug ?

Check hostels too but they seem mostly full for June

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thank you i’ll investigate those - looking around 240 euro a night for a hotel

Please advise the best route for Scenic regional train from Zermatt to st. Moritz in November 2023 since the glacier express is not operating then

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Please advise the best route for Scenic regional train from Zermatt to st. Moritz in November 2023 since the glacier express is not operating then

Just follow the route of the Glacier Express. You can do it each hour with regional trains: Zermatt - Visp - Andermatt - Disentis/Mustér - Reichenau-Tamins - St Moritz. Check timetables on sbb.ch; add via Andermatt to get the correct route. No reservations.

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