Visit a Swiss on your special day is like a cherry on the cake. It was my b'day on 21st September. Of course, we checked weather in June on different websites and booked flight tickets. It is must to check weather before visiting any country of Europe. As there is no such a specific rainy season, it could be any time in year. So as you are visiting to Alps mountain range, at the top of the mountain it could be cloudy and you cannot see the actual beauty of that territory.
We booked a round trip to Zurich from Schiphol airport, Amsterdam. I would suggest to land on Zurich airport and fly back from Bern Airport / Geneva Airport.
Well, couple of month ago prior to visit Swiss, we searched tourist attraction in Swiss for 3 days and Google बाबा कि जय हो!!! Then we knew about travel passes and lots of tourist attractions to roam within.
There are so many attractive passes, as Swiss travel pass, half fare card etc. We choose Swiss travel pass, which includes free travelling by bus, tram, rain and some boats across the country. Also free entry in 500+ museums and lots of free visit points and cable cars (As per new rule, only 50% discount on some points from Jan 2020 e.g. Schilthorn ).
To check about Swiss Travel pass please visit below link.
Overall Switzerland is too costly including travel pass, hoteling and meal, but trust me, its worth. As there is availability of rental car also, but still I would suggest to go with public transport, it’s easy, comfortable and safe, without hassle. You have to be more careful when rent a car as laws are strict laws like if you cross speed limit by 1 or 2 km/hr, you have to pay 200 CHF as a fine. Fine may not be calculated at the time of submitting vehicle but may get calculated later on and will be posted to your address which is mentioned on driving license/passport. Well To roam in European countries like Swiss which is natural beauty you have to walk around 15000 steps/day.
As we planned our trip on our own, we decided to go with Swiss travel pass. You know what, खुद trip plan करने का मजा हि कुछ और है!
We reached to Zurich around 10.15 am, then first of all started our sim. As we are living in the Amsterdam we used our Libara sim there, without any extra roaming charges for internet and calling (Even though international calling is free as per your plan in Netherland but it's not in Swiss). Other available options are Salt, A Switzerland Sim, etc. To get a Swiss SIM card, you need a valid ID (passport or identity card). You can buy one in regular shops, in electronics stores, at the main train station, at the airport, in operators' shops, small shops, at the post office. Credit to top up your card can be bought at the same places or online.
Day 1
Rhine Fall
We caught a train from Zurich to a Rhine fall. The Rhine Fall is the most powerful waterfall in Europe. The falls are located on the High Rhine on the border between the cantons of Schaffhausen and Zürich, between the municipalities of Neuhausen am Rheinfall and Laufen-Uhwiesen/Dachsen, next to the town of Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland. To stand high above Europe's largest waterfall, feeling the roar and vibration of the water over one's entire body - this can be experienced at the Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen.
There is a railway bridge over the fall and beside it the small track with which we can go towards another end of fall. i.e from Neuhausen am Rheinfall (SH) to Laufen -Uhwiesen/Dachsen (ZH),This round track is absolutely beautiful, we can see beauty of fall by every angle. This track was not available on Google Maps but you can enquire there. There are 4 boat rides Red boat, Blue boat, Yellow Boat, Pink at another end of Rhine fall i.e- Schaffhausen.
1.Red boat -
The fastest, most comfortable and most interesting ferry crossing between the two banks of the River Rhine (Wörth Castle and Laufen Castle).
Open: April – October
Adults CHF 5 / Children (6-16) CHF 3
Duration: Approx. 3 minutes
2.Pink Boat-
The captain takes you to exciting locations by and below the Rhine Falls. Find out lots of fascinating information about the Rhine Falls, their history and the surrounding area – all available in 18 different languages. So climb aboard, take a seat and put on your headset.
Open: June, July & August
Adults CHF 11 / Children (6-16) CHF 7
Duration: Approx. 30 minutes
3.Blue Boat-
Discover the entire Rhine Falls basin and experience the power of water as the boat takes you as close as possible to the mighty water masses.
Open: April – October
Adults: CHF 7 / Children (6-16): CHF 4
Duration: Approx. 15 minutes
4.Yellow Boat-
The trip to the Rhine Falls rock brings you up close to the Rhine Falls. The walk up to the top of the rock is an opportunity not to be missed. Surrounded by churning water, you are treated to a unique 360° panoramic view.
Open: April – October
Adults: CHF 20 / Children (6-16): CHF 10
Duration: Approx. 30 minutes (including the walk up the Rhine Falls rock)
With this ticket you can ride on red boat as well to go on another end of Rhine Fall.
We enjoyed Yellow Boat ride.
From Rhine fall we went to Luzern by train.
To more about Rhine Fall, please visit below link
https://rheinfall.ch/en/attractions/attractions/attractions.html
Mount Pilatus
From Luzern we came to Alpnachstad and caught a cogwheel train.Which is world's steepest cogwheel train. It takes 30 minutes to climb to the top of Pilatus with an average gradient of 48°.From Luzern to Alpnachstad you can come by Boat as well.
Wow! Such a beauty. Amazingly beautiful. Can't explain in words. You must take a seat in front side just near a train driver.
Two other peaks, closer to the stations are called Esel (Donkey, 2,118 m [6,949 ft]), which lies just east over the railway station, the one on the west side is called Oberhaupt (Head-Leader, 2,105 m [6,906 ft]).
Please visit below link for more info.
You can go other way round as well, it’s all depends on your itinerary. i.e. From Krein to Pilatus to Alpnachstad.So that we can take a train from Alpnachstad to Interlaken but it takes too much time and direct trains are not available to Interlaken from Alphanchstad, you have to go to next station and frequency is also less. So it’s better to go to Luzern and take an Intercity.
As we have to experience cogwheel journey to upward directions, and first cable car journey to downward, we travelled from Alpnachstad to Pilatus Kulm, From Pilatus Kulm to Krein by Cable car. Time taken to 45 mins to roam at Pilatus Kulm.
From Krein 10 min walking distance to train station. We came to Luzern by Bus No.1 and rambled in Luzern.
From Luzern we went for a first halt in Interlaken. Interlaken is a most beautiful city. Famous film director Yash Chopra is a brand ambassador of city Interlaken. After DDLJ movie, Switzerland/Interlaken became famous in Indian which results in increased Indian tourist in Interlaken.
In between we didn’t waste time for a lunch. We opted for take away from MacD or Burger King and preferred to have it on the way to save time. We preferred Dinner in Indian restaurant which is near to our hotel.
Day 2
JUNGFRAUJOCH (TOP OF EUROPE)
Early in the morning, we started a journey to Jungfraujoch. As we had a Swiss travel pass, no need to buy a ticket till Grindelwald. But Jungfraujoch train which started from Grindalwald to Kleine Scheidegg to jungfraugjoch have to buy a separate ticket. I would recommend for Seat Reservation which is from Kleine Scheidegg to jungfraugjoch.
On the Top of the Europe, awesome weather, beautiful nature, Ice glacier, amazing. There are lots of points to visit like Lindt chocolate factory, Swiss watches shops, Bollywood restaurant, and Ice palace. Ice palace is also too beautiful but have to walk carefully, as its slippery.
After some time on the way back, we came by another way from Junfraujoch to Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen and reached to Murren.
Please visit below link for more info
Schilthorn
From Murren we caught a cable car to Schilthorn. Cable car from Mürren to Schilthorn: 100% free in Swiss travel pass (50% discount from 2020)
There is a mid-station called Birg, where we have to change cable car to schilthorn Piz Gloria and has lots of attractive points to visit over there.
1.Birg - 2677 m,8783 Ft
Special attraction of this point is Skyline walk and Thrill walk.
The Thrill Walk: you'll be able to explore places only mountaineers can go if it wasn't for this steel path pinned to the vertical rocks;
A viewing terrace that partly hangs over a precipice (the Skyline Walk). Very exciting!
Must do that. Nice experience it is and memorable too.
2.Piz Gloria.- Top of Schilthorn
In 1969, the Schilthorn featured in the James Bond movie 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'. It was the hideout of Bond's enemy Blofeld, and the place was called Piz Gloria for that occasion. Today, that's still a name being used for the Schilthorn. There is an interactive exhibition 'Bond World 007' at the Schilthorn, showing movie scenes and information about how the film was shot.
To know more about schilthorn, please visit below link
We return by another way by cable car to Interlaken. That night we explored Interlaken city. The city situated between two lakes hence named Interlaken.
Day 3
Geneva Lake- Mountreux
Early in the Morning we caught a Golden pass train, which is free in Swiss travel pass, I would recommend ticket reservation for this train, though we have to pay extra charges for reservation. Reservation is only applicable from route zweisimmen to Montreux.
The Golden Pass Line is a tourist-orientated train route in the Swiss Alps with its base in Montreux.
Along the way to Montreux you'll see the Brünig Pass, the lakes of the Bernese Oberland, the Simmen valley, upper class Gstaad and Lake Geneva.
You can see or visit to DDLJ shooting point location, As Gstaad ( Early Back ), Saanen Chuch (where Kajol prays), Saanen Airstrip, Iconic PALAT bridge, , Zweisimmen where she missed train while spending a time to buy cowbell in Kiosk.
To know more about Golden pass line, please visit below link
By this Golden pass, we reached to Mountroux .Mountraux lies on Geneva Lake. Water activities and the option to just relax and enjoy the view. With clear waters right off the shore and the scenic snow-capped Alps across the way, it really does not get much better than this.
Bern
After an hour or two we went to Bern.
Bern, the capital city of Switzerland, is built around a crook in the Aare River. This city was totally different from other cities which we visited in Swiss.
Attractions in Bern are The Zytglogge (Clock Tower), the Parliament Building and the Bear Park, Swiss National Bank, Einstein House. These all places on same way so does not need much time to visit.
From Bern we went to Zurich and started our return Journey from Zurich to Amsterdam by 10 pm.
We ended our 3 days small trip here. Though we had a less day to visit, but we planned accordingly and successfully done our own planned trip. There are too many places to visit in Swiss.
Some key points that we must have to remember and follow during the trip.
1.Check weather forecast before visit any places in Europe especially in Swiss as there's no point in going up if any mountain or place like Jungfraujoch is covered with clouds.
2.Keep some food with you that you can save your time and money as well
3.Try to start your day as early as possible so that you can spend more time on destination
4.Must follow the time as train, bus and any other transport vehicles are on time
5.Dress in multiple thinner layers so that you can adapt to the different temperatures throughout the day. Take along gloves, sun glasses and perhaps a winter sports hat. Solid shoes are recommended if you plan to leave to observation platform. There isn't much easy hiking at the top
6.Keep safe your belongings as a passport, wallet and any other imp thing with you, as Swiss is a safe country but just take care about these things
7.Always choose hotel near train station and which includes breakfast as well ( Interlaken is a best city to stay as there are lots of Indian retardants just near hotels and train stations )
Being A Doctor I would like to suggest some instruction on medical point of view
1.Stay Hydrated. Drink more water and try to avoid alcohol
2.Eat carbohydrates e.g. Plenty of healthy snacks, including lots of whole grains
3.Climb Slowly, Don’t try to go too fast or engage in exercise that’s too strenuous
Take medicine if needed as per symptoms e.g- headache, nausea, dizziness, throwing up, feeling tired, shortness of breath, faster heart rate and not feeling well overall
4.If you develop mild altitude sickness, you should stop climbing any higher and return to a lower elevation level. These symptoms go away on their own when you move to a lower altitude, and as long as they’re gone you can start the trip again after a rest.
5.Severe symptoms include:
a.More intense versions of the mild symptoms
b.feeling out of breath, even when you’re resting
c.coughing that won’t stop
d.tightness in the chest
e.congestion in the chest
f.trouble walking, seeing double, confusion
g.skin color changing to gray, blue, or paler than normal
6.Try to reach lower altitude as soon as possible and seek medical attention
Happy Journey Friends….