Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was in the region last summer. Both Bern and Lucerne are small cities and can be easily visited as half day trips plus lunch to cover all the main sights. Both are pretty places. But I wouldn't use them as bases when you have the spectacular Berner Oberland nearby.

If you are open to some hiking, I'd suggest staying in a place like Murren or splitting your time between Murren and another town on the other side of the valley. Lots of hotels and cottages. Do lovely walks up to a mountain hut for lunch and back down. The Piz Gloria is a fantastic mountain peak and much cheaper than doing the famous Jungjaufrau train. There's gorgeous waterfalls in the valley floor.

Regarding Swiss trains, yes, incredibly linked and organized but also very expensive. Since I was doing mostly walking, I got the half fare card and used it for trains and lifts and funiculars every now and then. If relying more on trains within the Berner Oberland there is a separate all inclusive pass that is worth checking out.

If I were planning a trip I might do one night in Bern after landing in Switzerland (assuming landing at Zurich, train to Bern), next afternoon proceed to Murren for four nights, then Murren to Lucerne for 1-2 nights including swimming in the lake, then end of trip.

I loved the Berner Oberland so much that I'm going back this August to do more walks and we're staying in Murren again for a few nights.

Is Murren more easily accessible to everthing compared to Grindelwald? I was reading something about where the daylight hits in the Lauterbrunnen Valley and why some areas may be better than others to stay at but now don't remember wat I read.

And where in Murren did you stay at?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, these two locations are very close (less than 90 minutes apart). Switzerland is small and very well served by its transportation network (trains, buses, boats, funiculars, etc). You could easily choose one base in the Berner Oberland and do all your day trips from there. We chose Meiringen (smaller, cheaper, but very good amenities and transportation connections) and did Lucerne, Bern, Grindelwald, Murren, Gimmelwald, Brienz, from there. So if you'd like to settle in, it's quite possible.

Np. Were you able to do all these as day trips? Where did you stay?

I saw pictures of Lauterbrunnen and Gimmelwald and it looks so amazing

Anonymous wrote:I was in the region last summer. Both Bern and Lucerne are small cities and can be easily visited as half day trips plus lunch to cover all the main sights. Both are pretty places. But I wouldn't use them as bases when you have the spectacular Berner Oberland nearby.

If you are open to some hiking, I'd suggest staying in a place like Murren or splitting your time between Murren and another town on the other side of the valley. Lots of hotels and cottages. Do lovely walks up to a mountain hut for lunch and back down. The Piz Gloria is a fantastic mountain peak and much cheaper than doing the famous Jungjaufrau train. There's gorgeous waterfalls in the valley floor.

Regarding Swiss trains, yes, incredibly linked and organized but also very expensive. Since I was doing mostly walking, I got the half fare card and used it for trains and lifts and funiculars every now and then. If relying more on trains within the Berner Oberland there is a separate all inclusive pass that is worth checking out.

If I were planning a trip I might do one night in Bern after landing in Switzerland (assuming landing at Zurich, train to Bern), next afternoon proceed to Murren for four nights, then Murren to Lucerne for 1-2 nights including swimming in the lake, then end of trip.

I loved the Berner Oberland so much that I'm going back this August to do more walks and we're staying in Murren again for a few nights.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Mt Pilatus is the big one from Lucerne.

We were just there and went up Mt Pilatus, and it was completely clouded in. So that was a waste of $300, the cost of 4 tickets to go up to the top.

That said, if it had been a nice day, it would have been wonderful. There are also hiking trails on the mountain plus an alpine slide and zip lining, so lots to do.

We loved Lucerne.

Anonymous wrote:I think Mt Pilatus is the big one from Lucerne.

Anonymous wrote:OP, these two locations are very close (less than 90 minutes apart). Switzerland is small and very well served by its transportation network (trains, buses, boats, funiculars, etc). You could easily choose one base in the Berner Oberland and do all your day trips from there. We chose Meiringen (smaller, cheaper, but very good amenities and transportation connections) and did Lucerne, Bern, Grindelwald, Murren, Gimmelwald, Brienz, from there. So if you'd like to settle in, it's quite possible.