Anonymous
Post 01/12/2025 15:48     Subject: Getting around in Europe
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It’s been a few years now, but when my family visited the Berner Oberland—we stayed in Lauterbrunnen, not Wengen—we parked our rental car and didn’t use it again until we moved on to France.

That area is well served by public transportation like trains and cog-wheeled trains and you can get around easily without a car.

You might look into a Rick Steves guidebook; he generally has excellent and detailed info on getting around via public transport.


I was in Murren last summer, just further up the valley from Lauterbrunnen. Switzerland has one of the most comprehensive if not the most comprehensive network of trains and buses in the world. They also have trains that feel like a hybrid of train-buses. Very easy to get around everywhere by train and once in a mountain town the trails are well marked. Make sure you get a Swiss travel pass as it also applies to the chairlifts and cable cars. To OP: make sure you research the travel pass versus the half fare travel card).

Planning another trup to the Berner Oberland this summer in conjunction with going down to Lake Como afterwards so am reading this thread with interest. Not planning a car at all.


If no car in Lake Como, but want to move around a bit, would recommend staying in probably Varenna as your best option, since it's accessible to the train which runs often to Milan, and also mid -lake so lot of the ferries go there Of course if just going to hang out at a hotel near the lake for a few days, there are lots of options that will be fine.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2025 15:35     Subject: Getting around in Europe
We just drive in Europe. It's easier.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2025 11:23     Subject: Getting around in Europe
Although you mention rural travel, investigate phone apps such as Transit or Citymapper. If the area you're traveling is covered, they display multiple public transit options in real time.

Citymapper will do crazy optimizations in large cities dense with transit options. (For example, because it's optimizing for time, it will sometimes recommend switching multiple transit lines or modes to arrive somewhere in 19 minutes vs 20 minutes by a more direct route. You can choose which to follow.)

Note that Citymapper will eat up your phone battery, so if you're actively running it for long periods of time, you should carry a power bank to recharge your phone.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2025 08:40     Subject: Getting around in Europe
Anonymous wrote:It’s been a few years now, but when my family visited the Berner Oberland—we stayed in Lauterbrunnen, not Wengen—we parked our rental car and didn’t use it again until we moved on to France.

That area is well served by public transportation like trains and cog-wheeled trains and you can get around easily without a car.

You might look into a Rick Steves guidebook; he generally has excellent and detailed info on getting around via public transport.


I was in Murren last summer, just further up the valley from Lauterbrunnen. Switzerland has one of the most comprehensive if not the most comprehensive network of trains and buses in the world. They also have trains that feel like a hybrid of train-buses. Very easy to get around everywhere by train and once in a mountain town the trails are well marked. Make sure you get a Swiss travel pass as it also applies to the chairlifts and cable cars. To OP: make sure you research the travel pass versus the half fare travel card).

Planning another trup to the Berner Oberland this summer in conjunction with going down to Lake Como afterwards so am reading this thread with interest. Not planning a car at all.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2025 07:47     Subject: Getting around in Europe
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I mean, if the train from Glasgow to Edinburgh confounded you, you sure you want to do this trip?

The short answer is: you will want a car for the more rural or mountainous areas. If you are in Lake Como and just on the lake in the towns, you probably don't need it there. Use the trains, buses and the ferries But if you want to go to the mountains nearby, you will want a car. But generally, driving in the packed cities will be difficult and frustrating.

To get between places, definitely train. Renting a car in one country and dropping off in another is punishingly expensive, usually.



We’re just gonna have to figure it out, no matter how stupid we look. I’m guessing we’ll get the hang of it.
The thing about driving is that the driver misses a lot of the scenery. My husband missed a lot of Scotland because he was concentrating on driving on the left side of the road w a manual transition.
Sometimes you can hire a driver/guide. Check out Rick Steve’s website, he suggests this all the time.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2025 07:44     Subject: Getting around in Europe
It’s been a few years now, but when my family visited the Berner Oberland—we stayed in Lauterbrunnen, not Wengen—we parked our rental car and didn’t use it again until we moved on to France.

That area is well served by public transportation like trains and cog-wheeled trains and you can get around easily without a car.

You might look into a Rick Steves guidebook; he generally has excellent and detailed info on getting around via public transport.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2025 07:23     Subject: Getting around in Europe
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My parents have done multiple Swiss trips without renting a car, staying in mountain towns and just taking transit. They go hiking and do activities, and it seems to work out, so I know it can be done. They are good planners, though.


This is encouraging thank you! We are experienced hikers and really looking forward to it!


Same, I visited Switzerland twice and don’t drive. But I have no problems walking 45 min if there isn’t a bus etc.
If you’re able to walk and have a good GPS and or are not shy to ask directions, it will be fine.
Are you visiting Montreux? It’s one of my favorite places.


Wasn't on the agenda but maybe it should be? I'll look into it.
We did the bus tour in Ireland - from Dublin to Galway and we didn't like it...


Ireland is an exception, they don't really have as much of a train system and taking the bus or driving is a must there.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2025 07:20     Subject: Getting around in Europe
OP- you can do this without a car! While most Europeans may have cars, most don't use them daily. The public transport is far better than here. And you can always uber if needed on a day or two instead of paying for a rental for everyday of a trip.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2025 06:57     Subject: Getting around in Europe
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My parents have done multiple Swiss trips without renting a car, staying in mountain towns and just taking transit. They go hiking and do activities, and it seems to work out, so I know it can be done. They are good planners, though.


This is encouraging thank you! We are experienced hikers and really looking forward to it!


Same, I visited Switzerland twice and don’t drive. But I have no problems walking 45 min if there isn’t a bus etc.
If you’re able to walk and have a good GPS and or are not shy to ask directions, it will be fine.
Are you visiting Montreux? It’s one of my favorite places.


Wasn't on the agenda but maybe it should be? I'll look into it.
We did the bus tour in Ireland - from Dublin to Galway and we didn't like it...
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2025 06:54     Subject: Re:Getting around in Europe
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

Pick hotels within walking distance of public transport


Ok this will take some research..


PP. Your issue may be that you want to be out in nature.

It's not hard in cities. You can even Google the train station and see what's around it.

Give us a sample city and I will try to demonstrate. If you are a hiker, you should have no issues.


Wengen