Category: Switzerland

Bernina Express-Swiss Alps by Train

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Bernina Express, Switzerland, train travel, Travel, travel tips, travelling, Uncategorized, vacation, Zurich2 Comments

When we decided to splurge and go to the Bruce Springsteen concert in Zurich, I knew I wanted to schedule time to check out the rest of Switzerland while we were there, one of the countries I had always wanted to go to. Growing up in flat Indiana, mountains have always fascinated me. After spending a fantastic evening with Bruce in Zurich in June, we set out on the train for a quick one-hour ride to Chur, Switzerland to spend the night and then pick up the Bernina Express the next day. We were off to cross the Alps!

Setting off in the early afternoon from Chur, we were fortunate to have a clear day for our journey. The highest railway across the Alps, the train climbs higher and higher with spectacular views on both sides. There are large panoramic windows for unobstructed viewing and picture taking. In our car, people were jumping up and running from side to side to take pictures and everyone was very friendly. We met lovely folks from Australia and Canada. I always enjoy hearing about other people’s travels all over the world! Every time I thought I couldn’t possibly take another picture, there was something else so impressive I had to whip out my phone. Along the way, the train goes through 55 tunnels, over 196 bridges and takes inclines of up to 70 per mile with ease. I’ll let my pictures take you on this journey so you can also experience the beauty of the Alps.

Not surprisingly, this amazing railway line has UNESCO World Heritage status so it will be preserved and cherished. As we passed by the many glaciers, one does wonder what impact climate change will have on this area of the world. It is a continuous journey, but passengers were able to hop off the train for all of two minutes to take pictures at one stunning stop where there was a restaurant. Our first-class tickets were $250 USD each and well worth it. Of course, when I booked our tickets online, I thought I was getting a real deal because they were only $26 euros each. Turns out, in the fine print was a vaguely worded statement that this charge was for “reserving” the seats and that I should have then gone on to pay (somewhere?) an additional $110 euros for the actual train tickets. Luckily, they didn’t throw us off the train on a mountainside and we were able to straighten this out on the train with the attendant who swung through to scan everyone’s tickets and she just took our credit card there and charged us. Next time, I will make sure to dig deeper and read all the details. No other train travel had a separate charge to reserve seats so live and learn!

We had waiter service to order snacks and beverages. They also passed out lovely souvenir Bernina Express chocolate tins. My grandkids will love them! I would recommend going online and securing your tickets as soon as you know your travel dates. Our train was sold out. In talking to fellow travelers, they had all dreamed of this trip and had planned their vacations around taking it.

Eventually, the train came down from the Alps and ended in Tirano, Italy. There we picked up another train immediately to take us to Milan where we would be flying home the following day. This train segment was very scenic as it wound around the many lakes in Northern Italy. What an adventure! I really feel like I saw the best of Switzerland after our stays in Basel, Zurich, Chur and our final scenic Alps trip on the Bernina Express. Enjoy the journey!

Three Days in Zurich

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, swiss, Switzerland, Travel, Uncategorized, ZurichLeave a comment

Swans everywhere! That was my first impression as we walked the Zurich waterfront in June. With sunny weather, everyone was enjoying the cafes and strolling the clean Zurich streets. We were primarily in Zurich to see a Bruce Springsteen concert but wanted to soak up as much Zurich as possible in our three-night stay. We walked the waterfront, explored the old town curvy cobblestone streets and thoroughly enjoyed beautiful Zurich!

First on our list after taking the train from Basel to Zurich, was to check into our hotel and find Lake Zurich by walking along the Linth River. The Swiss public transportation system is topnotch. It didn’t take us long to find the tram stop by our hotel which was fairly far out of the central district but very close to the stadium where the concert would be held. Just tap to pay at any tram stop for a 24-hour pass (9 francs) and off you go! It was about 20-minute ride to the waterfront. We checked out the gorgeous views of the water and the alps peeking through the haze. Then it was off to walk Old Town. The cobblestone streets winded up and down with beautiful architecture everywhere you look. It was a Sunday, so all the shops and most of the cafes were closed and thus we window shopped.

Back at the hotel, there was an outdoor food truck park with bars, entertainment and every kind of food you could think of to choose from. Set in the middle of an industrial park area, it was surprising to see how many people had gathered to enjoy this colorful installation. I love finding hidden gems like this as we wander a new place.

While we spent most of our first full day hunting for luggage to buy after my carry-on busted a wheel (heavy use!), we also checked out the stadium, which we could walk to and enjoyed seeing the local neighborhoods. I will warn travelers to Zurich to bring along a large expense budget because the prices are very high. I would estimate that prices are at least 30% higher here than in most major cities in the US for food and clothes, luggage, etc. We finally found some affordable luggage at a Coop City which is a like a super Walmart that carries food and other items.

During our stroll around Zurich, we ended up on THE shopping street Bahnhofstrasse where all the designer shops are located as well as the mass merchants like Zara. Even if you budget doesn’t allow for shopping, the window displays are well done and it’s quite the place to be. Off the beaten track later, I stumbled upon the cutest linen shop where the lady showed me all her handmade items, and I bought a beautiful pillow cover for my collection. She was so proud of her work, and I felt wonderful buying one of her items to take home.

On the day of the concert, we took a long walk along the lakefront and stumbled upon not only beautiful lake views but a Chinese garden. Free to enter, the structures, ponds and landscape reminded us of our time living in China and was a beautiful way to enjoy the sunny day.

I give props to Switzerland for having not only fantastic public transportation (plentiful, cheap, clean) but also their well-maintained public parks and facilities. The landscaping is immaculate for everyone to enjoy being outside. The WC (water closets aka bathrooms) are spotless and placed around town. Keep $1 euro coins handy to enter and use the facilities.

Zurich is a major hub for train travel across Europe so if you find yourself going through this city in your travels, I would encourage you to take time to walk the water and enjoy the journey!

Lucerne and Mt. Pilatus

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Basel, Lake Lucerne, Lucerne, swiss, Switzerland, Travel, travel tips, travelling, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Basel was the perfect home base to explore Switzerland! We stayed in Basel for a week, so one day we decided we need to get up close and personal with the mountains. The biggest mountain nearby was in Lucerne. So off to Mt. Pilatus we went! We didn’t plan too far in advance because we wanted to check the weather to ensure that we would probably have clear views from the mountain, and it wouldn’t be socked in with clouds or rain. We left in the late morning and spent about two hours on top of the mountain and then came down to enjoy a walk around Lucerne and a lake cruise. The perfect day blending water and mountains in Switzerland!

First stop was the lovely information store in Basel’s Old Town. There, you can pick up all kinds of printed information on Switzerland attractions, buy cool souvenirs like a WickelFisch bag to float the river, postcards (and stamps), Swiss rubber duck (for our duck collection for the grandkids) and more. They will also help you plan your side trips and sell you the appropriate tickets. We got our gondola tickets so that once we got there, we would not be delayed or disappointed by long lines or sold-out tickets. The tickets for the gondolas and the bus were about $78 francs each. You can also take a longer route around Mt. Pilatus that includes the cog railway train and a boat segment on the lake to get to one side and then you take the gondolas back down. This journey would cost more and take the whole day. For more information on your options go here: PILATUS – Mountain adventures near the city | | Pilatus Bahnen Lucerne Switzerland

GETTING THERE

We took the tram by our hotel to get to the Basel train station to jump on a one-hour train ride to Lucerne. From there, we took the #1 bus for a short ride to the neighborhood where the gondola started. After walking uphill to the gondola, we quickly scanned our tickets and walked right on to a small (max 4 person) gondola. As we glided up the mountain, we passed by a Swiss chalet with roaming cows underneath us. With the windows on the gondola open, we could not only hear the cow bells but smell the cows. A truly immersive Swiss experience! We stayed on at the first stop along the way because our end goal was to go right to the top. You are required to get off at the second stop, however, because you change gondolas from the small one to a larger one that holds up to 50 people, where most of this trip is standing with very few seats available.

Many people got off the gondolas at the second stop because this is where there is a large playground, zipline, adventure park with climbing obstacles and the luge attraction. We had considered doing the luge but chose instead to spend our time exploring the mountain top. Another time!

ONCE YOU ARE AT THE TOP OF MT. PILATUS

Reaching the top, you enter a large visitor center with facilities, snacks, shops and information booths. We walked out and grabbed some deck chairs to soak up the views and the sun. We watched one courageous visitor lay out his equipment right below the observation deck we were on and take off hang gliding over the mountains. Up, up and away he soared which would seem terrifying, but he looked like he was having fun. Hope he made it down okay!

Speaking of adventures, another tourist had hauled up a huge alphorn and was entertaining the other tourists. He stopped my husband to take his picture playing on the narrow trail with views of the alps. I wonder if he was fulfilling a lifelong dream of playing his alphorn there. It reminded of when we were in Venice and a tourist taking a gondola was playing his sax as they toured the canals. Treasured memories of people living their best lives is one of the most awesome parts of travelling!

We took the “dragon trail” walk that starts from the visitor’s center. If you have children, make sure you share the story of the dragons with them before the visit-more info here: https://www.pilatus.ch/en/discover/dragon-trail/ Even if you don’t have children, this is an enjoyable walk in the tunnel with different views of the mountain through large holes in the mountain (the better for the dragons to enter into their lairs).

STAYING ON TOP OF MT. PILATUS

We were surprised to see that there is a hotel on the top of the mountain:  Pilatus Kulm Hotels – The overnight experience at 2132 m. above sea level | | Pilatus Bahnen Lucerne Switzerland Built in 1890 and completely renovated in 2010, it would be a dream to stay here on a clear night and see all the stars. Next trip! There is also a nice restaurant/bar with a patio so those who want to have a leisurely lunch with more variety than the food huts that are primarily sausage/hot dog sandwiches.

LUCERNE

After coming down the gondola, we hopped back on the local bus to take us to downtown Lucerne. The bus/train station is right in the heart of downtown and the lake. We checked out the historic wooden Chapel Bridge first, walking across to admire the interior art. Then we wandered the cobblestone streets to check out the architecture. Drawn to the water, Thom nixed the paddle boats so we took a leisurely one-hour lake cruise where we could sit inside the boat and not in the hot sun. To see Lake Lucerne, a boat ride is a must-it was very reasonably priced at $20 Francs a piece and there were refreshments to purchase on board. With commentary as we cruised, we saw several castles towering over the lake and heard some history. All very informative and making for a lovely day outing. Enjoy the journey!

Basel, Switzerland

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Basel, Europe, Switzerland, Travel, travel hacks, travel tips, travelling, Uncategorized, vacationLeave a comment

While I thought perhaps five nights in Basel might be too many, we ended up so busy every day exploring this beautiful Swiss city that we were exhausted! Averaging 20,000 steps/7 miles a day, we are already talking about what we will have to do when we come back to visit. I recommend using this site Basel City [Switzerland] | Sightseeing, Events 2023 | basel.com  as your one-stop shop for researching what you want to do. Basel has a great tourist information center in Old Town where you can buy everything from postcards/stamps to a Wickelfisch bag (more on that later). You can get information on river cruises (buy on the boat) and literature on other Swiss cities. We even found a Swiss rubber duckie to add to our extensive collection for the grandkids. All in all, Basel is the perfect European city to explore and enjoy!

When we checked into our hotel, they gave us the Basel Card which gives tourist 50% off river cruises, museums (there are LOTS of those!), and free use of their excellent public transportation system. No need for taxis here in Basel. Use the trams and buses to get around if you don’t feel like walking.

First up, we walked to the Three Countries Corner where France, Germany and Switzerland meet! We thought we might want to ride electric bikes ($20 with Basel Card) but you have to pick them up at the train station and we didn’t feel comfortable biking through the city to get to the trail we wanted to take. I’m more of a walker not a biker. So, on our inaugural walk by the Rhine River, we saw a sign on the river trail that said it was only 30 minutes to walk there so off we went the next morning.

Following the river, we were almost all alone on the trail save a few bikers and other walkers. At one point, we had to cross the railroad tracks and started venturing into a more industrial area. I was wondering about this route but then we happened upon a vast entertainment complex which made it all worthwhile. After we got home, I looked this place up online and discovered that it is called Holzpark Klybeck and is described on their website as a “Space for something different. Since 2014, a new, temporary cultural home for creative ideas, urban wilderness and dancing freedom has been created”. Well, it obviously is very popular as it ended up not being very temporary because here it is 2023 and this complex is huge.

We had heard that Basel had great street art but, as we walked through Old Town and our neighborhood by the Marriott where we were staying, we hadn’t seen anything. Well, without knowing it, the path we were taking was where all the street art was located. The complex was a combination of huts, campers, wood structures and stages and all decorated with street art. While we were there in the morning so it was deserted, I can only imagine how it lights up during summer nights. We already had other plans this trip but next time we visit Basel, we’ll have to check it out at night.

Pushing on, we found the monument where the three countries come together. Seeking out a place to hydrate, we found the Sandoase Beach Bar complete with tiki bars, sand, palm trees and, most importantly, bathrooms! After resting up, we walked away from the river and found the tram line. With our Basel Card (you get when staying at a local hotel) we can use public transportation for free. The electric trams go everywhere and are super clean. Switzerland definitely gets an A+ for their dedication to provide their citizens with ways to go car-free. In fact, many sections of Basel are designated as car free so it’s just buses, trams and bikes moving people.

Rhine River Floating

We visited Basel in June and the weather was hot and sunny. One of the first things we noticed when we were out walking around were the crowds lining the Rhine River. We found out that the locals put their clothes in a Wickelfisch bag (a swim bag in the shape of a fish which was invented in Basel) and they use it on their bags or holding to their chest to assist with floating down the cold river (about 68 degrees right now).  Swimming in the Rhine | basel.com What fun! We bought our Wickelfisch bags, decided where to jump in and where to get out and off we went. One of my most favorite memories of our time in Switzerland!

Along the river walk are food and drink trailers with seating to gather and watch the swimmers and boats on the river. There are several ferries running in different areas of the river using a tow line to go back and forth to move people from one side of the Rhine to the other. When in Basel, take a ride across the river. Enjoy the journey!

Switzerland first impressions from walking around Basel:

✅beautiful scenery and friendly people

✅English widely spoken but German is the official language, and the cuisine is German (sausages, beer and pretzels are plentiful!)

✅ excellent public transportation-electric trams and buses. Bikes galore. “No car” zones in city center.

✅recycling taken seriously-no plastic, all glass; bring own bag to stores

✅clean streets and sidewalks

✅clean water, abundant public fountains

✅ pharmacists-consults with you to diagnose on spot and provide cheap meds to treat

✅fitness culture-bike, swim, walk

❌smoking seems popular. Do they not know the health hazards here?

❌expensive compared to some other European countries but Switzerland is expensive in general.

Swiss Train Travel

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Europe, Switzerland, train travel, Travel, travel apps, travel hacks, travel tips, travelling, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Enjoy beautiful views of scenic lakes and mountains in Switzerland while sipping your coffee and relaxing in your comfy seat on Swiss Railways aka SBB. Sound perfect? Train travel is THE way to explore Switzerland. On our trip that we took in June, we completed several trips on SBB so let me share our train adventures!

We travelled first from Milan, Italy to Basel, Switzerland on a four-hour journey. We decided to splurge on first class seats because of the length of the journey. First class will get you larger seats and less crowded cars. The result is a cleaner bathroom used by less travelers, which is important to me. They don’t have waiter beverage service in first class (which would have been nice!), but you can go to the restaurant car that everyone can access and get a variety of snacks and beverages including alcohol. We enjoyed the journey even with a slight delay due to a train blocking our quickest route to Basel, so we had to detour through Germany to get to Switzerland.

On a day trip from Basel to Lucerne, which is under two hours, we got second class seats and it was just fine for this shorter trip. You can purchase your tickets easily online on their SBB app on your mobile device. Not sure when you want to travel? No problem. You can buy a ticket that can be used any time for the point-to-point journey that you book. We looked at the schedule and noticed that trains to Lucerne were running every 15 minutes. Some trains take longer because they are “locals” which make more stops vs. a direct route, so make sure you know which type of train you are taking. We didn’t buy our return tickets until we were done sightseeing in Lucerne and then just jumped on the app, purchased them and got onboard at the station. Love this way of travelling!

To get to Zurich from Basel, we took a quick and scenic one-hour train ride. Why drive when you can jump on the train, grab a beverage and sit back and relax and enjoy the view? The cost of renting a car is also much more expensive than train travel. After our stay in Zurich to see the Bruce Springsteen concert (awesome!), it was back on the train to Chur in order to start our Bernina Express journey through the Alps-a special experience that I will cover in a separate blog post.

When we are travelling with luggage, we generally will find the taxi line and use taxis to get to our hotel vs. taking public transportation just so we don’t have to haul the bags. Public transportation is clean, cheap and plentiful in Europe. For our days trips and once we get the lay of the land, we will use public transportation, which is even free in some places. In Basel, the hotels give tourists a “Basel Card” which enables free public transportation and discounts on museums, cruises, etc. Be sure to find out if the hotel where you are going can assist you with this type of discount card.

When you purchase your train ticket at The SBB online portal for trains and public transport | SBB , you will get a QR code which you will show to the train agent on the train after your journey has started. No need to have printed tickets if you have the QR code on your phone. I usually take a screenshot of it so I can access it quickly.  They come through with their scanners and eventually get to everyone before the train ride is over. If you are not a Swiss citizen, you may be asked for your passport for them to review.

Sound like fun? Train travel is inexpensive and easy to use in order to enjoy experiences all over Switzerland. All aboard! Enjoy the journey.