How to Visit Swiss Alps
Are you an active person who has been looking for the best vacation spot in Europe? Are you looking for a family vacation spot for your European vacation, also offering hiking and skiing? Look no further. Visit the Swiss Alps...
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Things You'll Need
- internet connection
- credit card
- swiss train pass
- hiking boots or shoes
- backpack
- hiking coat
- sweater, gloves, hat, scarf
Instructions
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First, you will take a flight to Zurich or Geneva, two major airports in Switzerland that are close to the Swiss Alps.
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Next, you need to get to Interlaken, Switzerland from Geneva or Zurich. It is recommended to go by train. Buy a Swiss Pass from Rail Europe for this purpose (which will also save money when you book the train ticket to the Swiss Alps mountain top later.)
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Once you arrive in Interlaken, you will need a place to stay. One of the best hotels is the Hotel Du Lac, with website listed in the resources. This Interlaken hotel is right across from the train station Interlaken.
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Decide what you want to do in the Swiss Alps. Will you go hiking Swiss Alps, or Swiss Alps skiing? Or, do you just want to visit the Mountain peaks such as Jungfraujoch or Schilthorn and Piz Gloria, to take some incredible Swiss Alps pictures?
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Be prepared for visiting the Swiss Alps ahead of time. Have the supplies you need and dress warm for the vacation, especially during a winter vacation. Bring a camera to take a swiss alps picture and water to rehydrate yourself at the higher elevations. Get enough sleep the night before visiting the swiss alps.
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Get a train schedule for the jungfrau region, a schedule for wherever you plan to visit, such as Jungfraujoch or the Schilthorn, and a Swiss Alps map. With this information, plan your trip to the Swiss Alps location you will visit.
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If you are visiting Jungfraujoch Swiss Alps, you will take a train from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen. Then, you purchase your Jungfrau ticket, and ride a Jungfrau train to Jungfraujoch.
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If you are visiting Schilthorn and Piz Gloria, once you reach Lauterbrunnen, you take a bus to the cable cars that transport you to Schilthorn. Purchase the Schilthorn ticket when you get off the bus at the cable car station in Stechelburg.
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Have fun in the Swiss Alps! The Jungfrau region is unforgettably beautiful and full of adventure!
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Tips & Warnings
Your hiking boots or shoes should be waterproof, with gortex. This will keep your feet warm, dry and able to breathe.
When you visit Swiss Alps, the best idea is to layer your clothes. It is colder on the mountain top than in Interlaken or the valley below, so you will need to put on more clothes as you get to the Swiss Mountain Peaks.
When visiting the Swiss Alps, a packing tip is to pack your load light. You will be carrying everything around all day. If you are hiking, pack just what you need in your backpack.
If you buy a Swiss Pass from Rail Europe for your train travel in Switzerland, the Swiss Pass will save you 50% off your ticket to Jungfraujoch or Schilthorn.
Many days, there is a cloud cover that prevents you from being able to see the valleys and lakes below from the Swiss Alps. So, give yourself a flexible schedule, and don't book your ticket to Jungfraujoch or Schilthorn until the day you will visit. Then, you can check the weather.
Sometimes there will be no cloud cover in the morning, but it arrives by the time you get to the Swiss Alps mountain peaks.
In the higher elevations of the Swiss Alps, there is less oxygen. It is recommended to get enough sleep, drink enough water, and eat enough food so that you don't get sick while you are there or when you return to Interlaken.
Make sure to give yourself enough time for the roundtrip. If you leave at 10 am, and it takes almost three hours to reach Jungfraujoch Swiss Alp peak, will you have enough time to explore the area and then return on the last train back to Lauterbrunnen and then Interlaken, for instance?
Resources
- Photo Credit Photo Credit: Christi Bowers, 2006
