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Help! Car or train for 1 week Bern - Annecy tour?

Help! Car or train for 1 week Bern - Annecy tour?

Old Jun 21st, 2022, 02:15 PM
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Help! Car or train for 1 week Bern - Annecy tour?

I will be visiting Gruyeres, Bern, Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, and Grindelwald, in July.
Since car rental in Geneva is too expensive for 1 week ($ 750) I thought of going from Geneva Airport to Annecy to rent a car there ($300) and then drive to Switzerland before returning to Annecy and from there to Lyon, from where I am flying back home.

I know NOTHING about driving in Switzerland regarding tolls, routes in the region that appear as private in google maps, and others that seem for carpool only depending on date/time (and I'm going alone).

I always prefer the liberty an flexibility of driving, but is there a better option? Train/bus passes?

Any information will be greatly appreciated since I have never been there. Thanks in advance!
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Old Jun 21st, 2022, 05:15 PM
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If traveling alone, I'd rather go by train.

You list 5 destinations in 7 days. Were there other stops or detours you hoped to make?? It's probably too late to ask, but could you fly into Zurich and out of Lyon? It would eliminate backtracking...
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Old Jun 21st, 2022, 05:26 PM
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People have their preferences & I doubt someone who prefers trains when possible (me) can convince someone who likes to drive to take a train. You mention the freedom & flexibility of driving but I feel quite the opposite, that I enjoy the freedom of not worrying about things like where to put the car when I stop, fiddling with gas & what about my luggage in the trunk, the possibility & subsequent bother of damage, etc. So freedom to me is the freedom of not worrying about a car. There are some situations, for instance no trains where I want to go when I will drive but seldom. Most of all I love to relax & have someone else do the driving.
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Old Jun 21st, 2022, 05:33 PM
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Thank you both for your response. I usually drive when I travel, in places where driving tends to be easy (somple places in the US for example).

This time I have a ticket to Geneva and flying back from Lyon. In between I planned to visit Bern, Gruyeres, Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen, before heading to Annecy where I thought of renting the car because of cheaper rental rates.

But I've never been to that region of Switzerland, so I don't know if driving there is easy or dangerous. I also noticed in google maps that close to Geneva there are dates/times in which only car pools are allowed in certain routes.

I will appreciate any information about driving in that region, and will also check train passes to see if maybe it makes things easier this time. Thank you for your advice!
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Old Jun 21st, 2022, 08:55 PM
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I know NOTHING about driving in Switzerland

If you decide to do this you need to study up!! For one thing they drive FAST on the autobahn. But there are hidden speed cameras -haha. Let alone within the cities, challenging in a different way. I have a friend who lives there and she kindly drive us around (Geneva, Gruyeres, Vevey, Montreux, Lausanne) when I visited. No way would I want to be behind the wheel, especially solo. Do you speak French? I am confused about you trying to rent the car in France, after you've already toured around Switzerland?

Anyway... the trains in Switzerland are so fabulous, I'd use them. From my point of view it would definitely be "easier" and certainly more relaxing and enjoyable especially for a person traveling alone. You name all major cities, those should be simply enough by train.
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Old Jun 22nd, 2022, 12:03 AM
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Your itinerary can perfectly be done by car as well as by train. But there are no roads from Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen into the mountains. For destinations like Wengen, Kleine Scheidegg, Muerren, Jungfraujoch, First, Schynige Platte, Schilthorn.... the train (resp cableway) is the unique solution.
As these mountain railways are expensive, it might be a good idea to check fares and validity of railpasses, either for the Jungfrau area
https://www.regionalpass-berneroberland.ch/en/ https://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/prices-and-tickets/
or for whole Switzerland
https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/...s-travel-pass/

If you travel by train, you may be interested in the very scenic GOLDEN PASS itinerary
https://mob.ch/line/goldenpassline/?lang=en

Don't worry about car rental at GVA airport. As the airport lies just on the border between Switzerland and France, it's easy to take the exit to France and to rent your car there:
https://www.europcar.com.au/en-au/st...578.1655883205
https://www.hertz.fr/rentacar/locati...C3%A8ve/GVAT52

Proposed itineray by train (trains up to Chamonix at least every hr, boats much less frequent):
Geneva - Palézieux (train change) - Gruyeres
Gruyeres - Bulle (train change) - Bern
Bern Interlaken
Interlaken - Golden Pass - Montreux
Montreux - boat - Lausanne Ouchy (boat change) - Evian - train - Annemasse - Annecy
or
Montreux - Martigny (train change) - Chamonix
Chamonix - St. Gervais (train change) - Annecy

Proposed itineray by car:
Geneva - motorway - Bulle - Planchy - Le Paquier - local road - Gruyeres
Gruyeres - Bulle - Bern
Bern - Interlaken
Interlaken - Interlaken - Gstaad - Col du Pillon - Aigle
Aigle - Martigny - Chamonix - Bonneville Ouest - La Roche - Annecy
Chamonix - St. Gervais (train change) - Annecy

neckervd is offline  
Old Jun 22nd, 2022, 02:40 AM
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Amazing!

Thank you for all the data. I am not planning on going into the mountains in the junfrau, I prefer visiting cities and small towns, also plan on taking some workshops at Cailler, so the car may come in handy to get there on different dates.

I was afraid of tolls, speed (as another commenter says they drive fast) and what appears in google maps as private routes and routes for carpools only in the area close to Geneva.

I will consider both itineraries you offered (especially costs). Thank you!
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Old Jun 22nd, 2022, 04:38 AM
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You’ll need to buy a Swiss motorway vignette and affix it properly to the car. You will also need to respect regulations about no-car zones. Research time!
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Old Jun 22nd, 2022, 07:42 AM
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A Swiss motorway sticker doesn't cost more than 43 USD. Many rental cars in French Geneva county are already equiped with.
The Cailler factory at Broc has it's own railway station. Trains from there to Bulle (with connections to all over Switzerland) run every hr.
Interlaken, Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, etc. can be visited in 1-2 hrs. There is not much to see, but they are excellent bases for rail trips and hikes into the higher mountains.
For scenic medieval cities with famous museums, churches, casltes, etc. you better go into the Swiss midlands.
If you leave Geneva airport by motorway (towards Lausanne and all Switzerland, Annecy - Chambery, Pont d'Ain - Lyon or Burgundy) you will find no "private routes and routes for carpools only".
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Old Jun 22nd, 2022, 08:48 AM
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That is very useful information. Thank you!
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Old Jun 22nd, 2022, 09:06 AM
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To visit the mountains, a car is always better in terms of scenery as long as the driver is not nervous about mountain roads. You can stop in so many places, next to waterfalls, patches of late snow, fields of wildflowers and spend as long as you want. For some reason, trains don't do this.
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Old Jan 20th, 2023, 10:56 AM
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Thank you for the information and proposed itinerary above.
I want to continue the discussion about renting a car and driving in Switzerland. Our family of three is planning to travel around Switzerland. We are still working on the detailed itinerary but our plan is to visit most of the places listed above. We also want to see St. Mortiz but need to figure out if it worse it as it is too far away from our main route. The plan is to fly into Zurich and make our way and fly back home from Geneva with stopping for 2-3 days in different places and do 1 day trips. Thus my question, would it be better to rent a car to have more flexibility to visit more places and not dependent on train schedule or trains are the best option to travel from place to place? for example, can we visit Interlaken - Gstaad - Col du Pillon - Aigle in one day travelling on the train?

Thank you!
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Old Jan 20th, 2023, 02:13 PM
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This thread included destinations in France and Switzerland, but you only mention Switzerland. You should start a new thread, clearly set forth your itinerary and give the total number of days you have.
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Old Jan 20th, 2023, 08:30 PM
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Hallo larissagr,

Here are some things to keep in mind if driving in Switzerland:

Traffic is dense. Most of the people live in the cities, towns, & villages in the hills or the flats, and many of them have cars. Traffic is very dense, and it is fast moving (when it is moving). You will not have a relaxing drive, but must keep your eyes moving constantly to the mirrors and the road ahead and the road signs.

There are lots of traffic jams, due to road construction or accidents. I have lived in Germany since 2008 but only been driving since 2017 (due to a foot problem); in that time, I have only been on one autobahn without a Stau (jam), and that was early on a Sunday morning coming back from the airport. Sometimes the Staus last a few minutes and occur every couple of hours, and sometimes a Stau can last an hour.

Gas is very expensive. Parking is expensive and hard to find. European parking spaces are the size of a chair, and if you have a car large enough for 3 people and luggage, you may find it difficult to fit into a space. I do not find European rest areas to be intuitive to get to.

Even though I have my own car in Germany and my favorite destinations are only a 6-7 hour drive away, more than half the time, I take the 7-8 hour train. Why? It's relaxing, as MmePerdu notes above. There is maybe a 5-minute period of hassle as I board the train and stow my case, followed by 4 or 5 hours of reading, enjoying the landscape, and people-watching. Spring for first class and have your meal served at your seat. Toilets are down the aisle. There is a bar car or restaurant car down the aisle if you want to stretch your legs. You can manage your connections to have a longer pause at a station so you are not rushed, or a quick change to save time. Many trains now have colorful family or kids wagons to help the kids stay entertained and can let off steam
(and noise).

And of course using the trains is a way to help preserve the beauty you came all the way over to see.

Have fun as you plan!

s
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Old Jan 21st, 2023, 12:31 AM
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Driving in Switzerland is relatively easy. I own a car and have driven all around the country.

some things to be aware of include:

1) you need an autobahn vignette (Sfr 40) that pays for the use of the autobahns. Good for the whole of 2023.

2) Speed cameras are all over. Drive the speed limit.

3) Get a GPS that tells you the speed limit of the section you are on.

4) On the Autobahn, the right lane is for normal driving and the left is usually for passing. Drive accordingly or you will be a nuisance.

5) parking is expensive and many spots are tight.I usually pay for space using TWINT (smart phone payment method) but many places accept international payment methods as well.

6) driving in big cities can be hectic but that’s normal. I’ve driven through Zurich many times and it’s quite doable.

7) we get traffic jams at rush hours like anywhere else.

8) cars offer more freedom to reach out of the way places.

9) Gas is expensive

10) if you want to drive through the Gotthard tunnel, avoid doing so during the weekends from Spring-fall. You can easily lose two hours due to long back ups before the tunnel.

11) driving over passes is an absolute highlight. My favourite way to see Switzerland is in a convertible and taking back roads.

12) There are times when going by train or bus makes more sense. The trains going to Tessin (Locarno and Lugano) are full simply because it’s now the fastest way to arrive at those destinations. A new tunnel now allows someone starting in Lucerne to arrive in Lugano within 1 hr and 30 min. You can’t do that by car.

13) we use winter and summer tires.

Switzerland’s public transportation is excellent but sometimes renting a car makes more sense.
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Old Jan 21st, 2023, 11:48 AM
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I don't think there's a "right" answer to the train or car question. It's a matter of preference. The last time I drove in Switzerland was 2018 and I stopped doing it because the train was so much more convenient. Driving is OK, crowded cities but very pleasant two lane roads elsewhere, but the hassle of parking and navigating became a burden.
Swiss trains are outstanding. They run frequently (mostly) and go everywhere. You might even meet people to talk to. They are expensive but certainly cheaper than a car for one person. Google "Swiss Travel Pass". For six days of travel this pass costs $399 in second class or $634 in first class. It covers all travel by public rail, bus, and boat. Mountain cable cars may be 50% off, I'm not sure. Some private excursions such as certain boats and the Jungfrau train are not covered. Other passes exist but I think this one is best for you. The "Half Fare Card" is good for a month but it takes a lot of travel to pay it off. The "Bernese Oberland Pass" might work. For six days it costs $345 for second class or $415 for first class. It covers more modes of travel (cable cars and the Jungfrau) but in a smaller geographic area. Buy your pass in the first train station you encounter, GVA for you.
September 2022 my wife and I traveled a route similar to yours. We flew into Zurich then went - Grindelwald - Gstaad - Chamonix - Geneva - Annecy - Lyon and flew out of Lyon. We spend three weeks and your time is more limited. Here are a few thought for you:
I love the Bernese Oberland but we do a lot of hiking. You have different interests. You could go from Geneva to Interlaken and spend three nights there. Interlaken itself has limited appeal but from there it's any easy day trip to Berne and another day trip to Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen. A great day would be to take the train from Interlaken Ost station to Grindelwald, grab the train (same station or buss 100 yards away) to Grindelwald Grund, then at Grund walk 5 minutes and jump on the cable car up to Mannlichen. From Mannlichen you can take another cable car down to Lauterbrunnen or walk to Kleine Scheidigg (2 hours) and take the cog railway down to Wengen and Lauterbrunnen. Then take the train back to Interlaken. The Swiss travel system is so well integrated you might be able to buy all the tickets you need at the Interlaken train station.
I wouldn't include St. Moritz in your itinerary. The town itself is a disappointment (to me). However, if you decide to get a car the Engadine is very pretty. But it's still out of the way from your other destinations.
From Interlaken you can take the Golden Pass railway to Montreux. It's very scenic. You could make a day of it and get into Gruyeres along the way but this is time consuming. You have to change trains and we had a 20 minute wait. I suggest spending 2 nights in Montreux and that day doing a boat ride, the Chillon castle tour, stroll the waterfront, and even a quick trip to Lausanne. You could also stay in Lausanne.
Your time is about up. From Interlaken you might have to forget Montreaux and go all the way to Geneva, Annecy, or Lyon depending on what you want to do. If you plan three nights in Lyon (giving you two days) that leaves just one other night. I guess I'd spend it in Montreux or Lausanne, not Geneva. Then you could make a quick stop in Annecy on your way to Lyon.
There was a reference to Chamonix, which we loved, but you don't have time for it. Incidentally, we took the bus from Chamonix to Geneva, Geneva to Annecy, and Annecy to Lyon. Much cheaper and more frequent. But navigating the bus network is its own post.
Why don't you post a tentative itinerary and ask for comments on it? Things to see and do, most efficient transportation, etc. Have fun!
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Old Jan 21st, 2023, 05:28 PM
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I finally rented a car. Followed the itinerary: Annecy - Bulle/Broc/Gruyeres - Interlaken - Grindelwald/Lauterbrunnen - Thun - Bern - Lausanne - Geneve - Lyon.

I flew in to Geneva but took the bus to Annecy where I rented the car (was less than half the rent at Geneva airport) and returned it at Lyon airport from where I flew back home.

I loved having a car. As I was going from place to place I didn't want to be carrying my suitcases from hotels to bus stops and train stations, up and down. I bought the vignete at a shell gas station in Switzerland and stopped whenever I felt like it, for coffee, supermarket purchases or simply sightseeing and taking pictures.

Careful along mountains, though. I really panicked once when, instead of taking the highway, I took a country road and there was no guardrail and had to drive next to a cliff. I went super slow but locals would be tailing back and making me nervous. It's like driving the Pacific Coast Highway southbound.

I super encurage renting a car for flexibility (it's true that gas is super expensive. I didn't have trouble parking anywhere. I paid for parking when necessary, also most hotels have parking).

The train could be useful if backpacking or with light lugagge. Or if you don't mind carrying it around.

Hope this helps!

Last edited by marilinamanteiga1608; Jan 21st, 2023 at 05:32 PM.
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Old Jan 22nd, 2023, 01:12 AM
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There would have been no need to go up to Annecy in order to rent a car in France.
There are tons of car rental companies just at the French side of Geneva airport (Ferney Voltaire), linked to Geneva city center by Geneva city bus.
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Old Jan 22nd, 2023, 02:21 AM
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If you are an experienced driver I would prefer the car. There are many winding roads in Switzerland and if you like to drive, Switzerland is very beautiful. Also because in July the alpine passes are open and you can take beautiful scenic drives and be more flexible.

Have a great Trip!
Martin
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Old Jan 22nd, 2023, 07:33 AM
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Originally Posted by neckervd
There would have been no need to go up to Annecy in order to rent a car in France.
There are tons of car rental companies just at the French side of Geneva airport (Ferney Voltaire), linked to Geneva city center by Geneva city bus.
I know, but I rented the car too late. They were all sold out (it was busy season). I searched for car rentals in other French and Swiss cities but prices were not as low as at Annecy.

Annecy is beautiful, and I hadn't been there in over 10 years. So all in all it was worth it.
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