Swiss trip plan Sept 2020 – now Sept 14-Oct 5, 2021 unless the one world gov’t arrives sooner than we hope

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wandering ones

Diane

Bruce

Sonja

Dave

Erika

Kristin

We have room for 7 in 3 of the 4 hotels. Murren we have the chalet to ourselves. Room for 1 more and if more than 7 go we can adjust.

last minute details

• money
  
• Use credit card for all you can
  • this assumes your credit card does not charge for international transactions – if it does, use Dianes)
  • When merchant asks – do not convert charge to US Dollars, charge in CHF or and extra % and a fee will be added to each purchase
• get cash at ATM – look if your bank has a bank in Switzerland to not have extra charges when withdrawing cash.On previous trips we take out ~200CHF at a time. It lasts long enough and we are not carrying excessive amounts of cash around. Uses – mountaintop restaurants, lockers in train stations, a few very small remote shops
• my.swissalps.com recommendations We have not done this
• best checking account for international ATM’s

• phone
  
• Turn off data and use only wifi in hotel
• Look into buying international data plan for a month
• Can Dianes phone download the GPS maps?
• Google Fi internaltionsa rates
• Covid test in Zurich for return flight to US
• Train tickets to be bought 9/7 and given out when we meet outside baggage claim in Zurich airport

pains 

 Feedback from recent travelers to Switzerland

• my.swissalps.com This maintained post is a summary of the latest updates on Covid rules look for arno Feb 23, 2020 – 7:32 AM
• summary of Covid checks between US and Switzerland Sept 6 look for – billandsuz1 Sep 6, 2021 – 6:55 PM
• $15 covid test look for – jorge Sep 5, 2021 – 6:29 PM Corona Center at University of Zurich

 Covid requirements to enter Switzerland

• summary 3 documents needed to enter
1. valid passport that will not expire in 6 months
2. paper original proof of covid vaccine
• New rules in Switzerland starting Sept 13 my.swissalps.com updated Sep 8
• There is confusion as this is a quick change and Switzerland is not ready for it – go to last pages on myswissalps.com for latest experiences of travelers
• Rules start Sept 13 but do not get enforced heavily until end of the month
• Feedback seems to be the paper document is good enough for outdoors and separate trains, gondolas, apartments, and B&Bs. Entry to museums and public gatherings may need teh Swiss Covid certificate.
• we applied for one just in case. It needs a picture of passport and covid vaccine proof.
  • this is the link
  • on the left side – Application for persons vaccinated or recovered abroad
  • in the center – I hv been vaccinated outside Switzerland
  • EN was not an option, I used DE since Mom can speak it so well
  • Mobile number is +1XXXYYYZZZZ
  • Use the address of the Hotel Eden in Spiez – Seestrasse 56, 3700 Spiez, Switzerland
  • When uploading the jpegs they need to be small ~100s of KB not MB’s.
  • people report the Covid certificate arrives in the email in 1-2 days
  • I do not think this is necessary but it is an easy form to complete. Undoubtably, you will be entered in the one world database of the beast.
3. QR code (pdf format) sent by Swiss Health Department when fill out this entry form
• mobile phone +1 zzz xxx yyyy
• Swiss address Seestrasse 56, 3700 Spiez Location Eden Apartments Speiz
• They will email a QR picture. Put it on your phone and/or print and bring a paper copy
• Based on experience of other travelers on myswissalps, Airline will check the paperwork, Swiss customs will not
• After picking up luggage do not go through the customs declaration room in the Zurich Airport
• besides this – mask for airport, plane (change mask every 4 hours), trains, inside all Swiss shops
• official documents
• official Swiss govt page
• Swiss Air checklist
• Swiss Air summary of entry requriements
• Use online travelcheck for latest requirements
• vaccinated – proof of vaccination, completed electronic entry form
• not vaccinated – negative PCR test(72 hours) or rapid antigen (48 hours) before boarding, completed electronic entry form – same form as vaccinated people

 Covid requirements while traveling in Switzerland

• wear mask on trains, inside gondola, inside shops. No longer required to wear mask outside.
• July 22 summary from a local look for last post on the page – IIdiko Jul 22, 2021 – 12:45 PM

 Covid requirements to re enter US

• Summary – Each person needs a negative antigen test (3 days) and a completed attestation form
• We have appointments for antigen testign at the Zurich University Oct 4, 1:15 – 1:45 Walking directions
• Attestation form —– print before we go ??
• back up information
  • wordy cdc page with requirements cdc info page
  • July 21 trip report from a recent tourist look for luvmystang Jul 20, 2021 6:14pm
  • Ellume Covid-19 video observed self test $50 per person 15 minutes for results
  • At Zurich airport PCR 195CHF, antigen 110CHF – credit card only, max 5 hour to get results
  • attestation form I need to verify this is the right form
  • cdc page showing both forms
  • $15 covid test at Zurich University, look for – jorge Sep 5, 2021 – 6:29 PM Corona Center at University of Zurich

tentative itinerary of hiking campaigns

Each evening we will have 4 choices for the next day – take the hike, take another hike, do something else, rest

listing the hikes each day provides a baseline to begin the conversation

Day 1	Land in Switzerland afternoon in Bern check in Visit Thun	Bern find 11 Renaissance fountains in Old Town Clock Tower in Western Gate Bern Cathedral + 100 steps to top Bundeshaus fountains Bear Pit Swim the Arne Einsteins house Thun Thun Castle Balliz Ober HauptGasse Ober Schleuse (floodgate) Shadau Park
Day 2	Stockhorn Niesen	two lifts in one day one of these has very long lines by mid morning can bring lunch on mountain top walk down one
Day 3	Shynige Platte to First	This long walk needs an early start Amazing ridge walk with great views
Day 4	Kandersteg, Oechinensee, Hohturli Pass	This circles the lake along the top of the rim Side adventure to Hohturli Pass
Day 5	Travel to Murren Niederhorn	Drop off luggage in Interlaken Boat ride to Niederhorn walk down on trail or ride lift down check the boat schedules to avoid long waits on to Murren
Day 6	Tanzbödeli	This long walk is highly recommended by Moms shirtless friend Great views at the top
Day 7	Kroneberg Mannlichen Eiger trail	Easy walk Might take 3 lifts and 2 trains to get to the Eiger face trail check the schedules
Day 8	Gimmelwald Stechlelberg staubach falls lauterbrunnen Moms ifit hike	This is an easy walk Until you get to the uphill part that was on ifit and took 4 days Traumelbach falls Staubach falls
Day 9	Schilthorn Allmendhubel Top meadow from flower park to train station	Nice views at the top Expensive 48.50 per person walk down is half price
Day 10	Graveyard pig spit fire Pfingstegg glacier travel to Breinz	Kauffmanns in the graveyard gondola with flowers Glacier is a long walk Check out Grindelwald – not much to see
Day 11	Brienzer Rothorn Train HarderGrat Hike Latgsli William Tell	Get the early train The HarderGrat hike is strenuous and not to be done in the rain but great views the entire way Willian Tell or Latsgi are shorter
Day 12	Meiringen / Hasliberg 6 hikes to choose from	Lots of choices some not as difficult ridge walk may be challenging
Day 13	Geisbach Falls Another hike from one of these: Meiringen/Hasliberg/Rothorn	Geisbach Falls is a boat ride and very short walk behind a waterfall May want to revisit a longer hike
Day 14	Travel to Appenzell Lucerne Appenzell – Coop food for lunches	Lucerne flower bridge Stone Lion walk the wall and climb the towers Appenzell Coop for lunch food one row of shops
Day 15	EbenAlp church in the rocks Schafler	If walk down can go up Eben Alp 2X Lunch at the top restaurant Walk up backside with cliff?
Day 16	Scooter lift plus hike or bus all the way Santis walk down	The walk down from Santis will never be forgotten bring a lunch, it is a long walk do not spend to long at the top
Day 17	Hoher Kosten Hike down Visit AppenZell Cow Parade	After Santis Hoher Kosten will seem lame maybe ride the lift back down Look for days of Cow parade
Day 18	EbenAlp 2nd time	If walked down Eben Alp have 1 ticket left Walk part way up the other side of Santis come back behind lake and avoid the steep road
Day 19	Travel to Zurich Jet Hotel Zurich Covid test	Tour Zurich City Old Town Botanical Gardens Chinese Gardens Grossmunster Bahnhoffstraus $$$$hopping walk old town
Day 20	Fly Home at noon

planes 

 first wave of tourists arrive in Zurich Sept 15  3:45PM ( spend night in Zurich)

Second wave arrives in Zurich Sept 16 8:30AM ( We now have all day to get to the first nights lodging. The goal is to stay awake until the sun sets to quickly adjust to the time change. Long train rides are not good for staying awake. We will likely take a walking tour of Bern on the way to the hotel is Spiez (Luggage will be stored in lockers at the train station) After Bern, drop off luggage at Hotel – Ride boat to Thun for quick walking tour

 depart Zurich Oct 5 1:00PM  ( leave the Jet hotel in the morning, 10 minute bus ride to Zurich airport, planes leave around 11:00????)

trains

Tickets are purchsaed and printed. We will deliver them to you at the Zurich airport.

We bought the Swiss half fare card. This give 1/2 price on all train purchases. BOB – 2 passes to give 14 days. Purchase one way train fares before we leave US. One way train fares between hotels not in the BOB region, Zurich to Bern, Lucern to Schwende, Schwende to Zurich, and the Schilthorn and Santis lifts (Diane wants to save 8CHF and walk down from Santis but does not want to do it alone)

Swiss half fare card	Enables 1/2 price on all train purchases
airport to Bern – Bern to Spiez hotel, boat to Thun, BOB	individual  ticket 28/49 BOB
Murren & Spiez  & Brienz	BOB regional ticket BOB pass  BOB is short for Berner OBerland
Brienz to Luzern, Luzern to Schwende	BOB individual ticket 28/49
Schwende/ Appenzell	included with hotel Appenzeller-Holiday-Card
Schwende to Rumlang or Zurich	Individual ticket 20/33 (R to Z and back) 6.80
Schilthorn Santis	42.8 27 or 19

Swiss Half Fare Card: Discounts on trains, lifts, stuff around Switzerland Half Fare Info on BLS
Half Fare Area of Validity: (Official site download)	Half Fare Area of Validity: (Official site download)
BOB Pass: Regional Pass in the Bernese Oberland – Murren & Spiez & Brienz BOB regional ticket BOB pass BOB is short for Berner OBerland
BOB Area of Validity: (Official site download)	BOB Panoramic Map of the hikes and coverage: (Official site download)
Appenzeller Card: Schwende/ Appenzell included with hotel Appenzeller-Holiday-Card
Appenzell Validity Map: (Official site with perks)	Ebenalp/Appenzell Hiking Map: (Official site with hikes)
Swiss Travel Pass: Travel around Switzerland Swiss Pass Info Lifts are only 50% off or less
Swiss Pass Area of Validity: (Official site download)

lodging to stay out of the rains

rooms confirmed ( Spiez not yet finalized )

city	hotel	comments
Spiez	4 nights- Eden Apartments cooking, shared laundry	Eden Apartments are short downhill walk from the train station. What goes down must come up again. Speiz is centrally located to many hikes near Lake Thun and Kandersteg. Visit city of Thun. Visit Bern on the train trip from the airport.
Murren	5 nights – Chalet Fontana cooking, no laundry	We are renting the entire chalet and can use the kitchen. Cliff walking, hang gliding, Grindelwald, Faulhorn, Schilthorn,
Brienz	4 nights – Carpe Diem Kitchen, Washing Machine	On Lake Brienz. Near the boat dock and train station. Hiking in Mieringen, Brienzer Rothorn train ride. Visit Lucerne.
Schwende	5 nights – Hotel Alpenblick Breakfast included, no cooking, no laundry	Hiking in the Appenzell mountains
Zurich	1 night – JET Hotel Breakfast	Final night in Switzerland in Zurich to reduce stress on getting to the airport on time. Could visit Zurich the day before

Hikes – leg strains

Spiez

• Niederhorn niederhorn hikes ShirtlessGuy –> Neiderhorn Ridge Walk
• ridge walk – short loop to cliff edge that overlooks lake
• boat ride across lake, lift top top, 3 hr hike #3 along ridge line, postpost to interlaken, train/boat to Speiz
• Kanderstegg hikes various hikes
  • Oechinesee Loop Oeschinensee Loop

  Highly recommended, train ride to Kandersteg, walk to lift, walk from lift to lake and loop along the cliffs ShirtlessGuy –> Lake Loop

  • Hohturli Pass Very Strenuous
  • Allmenalp to First 4 hours RT train to Kandresteg, walk to lift, 2.0 miles to the top then back down same way
• Stockhorn  this  has maps  Moms friend ->  lake hike       
• Niesen  maps showing hiking paths down  Moms friend ->  hiking-mount-niesen-swiss-pyramid  
• Adelboden Höchst – Sillerenbühl Never been here. Looks interesting timetables may be to short of time bus runs

Murren

• Schynige Platte to First Schynige Platte to First (do it backwards to not risk missing the trains) all day hike, could do from Spiez or Brienz (shorter train ride time) ShirtlessGuy –> Shynige Platte to First
• Pfingsteg Glacier – up to the glacier easy walk 3 hour round trip or go to the end Schreckhomhutte
• Murren to Gimmelwald to Lauterbrunnen – easy downhill walk through the trees
• Murren up to Schilthorn Shirtless Guy
• kroneberg – Part of Mannlechin
• Mannlechin Mannlichen to Wengen
• Eiger  Trail  Add to Mannlechin 5.7Mi
• Allmendhubel – ride train to flower park, walk along north face to train, return to Murren, very easy
• Tanzbodeli Tough long all day hike, good views Mom’s friend –> Tanzbodeli & Obersteinberg views
• Sefinenfurgge half way to Kanderstegg 12mi strenuous
• Via Ferrata – A family bonding time

Brienz

• Sorenberg – Schonenboden – after cog railway
• Giessbach Falls Hotel and falls
• Brienz Breinz Rothorn – cog railroad
• Lattgassli 2 peaks Schongütsch
• Tell Trail Stage 8
• Hardergrat ridge walk, dangerous when wet scenic butrisky to miss the train at other end
• Meiringen Planpattern – Englestienalp
• Meiringen trails Look under hiking, then Hiking Suggestions

Schwende

• Santis mount-santis-hike
• Ebenalp summer hiking
• Hoher Kosten swissfamilyfun.com/hoher-kasten ShirtlessGuy–>Hoher Kaster to Saxer Lucke
• Appenzell –  moonhoneytravel appenzellerland

Nuggets for your brains

In these following links are a compiled bunch of possibly-useful info: Switzerland overview, some things we have learned, and some helpful links. Enjoy 🙂

• Tips and Notes for Traveling in Switzerland
• Links for Switzerland Planning

Map of our traveling domains