October 5, 2004 -- Traveling through Switzerland with an English couple working on a guidebook to that country, and asked before getting into their car how many miles we would be covering. "About 400 miles horizontally and 600 miles vertically," the husband replied. With Alpine inclines as steep as they are, I came to believe him at the end of our weeklong journey. You cannot but help enjoying Switzerland, if only for the magnificent beauty of its scenery. You really don't want to drive yourself, as you won't be able to take it all in, your eyes stuck to the road ahead. In today's issue, we make a few suggestions about how best to see the country when next you go.
Trains can't go to many places in Switzerland because of the steep inclines, so the buses take over. This means the Post Bus, which delivers the mail, and now, takes tourists for a ride as well. Postbus Tourism has routes built around such subjects as wine, gastronomy, culture, architecture, water and mountains. You can travel on their very comfortable coaches with onboard toilet, air conditioning, spacious seats and a luggage compartment.
PostBus Tourism also arranges for overnight accommodations throughout the country. And you can buy a Swiss Pass that allows you access to other forms of transport, too. You can combine bus tours with famous panoramic rail routes such as the Glacier Express, or go by cable car or boat part of the way.
Their "Historic Route Express" operates from Fluelen through Altdorf and the Klausen Pass to Linthal, the first leg by boat across Lake Lucerne, then by bus through the Klausen Pass to Linthal, passing through William Tell country, the trip taking just over two hours in each direction. The cost is SF34 ($27) each way.
The "Palm Express" operates from St. Moritz to Lugano, dropping from the mountain tops to the sunny shores of Lake Como, three times daily in each direction in high season, taking about four hours. The cost is just SF62 ($50).
My favorite would be a four- or seven-day journey combining several short trips, taking in the "Julier Route Express" from Chur to St. Moritz, the Palm Express onward to Lugano, then returning or continuing farther on the "Napoleon Route Express" to Saas Fee, and ending there. In 2004 this operated from June through October, and the same dates are expected to be valid in 2005. Prices begin at just SF450 ($362) per person for second-class travel and double-room lodging in three-star hotels, including breakfast. You can upgrade for train usage when off the bus, for additional nights, for four-star hotels, etc.
Children age 6-16 are charged half-fares, those under 6 ride free. For reservations and more information, contact the Postbus Tourism people at www.postauto.ch/route-express-lines, e-mail reservation@sdm.ch, or phone 00800 100 200 30 (toll free in Europe).
Bed & Breakfast in Interlaken
Many consider Interlaken to be the heart of Switzerland in ambiance as well as geography, and it's the kind of place you could love in winter as well as summer. A typical bed and breakfast of the superior type here is Sunny Days, operated by Dave and Tanja Boyles. Winter rates for most of the ten rooms are SF100 (about $80) per room, sleeping two persons and including breakfast. There's a new suite on the third floor, sleeping up to four persons, that goes for SF150 ($121) as well. Contact them at www.sunnydays.ch or phone 011/41 (0) 33 822 83 43, e-mail mail@sunnydays.ch.
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