Touring in Switzerland - any thoughts/advice/tips?

[SamandRose]

Hi all

We're planning our first overseas caravanning trip around May/June and would love to visit the Interlarken / Jungfrau areas of Switzerland. We may combine this with some time either at Lake Geneva or Salzburg in Austria but have yet to work out whether time would allow this.

We would love to hear from anyone who has visited these areas previously and can offer advice on matters such as: places to stay, places to visit and suitable overnight stops. Are there any other essentials for continental caravan sites (e.g. to connect to electric hook-up points)?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Hutch]

Welcome to the forum, If you are going to use the motorways in Switzerland, you wil need vignettes( motorway pass) for both car and caravan.
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/results.asp?county=Switzerland&caravans=on
http://www.about.ch/geography/index.html#CH_Geo_Highways

The above links may be of help.
Hutch.

 

[Hutch]

Hi again folks, Sam and Rose, A & J, here is another good link about electric hook ups, http://www.davidklyne.co.uk/frencheuropeanelectric.htm
www.eurocampings.co.uk also gives lots of sites.
I also tend to take a camping gaz small bottle to power the BBQ, as they can be changed in most supermarkets and garages in France and Switzerland. The new Daytime running lights on cars are now accepted intead of having your headlamps on during the day.
I am sure others will help on this topic as well, have fun.
Hutch.

 

[Bojeryng]

You will not regret going to Switzerland, we stayed at Lazy Rancho site at Interlaken, a great place to stay as is is quite convenient for touring/sightseeing. My advice is to buy yourself the Michelin Guide for Switzerland (green book) it helped us a great deal and suggested some nice places to visit whatever your interests. Not to miss if you have the time is a tour of "The Three Passes" absolutely stunning scenery. Enjoy

 

[DianneT]

Cannot help you much with Switzerland only been there once with the Caravan but it you go here
there is a great deal on Austria our favourite Country. There is one Trip that we did to Switzerland on this website and 12 Trips to Austria and Germany. Pages on Info of Austria and Campsites we have visited mostly taking ACSI Card out of season.
Salzburg is one of the most beautiful area's to visit.
DianneT .

 

[Hutch]

Klausen Pass, Altdorf to Glarus, mid October this year, 6000ft. Fantastic.

 

[biggles.morton]

Have previously stayed at Manor Farm (Interlaken) which is a large site on Lake Thun but the last stay was at TCS Bonigen a smaller site near Interlaken but on Lake Brienz. The latter site is next to the lake and close to a lido.
It is a great area to visit Brienz by lake ferry from Bonigen and is very close to Interlaken for getting the train to the Jungfrau. By car there are plenty of mountain passes, cable cars with Grindelwald worth a visit.
Switzerland is not cheap, but is well worth visiting.

 

[louisvidler]

hi samandrose

me my wife and 2 kids aged 14 and 15 now have toured to switzerland 4 times now and we all love it, there is so much to do and even if you just want to relax then its perfect, we have stayed in a campsite near where you would like to go in a town called wilderswil i believe its called campimg oberei, you can see the jungfrau from the site and fresh bread to your van door in the morning, the jungfrau was a great day out so was the waterfalls,
we also have a week in lake lugano (camping monte generoso) my favourite place with a lake side pitch and a week at lake magiorre in the town of tenero where there is about 4 sites, you can get a free ferry to lucano.
if your travelling from england i know of some nice clean reasonable overnight stops in luxembourg and france
let me know if youd like these details
have a great time

 

[SamandRose]

Thanks everyone! We came across Lazy Rancho while doing our own research and liked the look of it but will definitely check out the others. Yes please Louisvidler can we have your suggestions for overnight stops?
Sam

 

[louisvidler]

hi sam and rose
we go over after work so a late crossing and stop overnight in de panne belgium (camping ter hoeve) only because they have a small section for late arrivals and overnight stops as we dont stop overnight in laybys etc, its not far from the border but gets the crossing out the way so havent really got much to say about it but its handy.
we also have stopped in luxembourg camping kockelscheuer , good price clean and tidy with a handy shop.
Camping municipal le vallon de l'ehn in Obernai france is again good price clean and tidy and the town is very nice in the alsace region.
these are only overnight stops for us so dont no much about the areas but obernai and the alsace region are lovely.
email the tourist board as they sent us a real big pack of brochures the first time we went which helped loads.
They also used to do some discount schemes, maybe they still do as we saved on the jungfrau trip.
have a great time
louis

 

[Woodentop]

Welcome to the forum, If you are going to use the motorways in Switzerland, you wil need vignettes( motorway pass) for both car and caravan.
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/results.asp?county=Switzerland&caravans=on
http://www.about.ch/geography/index.html#CH_Geo_Highways

The above links may be of help.
Hutch.

In my limited experience it is very difficult to traverse CH without going on a motorway, so the vignette is effectively mandatory. Costs about €40 each and lasts (I think) just over a year - readily available at the border.

 

[Hutch]

Yes the Viggnete, lasts from December to January, the next year 14 months, Just got my 2016 one, luckily a friend who lives south of Zurich, owed me for taking his van for a service, in the Uk so didnt have to pay. Going back over there at Easter.
If your going to Switzerland , try not to hit the Basle border on a Friday late afternoon, mega busy. If you already have the viggnette you can sail through the green lane at the border.
Hutch.

 

[SamandRose]

Well we're all booked! 7 nights at Camping Jungfrau in Lauterbrunnen - they had a stand at the NEC in February and were really friendly, and the location looks amazing - followed by 4 nights on the shore of Lake Geneva just outside Lausanne. Stopovers also planned in France. The caravan has been serviced and is good to go. Now it gets exciting ...... !

 

[Hutch]

Have a great time, just got back on thursday morning, from South of Zurich, went up to Interlaken ,and Lussane, lovely market on Saturdays, , went up to Konstance and Lindau in Germany, Supermarcket, Denner and Lidle are cheapest. Beware of grey speed cameras. The snow has mostly melted, try out the Glarus pass to Altdorf. NOT with the caravan. Eat in Backeries, they even admit dogs, much like France. Much cheaper. Not all Cantons allow you to let dogs off leads. As we left on Wednesday the temp was 22c.
Enjoy.

 

[Hutch]

Just another thought, you are allowed 1 kilo of meat each plus opened food for travelling. So fill up with fresh veg in France before entering Switzerland, you are allowed 5 kilos of cheese. At times it cheaper to go to France or Germany to buy food, and site see than to buy in Switzerland. Train travel is good and you can get a 10 day reduced card for bus and trains.
Buy your Vignete from the Uk before travelling, that way you do not have to stop at the border

http://www.about.ch/culture/languages/words_n_phrases.html
Enjoy, Hutch

 

[pmb]

Well we're all booked! 7 nights at Camping Jungfrau in Lauterbrunnen - they had a stand at the NEC in February and were really friendly, and the location looks amazing

Went twice in the 90's. Excellent site , pitches not huge and close together but loved it. Stunning valley location. What to do - alpine garden at Wilderswil, Trummelbachfalls just up the road , cog railway to Wengen, Blofelds lair in On Her Majestys Secret Service (aka Schilthorn) by cable car and of course Jungfraujoch on a clear day. We also drove a round trip taking in the 3 passes (furka,grimsel and susten I think). Take lots of money.

 

[SamandRose]

Great suggestions, thanks

 

[Hutch]

I have just realised I passed the campsite when I went to Wengen after Interlaken, for the day. If you want a real thrill try the paragliding in Interlaken. They land straight in front of the hotel Victoria. Wine bought in Denner or lidle is very cheap.

 

[JonnyG]

If you do feel adventurous and want a decent day out away from Interlaken you could take in the susten pass towards Wassen head down to Andermatt to pick up the Furka pass and head back toward Interlaken via the Grimsel pass. about 120 miles round trip in total with spectacular views everywhere, you could also take in the San Gottard pass via a slight detour off the Furka pass at Hospental ? spelling.. .

 

[pmb]

You may wish to watch this video filmed at camping jungfrau in 2007 for the program formerly known as the caravan channel. http://www.caravanchannel.co.uk/videos?vid=139

 

[SamandRose]

I'm actually quite in awe that someone can visit somewhere so spectacularly beautiful and make such a boring film! Good job I found this one to keep me excited :cheer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqGwGaiW8I4&nohtml5=False

 

[1amtr1cky]

Hi all
Done Interlaken a time or 2, stayed on Manor Farm. which reminded me you need to get a 2 pin tail that will connect to your mains cable. you can find all sorts of weird stuff on euro' electrics so get a polarity plug as well.
Take a camera everywhere you go,.a lot of your 'photo's will look like postcards
.Although you may not be in high alps do make sure your motor is in good order. Roadside service stations can be pricy
Switzerland is a grand spectacle to the eyes, take time to enjoy it!

Tricky

 

[Buffers]

if its not too late be aware you can queue for hours for the gothard tunnel, they will only allow a few veihicles through at a time

 

[JonnyG]

if its not too late be aware you can queue for hours for the gothard tunnel, they will only allow a few vehicles through at a time

only times we have been held up was in 2006 going north as they were indeed properly restricting how many vehicles went through and in 2014 going south because of a bus fire.other than those events normally pass through without much more than a few minutes delay and that includes dreaded Friday evening traffic .

 

[SamandRose]

Thanks. We go away 2 weeks today. Getting exciting! :cheer: