Questions

Taking a cruise Oct 15 out of Barcelona. We want to fly in 7-8 days early and visit Zurich, Lucern, Colmar France and end in Lyon France. Looks like we can take a train from Lyon to Barcelona in about 6 hours with one stop. We much prefer to take the train rather than fly.... we will see so much! Does anyone know this area well and give me some advice? Interested in seeing the Alps and any cool little towns you could suggest. Love the look of Colmar! Thought maybe fly into Zurich and do day trips? Maybe stay overnight in Colmar and then train to Lyons? Thank you for any advice you can send my way!

Love the Swiss Alps.

I recommend the Berner Oberland for trips from Zurich.

Early October is a great time to visit. The weather is usually dry and mild. If you're an animal person, the sight of the local cows being brought down from their summer time pastures is wonderful, and the sound of their bells too!

You may already know that the railway system in Switzerland is second to none, so great for trips out of Zurich.

Go on Google and take a look at Interlaken, the biggest town in the area, then smaller towns such as Wengen, Grindelwald, Adelboden, and my own favourite is Kandersteg.

The train from Zurich to Kandersteg takes around 2.5 hours. To Interlaken approx 2 hours, to Grindelwald it's about 3 hours. You will need to change trains for the smaller towns but it's easy to do and people are very helpful.

OK, I'm not keen on big cities, but I don't rate Lyon or Zurich. Both busy commercial cities.

Don't know Colmar, but it looks to be much more my scene.

Lucerne is a favourite of mine.

Well worth a varied, interesting & scenic full day on the Golden Tour to Mt Pilatus.

http://www.luzern.com/en/the-golden-tour

You can linger as long as you like at the various places, and you can do the tour in either direction. Lake steamers depart from right by Lucerne central rail station, you can buy the tour tickets at the excellent tourist info centre in the station.

And consider Lucerne as a base. The town itself is attractive, interesting, laid back & walkable.

Consider renting a car from there for a day to drive the Alps on the impressive old mountain passes - Andermatt, the Furka or Nufenen Pass, Gletch glacier, and the Grimsel Pass. The passes have very little traffic, they're used almost exclusively by tourists because through traffic & trucks use the modern motorways & tunnels.

To get up to the permanent snow & ice, take the Jungfraujoch railway from Interlaken, which tunnels through the Eiger.

http://shop.jungfrau.ch/en/tickets/bergbahn

But But But ........... it's expensive. And needs a clear day. Because the upper part of the route is in a tunnel, if it's foggy at the top you'll see nothing. So I don't advise booking ahead. If the weather's not great, stick to Interlaken or Grindelwald.

You might find it worthwhile buying a Swiss travel pass

http://www.swisspasses.com/?gclid=CJS__OPIw8kCFSsEwwodpooDiw

JB :)

I don't know those places, but Lyon is considered the gourmet capital of France.