Ten days scenic trip to Switzerland and possibly Northern Italy as well

Messages
4,354
Name
Neil Williams
Edit My Images
No
Guys

I am planning a 10 day photo trip by car in Switzerland starting in Zurich and finishing in Geneva. This will be my first time in Switzerland, so any tips about driving on the funny side of the road and must see places would be much appreciated.
I'm planning on arriving in Zurich on the 10th July and leaving Geneva on the 20th
Up to now I have booked the first two nights in Zurich and the last night in Geneva and the car hire.
Thanks in advance for your recommendations

Neil
 
I go to Geneva for work a lot. Lake front and its beaches, Carouge. Les Grottes and Nations all worth a visit.

Down side is the cost. Prepare to be shocked. And it shuts on Sundays.
 
I go to Lucerne a lot on business, it's well worth a visit. Expensive, but that shouldn't be a problem for a man of means like Neil!
Quite a lot to see in Lucerne, although there's a hell of a lot of tourists, mainly American and Far East. I always stay in the Radisson Blu which is decent but have stayed in the Schweizerhof which is old school grandeur. The Kapellbrucke bridge is worth seeing plus you can get the train up mount Pilatus. A cable car trip up Mount Titlis is worth doing as you can go sledging at the top!
A word of warning about driving - speed cameras (and traffic light cameras) are everywhere, especially in the many tunnels, and they will enforce the speeding tickets. If you don't pay, then you will get stopped next time you enter the country and made to pay there and then.
Other than that, it is a very nice place to visit and probably the most civilised society I know.
 
Driving abroad is easy. Just take care and concentrate to ensure you look the correct way and junctions and you don't end up on the wrong side of the road when doing 3point turns.

I recommend Zermatt myself and the Matterhorn,.
 
I find it helpful to remember that one's driving position on a single carriageway road is next to the white line in the middle, just like in the UK. The only difference is that you're on the other side of it.

The area around Chamonix/ Mont Blanc is stunning, although just on the French side of the border. It's not far from Martigny (Switzerland) in the Rhone valley.

The mountain areas of the Alps are well set up for tourism, with lots of little railways and chair lifts to get you to out of the way places where you can't get to by car. There are also mountain huts and mountain hotels for overnight stays.
 
You used to need to buy a ticket/pass thing to allow you to use the motorway but a long time since I was there so don't know if this still applies.

They have zero sense of humour when it comes to speeding or any other 'anti social' behaviour.
 
My mantra for driving in Europe is 'look left go right' and it gets so drilled into my head that I find it confusing when I get back to the uk :LOL:

Switzerland is beautiful but yes, it closes on Sundays and is pretty expensive although given your penchant for Leica I doubt it will be restrictive :)

As said, zero sense of humour on speeding but it is actually amazingly easy to navigate, well signposted, good roads, great views and often a choice between the motorway (which can be a toll road) and a/b-roads depending on what you want to do.

I like Neuchatel and the drive from Geneva is very nice too. Alternatively from Geneva you can just head to the Alps which aren't that far away. I'm normally there on business so haven't done too much tourist stuff but my wife went there on a girls week away and the photos look amazing.

edit: the other surprising thing about Switzerland is their wine, which is absolutely amazing. They keep 98% of it as it is too expensive to export effectively but if you're into your wines be prepared to have a fine time.
 
Last edited:
Depending upon which route you take, you can take the E62 & cross the Simplon Pass between Brig in Switzerland and Domodossola in Northern Italy . It is a great drive with fantastic scenery, there was snow on the top when we drove across it a couple of weeks ago, it's a good route to get to/from the Italian Lakes.

Alternatively Thun & the Interlaken area are worth seeing, you can take a boat trip from Interlaken to Thun & return by rail. There are a couple of rack railways which take you up the mountains with fantastic views. You can get a train from Visp to visit Zermatt too.
 
Last edited:
You can cut down on the expense of Geneve hotels and eating places by staying just over the border in Annemasse ...... you can then take the tram into Geneve if you wish ........ but street parking is not too bad in Geneva but you will need swiss francs for most parking meters, some will take Euros

Switzerland is very very expensive but Annecy and France is not too far away ........ just look it up on the maps

Remember if you drive on Swiss Mways you need a Swiss motorway vignette ..... a permit that allows you to drive on their motorways ..... it is an annual one off fee, based on a calendar year but if you have a Swiss hire car they usually have one on the windscreen

The Swiss police are quite tight on policing the vignette system and also on speeding

(return ticket thru tunnels are usually a lot cheaper than two singles ........ if you need to return)
 
Last edited:
PS, when we say shut on Sundays, we mean totally shut. Make sure you have bought food on Saturday, even hotel restaurants, McDonalds, kebab shops shut. There's 1 restaurant I can think of in Geneva that opens.
 
but my wife went there on a girls week away and the photos look amazing.

Was it just me that probably read this wrong?!

For me, driving abroad is easy, in a left hand drive car. It's a bit more confusing if you take your own over there.

I have not spent loads of time in Switzerland but it is beautiful and from what I saw it fitted the stereotype in my head very well.

Look forward to the photos.
 
Depending upon which route you take, you can take the E62 & cross the Simplon Pass between Brig in Switzerland and Domodossola in Northern Italy . It is a great drive with fantastic scenery, there was snow on the top when we drove across it a couple of weeks ago, it's a good route to get to/from the Italian Lakes.

Alternatively Thun & the Interlaken area are worth seeing, you can take a boat trip from Interlaken to Thun & return by rail. There are a couple of rack railways which take you up the mountains with fantastic views. You can get a train from Visp to visit Zermatt too.

As Brian/broc says above, Interlaken is well worth a visit. As its name indicates, it's between two lakes. The mountain railway is fantastic. I would have stayed longer but I was a student and it was very pricey;)!

http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-gb/interlaken.html
 
Last edited:
Guys

I am planning a 10 day photo trip by car in Switzerland starting in Zurich and finishing in Geneva. This will be my first time in Switzerland, so any tips about driving on the funny side of the road and must see places would be much appreciated.
I'm planning on arriving in Zurich on the 10th July and leaving Geneva on the 20th
Up to now I have booked the first two nights in Zurich and the last night in Geneva and the car hire.
Thanks in advance for your recommendations

Neil

I traveled around Europe a couple of years back, down to lake Geneva, across Switzerland and back across the northern half of france. Loved the Alps and Switzerland. Highlights were Murren and the train up Jungfrau, and experiencing the scenery. Also loved Yvoire, a gorgeous little village on Lac Leman.
Re driving, i found a proper large screened satnav essential. Not only for the directions, but a glance at the screen kept reminding me which way to go around a roundabout, and which lane to use when turning left at traffic lights . Don't forget that the local language is German around Zurich and French around Geneva.
Spend at least 2 nights everywhere, one night isn't enough - once you've unpacked your bags at the new hotel / b+b, found somewhere for food the day is mostly gone. I would also limit travel to no more than 2hrs between hotels. An occasional lengthy drive isn't a problem, but when i go on another road trip will definitely not try and cover too much distance (2500 miles in 14 days when we went a couple of years ago). We did all the accommodation through booking.com, which was a great way of finding good b+b's. I would also avoid cities the next time, but thats just a personal holiday preference.

I go to Geneva for work a lot. Lake front and its beaches, Carouge. Les Grottes and Nations all worth a visit.

Down side is the cost. Prepare to be shocked. And it shuts on Sundays.

We stayed for a week on the south side of Lake Geneva / Leman in France, that can reduce the costs considerably.

You used to need to buy a ticket/pass thing to allow you to use the motorway but a long time since I was there so don't know if this still applies.

They have zero sense of humour when it comes to speeding or any other 'anti social' behaviour.

A vignette is what is needed.
 
Can you be more precise what you are looking for? I've been living here for over 10 years so happy to help :)
 
Okay this is my latest plan.
Its a lot more driving but we like driving, so our very flexible trip will now follow this path and we will book as we go so here is what I am thinking;
First two nights in Zurich (hotel Montana Zurich already booked)


Day 3 Stevilo Pass 4 1/2 hr drive

Day 4 Dolomites......4 1/2 hr drive

Day 5 & 6 in Venice ............ 2 1/2hr drive

Day 7 in or around Como............ 3hr drive

Day 8 Zermatt............2 1/2 hrs drive

Day 9 Lucerne...........4 hrs drive

Day 10 Genava (Hotel Bristol Booked) 3hrs drive

Day 11 Nigeria
sad.png
sad.png

italy2.JPG
 
I would "budget" extra driving time just in case. Even Switzerland has roadworks etc.! If you don't need the extra time, you've then got it on location for extra shooting/coffee.
 
Your route passes close by, but misses out the beautiful city of Aosta, in the Aosta valley, i've been there quite a few times and is well worth a visit.
 
Looks good, if ambitious! You may want to book more hotels in advance, hotels in tourist areas will likely be booked already. I know there have been occasions where I've struggled in Lucerne at my regular hotels due to several coach loads of Japanese and Americans taking up the entire hotel.
 
I've been to Zurich many times with work, and taken camera gear with me.
I've never opened a Carnet.
If you were a professional photographer and were going to be using your gear in that capacity, then yes, but otherwise I wouldn't bother.
Have a great trip, it sounds like it'll be fab. :)
 
Looks good, if ambitious! You may want to book more hotels in advance, hotels in tourist areas will likely be booked already. I know there have been occasions where I've struggled in Lucerne at my regular hotels due to several coach loads of Japanese and Americans taking up the entire hotel.
Andy
Right now I have only booked Zurich and Geneva.............my thinking is, for example if I arrive in Dolomites and plan to stay only one night but want to change it to two nights then I would be screwed if I have already booked the hotels in Venice. I will have a good GPS with me so my thinking is to pre-look at hotels in say Dolomites and have 1/2 a dozen names saved so that when we are near to dolomite we will at least be able to search the GPS for accommodation and have names of where we pre looked at.....if that makes sense.
 
I've been to Zurich many times with work, and taken camera gear with me.
I've never opened a Carnet.
If you were a professional photographer and were going to be using your gear in that capacity, then yes, but otherwise I wouldn't bother.
Have a great trip, it sounds like it'll be fab. :)
Hay Ruth,
I'm trying to get my head around what you meant by Carnet............
 
Hay Ruth,
I'm trying to get my head around what you meant by Carnet............

It's a customs document used for the temporary export, import, and transit of goods.
It's good for a year and makes customs formalities simpler, especially over multiple borders.
It's more used for commercial goods, or exhibition materials, and used a lot also by commercial photography/film companies as it means no customs bond or security is required.
It's not needed for holidays, or if you're taking gear for personal use on a business trip.
 
Looking at your route you will be driving right past me :) for the leg between Lucern and Bern I suggest going via Interlaken and driving up to see the Lauterbrunnen valley. If it was me I would make a stop over there too. It's incredible scenery.
 
It's a customs document used for the temporary export, import, and transit of goods.
It's good for a year and makes customs formalities simpler, especially over multiple borders.
It's more used for commercial goods, or exhibition materials, and used a lot also by commercial photography/film companies as it means no customs bond or security is required.
It's not needed for holidays, or if you're taking gear for personal use on a business trip.
Okay I got it..........Im just going on holiday
 
I would "budget" extra driving time just in case. Even Switzerland has roadworks etc.! If you don't need the extra time, you've then got it on location for extra shooting/coffee.
Yes. Especially around rush hour near towns and cities. Factor rush hour in, and use satnav traffic display. I was held up badly on Thursday as we had to pass Zürich just at the wrong time.

There is the danger on such trips to have a daily race for accommodation as the sun is setting. If you get up late, see the things you didn't get a chance to the evening you arrived, and stop for a leisurely lunch, before you know it, you'll be well behind schedule.

Andy
Right now I have only booked Zurich and Geneva.............my thinking is, for example if I arrive in Dolomites and plan to stay only one night but want to change it to two nights then I would be screwed if I have already booked the hotels in Venice. I will have a good GPS with me so my thinking is to pre-look at hotels in say Dolomites and have 1/2 a dozen names saved so that when we are near to dolomite we will at least be able to search the GPS for accommodation and have names of where we pre looked at.....if that makes sense.
Regarding out of town accommodation, I've always relied on the Zimmer Frei (B+B vacancy) signs as you pass them. Even in the most remote parts. So you can change your route, and it takes the pressure off dashing to catch up to be somewhere specific. And you don't get any nasty surprises when you get there. As you can pick a nice location when you see it. The downside is that sometimes there isn't one just when you need it. And typically there is a big gap til the next one. But if you don't leave it too late to look out, it is normally the most relaxing way. I've discovered some amazing places that way. Although the good ones are often not the cheapest.
 
Last edited:
Question. When driving from Switzerland to Italy do you need to queue up at passport control or is it a kind of drive through
 
Going into Italy will be quite relaxed, but lately, going the other way will likely be quite stringent. I bet there is not much of a hold up though. Rush hour, again is a problem as many people don't have Swiss residency and cross the border for work in Switzerland yet live in the neighbouring countries. It probably not much different if you are on the motorways or in the mountain roads.
 
Last edited:
Going into Italy will be quite relaxed, but lately, going the other way will likely be quite stringent. I bet there is not much of a hold up though. Rush hour, again is a problem as many people don't have Swiss residency and cross the border for work in Switzerland yet live in the neighbouring countries. It probably not much different if you are on the motorways or in the mountain roads.
Sorry one more.
I will be renting a car in Zurich (Avis) and dropping it in Geneva........no issues going to Italy with it??
 
Only Italian drivers going too fast and too close ;)
 
Not sure about the hire car issue, but when I nipped over the border into Germany from Switzerland last year, it was straight forward enough on the motorway - we just slowed down. They seemed more interested in the lorries. I believe they do randomly check cars - they're not happy about people bringing meat into Switzerland apparently!
 
Sorry one more.
I will be renting a car in Zurich (Avis) and dropping it in Geneva........no issues going to Italy with it??

Speak to Avis and tell them your plans. There might be some extra paperwork involved with crossing borders in rental cars, especially between EU and non-EU countries.
 
Speak to Avis and tell them your plans. There might be some extra paperwork involved with crossing borders in rental cars, especially between EU and non-EU countries.

I'd ring your supplier and check you're getting an EU plated car. Geneva airport was chaos this week, as a new regulation came into force preventing EU citizens driving non-EU registered cars in the EU.

You may need a vignette.
 
Holly crap..................I will call Avis and Budget in Switzerland on Monday and find out.......fingers crossed
My wife is Thai and holds an international Drivers License, maybe we can backdoor them that way :)

Out of interest, how long has your wife been resident in the UK?
If the international licence was issued outside the EC/EEA area, she could drive on it for 12 months but then needs to get a UK provisional and take the tests to drive legally.
Just a thought.
Don't know what the rules are in Switzerland.
 
Contact them and tell them to reserve a EU registered car for you, or ask if they have an alternative solution to that problem. By now Avis Switzerland will have a solution if they know in advance.
 
Last edited:
Out of interest, how long has your wife been resident in the UK?
If the international licence was issued outside the EC/EEA area, she could drive on it for 12 months but then needs to get a UK provisional and take the tests to drive legally.
Just a thought.
Don't know what the rules are in Switzerland.
Ruth
We live in Malaysia, and my wife's IDL was issued in Thailand. It is valid until August 2016
 
Back
Top