Europe - Evian to Lauterbrunnen for the day??

Is it realistic to think I can do do a day trip from Evian-les-Bains to Lauterbrunnen?

Bobette

Go to the Swiss railway website, cff.ch and have a look. It's about 4 hours each way, starting with a boat from Evian to Lausanne.
I'm not sure I would recommend this, as it seems a long time to spend on transport and you need to be comfortable with multiple changes getting from Ouchy to Lausanne rail station, etc., but feasible technically, the answer is yes.
Note, if you're an anorak and like trains and boats and scenic rides, why not;)

I'm not sure I would recommend this, as it seems a long time to spend on transport and you need to be comfortable with multiple changes getting from Ouchy to Lausanne rail station, etc., but feasible technically, the answer is yes.
Note, if you're an anorak and like trains and boats and scenic rides, why not;)

I agree.

It should take around 4 hours each way and it should go something like this (best to leave latest on the 7am boat from Evian):
Evian - Lausanne [Ouchy] - 35 min - Boat schedule (http://www.cgn.ch/horaires/doSearch.php)
Walk from Ouchy pier to Ouchy M2 metro station - 3 minutes - walk towards the left as you exit the pier (http://wikitravel.org/upload/en/3/30/Lausanne-Ouchy.png)
Lausanne Ouchy Metro - Lausanne train station - 5 minutes Metro schedule (http://www.t-l.ch/images/pdf/12/brochure12/m2_a.pdf) (they run every 10 min worst case)
Lausanne station - Lauterbrunnen 2h40 with 2 train changes (avrg 2 trains per hour)- Swiss rail website (http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html)


GBM

Go to the Swiss railway website, cff.ch and have a look. It's about 4 hours each way, starting with a boat from Evian to Lausanne.
I'm not sure I would recommend this, as it seems a long time to spend on transport and you need to be comfortable with multiple changes getting from Ouchy to Lausanne rail station, etc., but feasible technically, the answer is yes.
Note, if you're an anorak and like trains and boats and scenic rides, why not;)


We would be driving and it looks to be about 2 1/2 hours by car. So is it realistic with a car?

Bobette

We would be driving and it looks to be about 2 1/2 hours by car. So is it realistic with a car?


If you split driving duties, it could be done, but would be a tiring day.

I usually take the highway through Bern when driving from Geneva to Interlaken, as it is faster though longer than the scenic drive through the mountains, but it is an unrewarding drive apart from the section after Bern when the Alps start filling the horizon.

Starting from Evian you could take your pick of 3 routing variants through the mountains. IIRC the middle one via Aigle/Château-d'Oex is the less tortuous drive.

If you want to drive through some of the alpine passes (a great experience but for summer only, sometimes the highest ones can be temporarily closed as early as September), I'd recommend taking your time and overnighting at your destination, as being in a hurry on such roads is not enjoyable, especially in a less nimble vehicle.

If you split driving duties, it could be done, but would be a tiring day.

I usually take the highway through Bern when driving from Geneva to Interlaken, as it is faster though longer than the scenic drive through the mountains, but it is an unrewarding drive apart from the section after Bern when the Alps start filling the horizon.

Starting from Evian you could take your pick of 3 routing variants through the mountains. IIRC the middle one via Aigle/Château-d'Oex is the less tortuous drive.

If you want to drive through some of the alpine passes (a great experience but for summer only, sometimes the highest ones can be temporarily closed as early as September), I'd recommend taking your time and overnighting at your destination, as being in a hurry on such roads is not enjoyable, especially in a less nimble vehicle.

Thanks for the advice, monahos. Thats what i will do. I would be taking the A12 because I am stopping at Romont first. Then I think I will take route 189 (I think that's it) and stop for lunch in Gruyeres for a bit of raclette and meringue on the way to Lauterbrunnen. We'll take the Aigle route on the way back the next day.

Bobette

I would be taking the A12 because I am stopping at Romont first. Then I think I will take route 189 (I think that's it) and stop for lunch in Gruyeres for a bit of raclette and meringue on the way to Lauterbrunnen.

^ for your itinerary, which will give you diverse and contrasting glimpses of Switzerland in a short period. Romont, though off the usual tourist track, has a quiet dignity conducive to reflexion.

^ for your itinerary, which will give you diverse and contrasting glimpses of Switzerland in a short period. Romont, though off the usual tourist track, has a quiet dignity conducive to reflexion.

I have to go to Romont to put flowers on my family's graves. Otherwise it wouldn't be a destination in itself although I think I'll visit the stained glass museum there this time. It is a quaint little town and, indeed, conducive to reflection since there's not much else to do there.

monahos, should I be looking at a different town to spend the night? I just picked Lauterbrunnen because it looks like a beautiful place. Would Grindelwald be better? Or someplace else?

Bobette