Switzerland: Best Two-Week Trip by Train
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Rick's Favorite Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Zürich, head to Appenzell, sleep in Appenzell or Ebenalp
Day 2: All day for Appenzell and Ebenalp, sleep in Appenzell or Ebenalp
Day 3: Leave early for Luzern, sleep in Luzern
Day 4: Luzern, sleep in Luzern
Day 5: William Tell Express to Lugano, sleep in Lugano
Day 6: Bernina Express to Pontresina area, sleep in Pontresina
Day 7: Pontresina area (St. Moritz, Pontresina, Samedan, lifts and hikes), sleep in Pontresina
Day 8: Take Glacier Express; if good weather, head for Zermatt; if bad weather, consider going straight to Lausanne, sleep in Zermatt (or Lausanne)
Day 9: Zermatt, Matterhorn-view lifts and hikes, sleep in Zermatt
Day 10: If good weather, spend more time in Zermatt, go late to Lausanne; if bad weather, leave early for Lausanne; sleep in Lausanne
Day 11: Take the Golden Pass to the Berner Oberland. If good weather, go early; if bad weather, linger in Lausanne/Lake Geneva area and leave late; sleep in Gimmelwald or Mürren
Day 12: All day for lifts and hikes in the Berner Oberland, sleep in Gimmelwald or Mürren
Day 13: More time in the Berner Oberland, sleep in Gimmelwald or Mürren
Day 14: Early to Bern, then on to Zürich, sleep in Zürich
Day 15: More time in Zürich or fly home
Zermatt is not worth the trip in bad weather. If your reservations are flexible, consider skipping that leg and going straight to Lausanne (take the Glacier Express only to Visp, then change for Lausanne). Visit Zermatt later, when the clouds part.
If you have extra time in Switzerland, I'd suggest spending it in (listed in order of priority): Murten and Bern, Zürich, Lausanne and the Lake Geneva area, Lugano (relaxing) or the Luzern area (day trips). For a short trip of a week or so, I'd just focus on the Berner Oberland, Luzern, and Bern.
Priority of Sightseeing Stops in Switzerland
Depending on the length of your trip, here are my recommended priorities. Assuming you'll be traveling by train, I've taken geographic proximity and likely transportation connections into account.
3 days: Berner Oberland
5 days, add: Luzern
7 days, add: Bern and Lausanne, connecting with Golden Pass scenic rail journey
10 days, add: Zermatt and Appenzell, linking with Glacier Express train
14 days, add: Lugano and Pontresina area, connecting with Bernina Express and William Tell Express train rides
16 days, add: Zürich and Murten
21 days, add: More day trips (Central Switzerland, French Swiss countryside), more hikes, and time to slow down
For up-to-date specifics, see the latest edition of the Rick Steves' Switzerland guidebook. We also offer free-spirited tours of Switzerland.