Cell phones – Arrived at the Zurich airport at 10:30 AM their time, with a good dose of jet lag. Our first stop, after collecting bags (our normal carry-on bag in the US was a little larger than European carry-on allowance, so we checked those bags) and going through customs, was to purchase a sim card for Sheila’s phone. My phone allowed me to use an esim card, but hers didn’t, so we had to install an actual card. We purchased one from Sunrise cellular, the first cell phone store we saw in the Zurich airport. 20 Swiss francs, about $22.

The sim and esim cards let us our phones for data, like maps, Messenger and FB. We didn’t have our US phone numbers or text messages.

Money – We used our credit cards just as easily as in the US. We did stop at an airport ATM to get some cash, just in case. However, it turned out we could have gotten by with very, very little cash. A few francs for tipping (which is a lot different than the US).

Language – There was no language problem during our entire stay. Everyone speaks at least three languages: German, French and English. There are also different versions of German, depending on where they came from. We were told, occasionally two German speakers might use different dialects and not understand each other, so they would negotiate another common language to converse in. And those living close to Italy spoke Italian, of course.

Trains and Transportation – It’s very easy to get around Switzerland without a car. In fact, it’s promoted in most of the online research we did. The Swiss train system is extremely reliable, on time, clean and safe. The locals use it every day for their public transportation. We used the Swiss train app on our phone to find departure times and platforms. Easy to use and very helpful. When you choose your starting point and destination, the app finds the best route. You can buy a ticket on the app, at a ticket machine or a counter from a human. We used the machine mostly. A ticket might include many modes of transportation, depending on the destination. One day we traveled on a boat, train and cog wheel train, all on the same ticket! Many destinations include riding a cable car (ski lift gondola).

Swiss timing is everything. If your ticket includes changing to another train or lift, typically your arrival time is a few minutes before the departure time of the next leg. So you don’t have to wait around very long. If you have to change tracks or platforms at a larger station, the walking time between platforms is figured in and shown on your ticket, so there is no confusion.

Itinerary

Lucerne – A ten minute train trip took us from the Zurich airport into the Zurich main station. We changed trains and continued for another hour to Lucerne, while watching the green scenery go by. Our hotel was only a block away from the main train station, but it was still too early for our room to be ready. We left our bags behind the counter while we began exploring. The helpful hotel clerk gave us a map and drew out a route for us through the Old Town. Only a block away from our hotel we saw the famous Chapel Bridge. An easy walk through Old Town took us to the Lion Monument, a carving in the side of the mountain of a lion. We stopped at a bakery for a hot, fresh out of the oven, apple strudel!

By the time we strolled back to our hotel, we were able check in to our room and grabbed a cat nap to assuage our jet lag. Then back to Old Town for an early dinner.

The next day was a trip to Mt. Rigi, about 6,000 feet above sea level. Quite a view. After a boat ride across the lake, we took a cog wheel train. A third rail is the cog, used to keep the train from sliding down the mountain on steep grades.

On the way back, we stopped at the Transportation Museum, then took a bus back to the hotel. Dinner across the Chapel Bridge and around the corner to an Italian restaurant for pizza.

Murren– Purchased tickets from the machine at Lucerne main train station for a 3 hour ride to Murren, in the mountains. The first 2 ½ hours was via the train. A very comfortable way to travel. The weather was rainy and cool, but the train was clean and dry. We watched the Swiss scenery go by. A change of trains near the end of the journey and then on to a cable car to go up the side of the mountain from Lauterbrunnen to Grutschalp. Here we changed one last time to a smaller train for the last fifteen minutes into Murren.urren is a small town at 5,400 feet elevation. We checked in and went for a walk along one of the hiking trails above town. The small town of Gimmelwald was below us in the valley and the Alps just across the valley.

Jungfraujoch – The next morning we woke up to snow and heavy clouds. Our original plan for the day was to go up to the Schilthorn peak at over 9,700 feet. We checked the webcams at the peak during breakfast, and it was even worse than the clouds and snow in Murren, so we decided to go down to Lauterbrunnen and explore there. It’s always recommended to have an alternate plan in case of weather changes. Our breakfast choices in Murren always included cold cut ham, raw bacon and raw summer sausage. I guess it was smoked, not raw, but it looked awful raw. We ate other stuff.

After walking through Lauterbrunnen and seeing the Staubach Falls, we took the Info Center’s advise and went to the east side of the valley by train and up into the Jungfraujoch region. We looked around the Eigergletscher railway station and ski area (7,600 feet), then took the Eiger Express cable car down to Grindewald, where we caught the train back to our starting point. All on the same railway ticket!

Schilthorn: The next morning was the Schilthorn day. It was sunny and clear. Schilthorn is the mountain peak above Murren and the location of the Piz Gloria rotating restaurant that was the site of the 1969 James Bond movie, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. The cable car ride from Murren is less than 20 minutes, with a change in Birg. The peak is over 9,700 feet in elevation.

On a clear day you can see into Germany and France. We ate brunch in the restaurant while looking out over the skiers and peaks. On the way down, at our cable car change at the Birg station, we walked around the outside of the mountain on the suspension catwalk. A sturdy grate and railing that we could see through, all the way to the bottom. There was a twenty foot section of cable provided to walk on, tightrope style, with cable side rails, for an extra thrill.

While riding down the cable car, we saw a paraglider with skis and soon realized he was going to land with his parasail, then ski on down the mountain. As he got close to the ground, his chute (sail) suddenly collapsed and he lost a lot of altitude very quickly. Everyone watching thought we were witnessing his death. Just as suddenly he maneuvered a little, the chute filled with air and he landed softly. He pulled his gear in and away he went on skis!

Zurich – The last morning in the mountains was a little rainy. We took the train to Zurich for our last night in Switzerland. We walked through the Zurich Old Town, and through the narrow cobblestone paved streets. Pedestrian only traffic. We ate in a German café. In the morning, an easy 10 minute train ride put us in the middle of the airport for the trip home.

More Photos: