Sustainable Travel - Switzerland by Train, Bus and Boat

Varsha Pherwani on 26 June 2021
Sustainability is at the forefront of everyone's mind when travelling in the 'New World'. Hotel chains, tour operators, airlines, nations and even travellers are making a conscious part in reducing their carbon footprint and think responsibly. As we see the shift in the way the millennials are choosing to travel we are also noticing ‘ gen-X and even ‘baby boomers’ switching over to travelling more consciously. In this blog, I have shared my recent travel experience in Switzerland where I had the opportunity to travel by train, bus and boat in absolute luxury surrounded by the lakes and mountains of this wonderful country.

When it comes to the world-famous Swiss watches we all have heard the term Swiss precision. The Swiss precision is also evident in the ‘Swiss Travel System’ network throughout the country. The transport system connectivity between the trains, buses and boats work hand in hand with each other. I had a chance to experience this for myself on a one week trip organized and hosted by the Switzerland Tourism Board to explore three different cities in Switzerland. The trip was organized and sponsored by our Swiss Partners including Swiss International Airlines, Swiss Deluxe Hotels, Park Hyatt Zurich, Lucerne Tourism Board, Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne, Mt. Pilatus, Swiss Travel System, Park Hotel Vitznau, Ameron Davos Swiss Mountain Resort, The Dolder Grand and Davos Klosters Tourism Board. My one-week itinerary in Switzerland included one night in Zurich, two nights in Lucerne, two nights in Davos and one night in Zurich before my flight back to Dubai.

What's it like to fly Premium on Swiss International Airlines? After dropping off our bags at the dedicated check-in counter for Premium Class we headed straight to Ahlan Lounge pre-departure to catch up over a glass of Prosecco. The airline of Switzerland takes pride in showcasing its tradition and culture and you can experience this right from boarding with the small personal touches and attention to details throughout the flight with their service, amenities and food onboard. The seats were total comfort with fully reclining beds and we were glad we had the opportunity to shut our eyes on this red-eye flight from Dubai to Zurich. Highlights of the Swiss Travel Pass: Travelling around Switzerland by train, bus and boat is not only a transfer from a destination to another - it is part of the Swiss experience! The Swiss Travel Pass is an all-in-one ticket, it is the key to Switzerland’s public transport network. It does not only include unlimited travel by train, bus and boat but it also gives you admission to some of the mountain excursions as well as free admission to more than 500 museums throughout Switzerland. I highly recommend taking advantage of their luggage services which can be organized for a fee. With this service, your luggage is transported from point A to B. We had the opportunity to use this service and it was absolutely seamless to travel hands-free from one city to another.

Day 1: Our transfers were organized by Park Hyatt Zurich and we made our way to the hotel in style in a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce. We were put up at Park Hyatt Zurich which is centrally located by Lake Zurich and is easily accessible to all major tourist hotspots in Zurich. During our one night stay here we had the opportunity to explore around Lake Zurich and the Old Town not only by foot, bike and E Tuk Tuk but we also hopped on the tram and ventured out to the city centre to dine at Hiltl, the oldest vegetarian restaurant in the world.

Day 2: I took the train from Zurich main station to Lucerne around mid-day and found myself in Lucerne within an hour. I joined the other crew at Hotel Schweizerhof where we were put for our two-night stay in Lucerne. Set on the lakefront the neoclassical building features palatial rooms with a view of Lake Lucerne and the Alps. If you are in Lucerne it's hard to miss this grand hotel with its windows lit up with different colours at night right at the beginning of Schwanenplatz, the famous shopping street for watches.

Day 3: Today was a jam-packed day full of adventure in Lucerne starting with a trip to Mt. Pilatus, followed by a boat cruise from Alpnachstad on Lake Lucerne to the Verkehrshaus Lido. We visited the Vekherhaus Swiss Transport Museum and hopped onto the Swiss Chocolate Adventure Show in the same complex of exhibits. We took the public bus from the Verkehrshaus Lido station back to the city centre in time for dinner. Our Swiss Travel Pass gave us free access to all the transport we took on this day except for the admission to mountain excursion atop Mt. Pilatus and to the Swiss Transport Museum where we availed of a fifty per cent discount for the entries to both these places with our Swiss Travel Pass. Day 4: Before heading to Davos in the afternoon we had a quick walking city tour of the Lucerne. This was not my first time in Lucerne, it's my favourite city with its chapel bridge and narrow alleyways. This time around I fell even more in love thanks to our local guide who us around this quaint city.

In the afternoon we departed by train from Lucerne to Davos Klosters. We checked in at Ameron Davos Swiss Mountain Resort. Upon check-in, at any resort in Davos, you receive a Davos Premium Card which gives you free access to many activities and excursions in the region that suit different ages and people with varied interests.

Day 5: We started our morning with a visit to Schatzalp also known as the Magic Mountain. We then took a horse carriage ride through the valleys of Davos to a traditional restaurant Bergfuhrer for lunch. We visited Family Conrad’s farm where we baked Nusstorte, a regional tart. We then walked off the lunch with a hike up to see the waterfall in the nearby mountains. Day 6: This morning before heading back to Zurich we took a train ride in Nostalgic train to Filisur and back which was included as an excursion in the Davos Premium Card. Our last night in Zurich was spent at the magnificent The Dolder Grand.

The Grand Tour of Switzerland combines the most beautiful panoramic train lines and highlights. Why not take your travels to the next level and travel in luxury by hopping on the Grand Tour of Switzerland with Swiss Deluxe Hotels which can be tailor-made as per your preferences and varied interests whether your interest lies in Art, Museums and Boutique Towns; UNESCO World Heritage Sites; Mountain Passes or Wellness, Spa & Water.