Do I need to take a TGV or Eurail to reach switzerland from PAris CDG airport? Which would be the best option?

Question

I would like to visit switzerland for two days. I will be travelling from Paris. Could anyone tell me which are the best places in switzerland and how can I cover them better by train? Do I need to take a TGV or Eurail? Where to get off and how to travel further.

Answer 1

Well, you should get to the "Gare de l'Est" in Paris to catch the TGV to Lausanne or Geneva (both are interesting towns, including Lake Geneva), then take trains to: Berne - Lucerne - St. Gallen - Zurich - Berne

Berne and Lucerne are near the mountains - so both places you can have regional trains bringing you into the Alps, so you can catch a cablecar or special train up to a mountain.

Most famous mountains with direct access are Jungfrau, Rigi, Pilatus and some more...

The famous Glacier express would limit your journey too much, as the stations are off the general travelling routes.

Answer 2

Hi there,

good question, I quickly did a check for you on the Swiss Federal Railway (SBB) and the approximate travel time from Paris to Switzerland is around 7 hours.

Just put in Paris as starting point and a city in Switzerland you would like to go to and you will get the best connections.

Your bigger problem is being at GDG airport, from were you might have to take the Paris Metro to any of the larger train stations in Paris.

My first bet would be to get to Basel and then take Switzerland from there.

What would you like to see?

Nice cities - I prefer Zurich or Luzerne over Geneva

Mountains - take the train to Interlaken - Grindelwald and enjoy the Bernese Mountains

If you have more questions feel free to mail me.

Ina

Answer 3

If you're only here for two days, don't bother with the cities; head straight for the mountains.

If you're leaving Paris at night, take the night train to Chur, then head up to Davos, St. Moritz, etc. on the Glacier Express, or through to Italy on the Bernina Express. (If Italy, then head back by bus to Lugano.)

If you're leaving Paris in the morning, take the TGV to Geneva or Lausanne, train to Montreux and then the Golden Pass Panoramic to Zweisimmen. Nice places near there are Thun and Spiez.