Scenic drives in Switzerland in February
 

I am going to Switzerland for about a week in the middle of February. I
was wondering if someone can help me about the weather. I guess, if
there is much snow i wouldn't be able to make any drive. Can you suggest
me something? Thanks a lot in advance. Madhu


--
swxtytym
Message Origin: TRAVEL.com

Scenic drives in Switzerland in February
 

Am Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:12:37 -0600 schrieb swxtytym:

I am going to Switzerland for about a week in the middle of February. I
was wondering if someone can help me about the weather. I guess, if
there is much snow i wouldn't be able to make any drive.

As long as you don't want to cross any passes you should be fine driving
around. Motorways are usually free of snow, smaller roads can have snow, so
you should have winter-tires on your car. If you want to go in the
mountains it could be a good idea to bring snow-chains as well. But
normally you can do without, unless you climb really steap little roads.

Can you suggest
me something? Thanks a lot in advance. Madhu

Anything alongside the lakes (Thuner See, Brienzer See...) should be fine
even in winter. Great scenery. It should also be no problem to go through
the Lötschbergtunnel from Kandersteg to Brig. There you drive your car on a
train and the train takes your car through the tunnel to the southern side
of the alps. Takes about 30 Minutes and something like 25 CHF per car one
way (not sure exactly how much). It's the old Lötschberg-tunnel, not the
new one (the rout with the old one is more scenic).

Once you are in Wallis, you can maybe make it to Montreux and drive
alongside Lake Geneva. There the climate will be rather mild, and probably
snow-free in February.

Regards,

Frank

Scenic drives in Switzerland in February
 

On Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:12:37 -0600, swxtytym wrote:

I am going to Switzerland for about a week in the middle of February. I
was wondering if someone can help me about the weather. I guess, if
there is much snow i wouldn't be able to make any drive. Can you suggest
me something? Thanks a lot in advance. Madhu

Anybody know how to open a web browser, get it to open a search site
like google. Anybody know how to come up with a clever search string
like "switzerland weather"?

thanks in advance.

Scenic drives in Switzerland in February
 

you dont need chains

this small roads where you could need chains are for residents only


"Frank Hucklenbroich" a écrit dans le message de
news: ...
Am Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:12:37 -0600 schrieb swxtytym:

I am going to Switzerland for about a week in the middle of February. I
was wondering if someone can help me about the weather. I guess, if
there is much snow i wouldn't be able to make any drive.

As long as you don't want to cross any passes you should be fine driving
around. Motorways are usually free of snow, smaller roads can have snow,
so
you should have winter-tires on your car. If you want to go in the
mountains it could be a good idea to bring snow-chains as well. But
normally you can do without, unless you climb really steap little roads.

Can you suggest
me something? Thanks a lot in advance. Madhu

Anything alongside the lakes (Thuner See, Brienzer See...) should be fine
even in winter. Great scenery. It should also be no problem to go through
the Lötschbergtunnel from Kandersteg to Brig. There you drive your car on
a
train and the train takes your car through the tunnel to the southern side
of the alps. Takes about 30 Minutes and something like 25 CHF per car one
way (not sure exactly how much). It's the old Lötschberg-tunnel, not the
new one (the rout with the old one is more scenic).

Once you are in Wallis, you can maybe make it to Montreux and drive
alongside Lake Geneva. There the climate will be rather mild, and probably
snow-free in February.

Regards,

Frank

Scenic drives in Switzerland in February
 

the weather in the mountains is not know more then 3-5 days ahead


"AZ Nomad" a écrit dans le message de news:
...
On Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:12:37 -0600, swxtytym
wrote:

I am going to Switzerland for about a week in the middle of February. I
was wondering if someone can help me about the weather. I guess, if
there is much snow i wouldn't be able to make any drive. Can you suggest
me something? Thanks a lot in advance. Madhu

Anybody know how to open a web browser, get it to open a search site
like google. Anybody know how to come up with a clever search string
like "switzerland weather"?

thanks in advance.

Scenic drives in Switzerland in February
 

Am Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:39:44 +0100 schrieb trallala:

the weather in the mountains is not know more then 3-5 days ahead

Full ACK. You never know. Last year they did have about 20 centimeters of
fresh snow in the mountain-region around Berne at the start of October. At
the same time two years before they did have sunshine and +15 degrees
centigrade. You can never tell in advance.

Regards,

Frank

Scenic drives in Switzerland in February
 

On Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:38:51 +0100, trallala wrote in post :
:

you dont need chains

this small roads where you could need chains are for residents only

Rubbish.

If you stick to really main roads or built-up areas you /probably/ won't
need them, unless you get a heavy fall of snow. Anywhere else and you might
need chains at any time. If the road has a blue snow-chain sign
[http://www.vs-wallis.ch/Images/logos...hneekette.gif] then you MUST
mount them or risk a heavy fine. Except in the canton of Graubünden where
4WD are exempt from chain use on the main roads.

Also, no GPS with radar/GATSO warning function or positions. They might
confiscate the whole equipment.

--
Tim C.

Scenic drives in Switzerland in February
 

Am Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:38:51 +0100 schrieb trallala:

you dont need chains

this small roads where you could need chains are for residents only

Depends where you going. Those villages in the Bernese Oberland that are at
1400 metres and above can have so much snow that chains have to be used
even on normal roads (the fold out signs then that make chains compulsory).
But it rarely happens and normally only lasts a day or so (until they
cleared up most of the snow).

If you rent a car there get a 4x4 (Subaru is very popular in Switzerland)
and you can spare those chains.

Reagards,

Frank

Scenic drives in Switzerland in February
 

Thanks a lot, all. I mainly plan to take safer roads and see what I can.
I know it is winter time and i am not planning to go wild for any
reasons. I was mainly asking suggestions for scenic highways or major
raods that will not be closed (unless something crazy happens). I will
have just two days to do so as rest of the time will go in goddamn
conference......sshhhh....i don't want my boss to see it!...thanks a
lot....Madhu


--
swxtytym
Message Origin: TRAVEL.com

Scenic drives in Switzerland in February
 

On 16 jan, 22:22, swxtytym
wrote:
Thanks a lot, all. I mainly plan to take safer roads and see what I
can.
I know it is winter time and i am not planning to go wild for any
reasons. I was mainly asking suggestions for scenic highways or
major
raods that will not be closed (unless something crazy happens). I
will
have just two days to do so as rest of the time will go in goddamn
conference......sshhhh....i don't want my boss to see it!...thanks a
lot....Madhu

I would nevertheless at least check for train and
other public transporation options.

As all major mountain pass roads are closed (usually
from October/November to May/June), driving in
Switzerland imho no fun any more (to much traffic
to many traffic jams) and access to some resorts
limited to public transporation, I would check for
some train round trips. Depending where you will
start your journey (Geneva, Zurich ... ?), consider
Chur or St.Moritz to Zermatt (or the other way
round), Montreux to Interlaken, Interlaken to
Lucerne.

More on those scenic rail-tours and also prices for
passes and time-tables at
http://www.sbb.ch/en/index.htm
http://www.swisstravelsystem.ch/en/
http://www.swisstravelsystem.ch/en/c...ts/swiss-pass/

No reason to believe all marketing pics, but
have a look at
http://www.swisstravelsystem.ch/index.php?id=158&L=1

As some passes are also valid for postal bus
service, you might even consider using that
excellent bus services for a side trip to some
mountain village (such as Grimentz and Zinal
out of Sierre - spectaculare all year round)
And I would recommend a lake steamer trip on
lake Geneva (especially Lausanne-Villeneuve
area) or lake Lucerne

Car has some advantages especially
regarding flexibility and speed, and if you
should opt for a car, avoid driving in cities
(definitely during rush-hours), adjust your
trip according to weather forecast, especially
if you are not familiar with driving in real winter
conditions.

Heavy snow-falls in lower areas and Southern
Switzerland are not really frequent and most
of time, highways and main roads are
cleaned up quite fast. But most of the real
scenic routes imho are at higher altitudes.

Have fun!