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DuPaul Family · Party of 11
SWITZERLAND 2026
WED NOV 25 – MON NOV 30 · ZURICH IN / ZURICH OUT
Trip Overview
Everything for the family Switzerland trip — itinerary, where to book and pay for your own pieces, a shared checklist, and quick-reference info. Bookmark this page.
⚠ Two things need action this week
1) St. Gallen was originally booked for all 5 nights — the plan now only needs it for Wed Nov 25. Call/email the hotel to reduce the reservation to 1 night and cancel or modify the rest before the cancellation window closes.
2) Interlaken-area lodging is still undecided (Lauterbrunnen / Grindelwald / Wengen / Interlaken hotel) and inventory for 11 people is tightening. Decide and book this week.
11
Travelers
6
Days
5
Nights
4
Cities
Who's Going
Chris, Lauren, Charlotte, Victoria (13)Flying from US
IsaacAlready in Switzerland — joins the whole trip
Don & Pat (Chris's parents)Flying from US · active pace · continuing to Paris Monday
Neil, Rayne + kids (A & R)Flying from US · depart early Mon
Cities & Nights
City
Nights
Status
St. Gallen
1 (Wed)
✓ Booked* — reduce from 5 nights
Lucerne
1 (Thu)
Hotel/chalet — not yet selected
Interlaken area
2 (Fri–Sat)
⚠ Location undecided
Zurich
1 (Sun)
Hotel, 5 rooms — to book
Trip Threads
Transport
2 rental vans Wed–Fri (return in Lucerne). Trains/cable cars only from Sat onward. Swiss Travel Pass covers Sat–Mon.
Signature days
Mount Rigi (Fri), Luzern–Interlaken scenic train (Fri), Schilthorn Thrill Walk (Sat), Lindt Chocolate (Sun), 3 Christmas markets.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
VanTrainCable carMarketFlight
Day 1 — Arrival + St. GallenWED · NOV 25
ZRH → St. Gallen — 1 night ✓ booked* (*originally booked 5 nights — reduce)
12:00 PM
Pick up 2 rental vans at ZRH — winter tires + automatic
1:30 PM
Check in, St. Gallen
2:30 PM
Isaac-led walk: old town, HSG, painted oriels
5:00 PM
St. Gallen Christmas Market opens tonight
7:00 PM
Group dinner — Restaurant Falkenburg
Day 2 — St. Gallen → LucerneTHU · NOV 26
St. Gallen → Lucerne — 1 night · hotel/chalet not yet selected
Travel to Stechelberg (shortest from Lauterbrunnen)
10:30 AM
Schilthorn + Piz Gloria — Bond summit, revolving restaurant
11:45 AM
Thrill Walk at Birg — glass-floor cliff walk
2:00 PM
Return to lodging; free afternoon
7:00 PM
Fondue night
Day 5 — Caves + Lindt + ZurichSUN · NOV 29
Interlaken area (checkout) → Zurich — 1 night, hotel to book
8:30 AM
Breakfast, pack up, check out
9:45 AM
🎒 Bags into Interlaken Ost lockers
10:00 AM
St. Beatus Caves (~1 hr, shortened for Lindt)
12:04 PM
Earlier train to Zurich via Bern — moved up for Lindt
2:00 PM
Check into Zurich hotel, drop bags
2:45 PM
S-Bahn to Kilchberg (~15 min)
3:15 PM
Lindt Home of Chocolate — 11 timed tickets booked in advance
5:45 PM
Zurich Christmas Markets
7:30 PM
Group dinner — Neil & Rayne's last night
Day 6 — Zurich morning + departures (3-way split)MON · NOV 30
Zurich → ZRH Airport — everyone departs today, three different ways
6:00 AM
Neil & Rayne's family fly out
9:30 AM
Grossmünster tower climb — remaining group
10:30 AM
Niederdorf + Lindenhof + lake promenade
12:30 PM
Bahnhofstrasse — last shopping
~1:00 PM
Don & Pat depart Zurich for Paris — continuing on for several days, separate flight
2:15 PM
Train Zurich HB → ZRH Airport — remaining group
5:00 PM
Flight departs — home
Book & Pay
Each person books and pays for their own pieces. Tap through to the official site for each — nothing here charges you directly. Tap Mark as booked once you've reserved something so the group can see progress at a glance.
Rail & Transport
Swiss Travel Pass
Decided
3-day pass covering Sat–Mon. 6 adults + Charlotte need one; Victoria + Neil's kids ride free with the Swiss Family Card (request at purchase). Isaac assumed to have his own.
Remainder of family undecided or booking unscheduled.
Excursions & Tickets
Rigi — cable car route
Decided
Aerial cable car Weggis → Rigi Kaltbad, then a short cogwheel connector to the summit. Confirmed running through Dec 12, 2026. Replaces Stanserhorn (closed for the season Nov 22) — Titlis's Rotair and Pilatus's Kriens cableway are both also under maintenance around these dates, so this is the reliable pick that still gives a real cable car ride.
Sun Nov 29, ~3:15 PM in Kilchberg — moved to Sunday so Neil & Rayne can join before their early Monday flight. Book 11 timed-entry tickets in advance; high demand.
Checks are saved on this device only — each family should go through this on their own phone. Tap the reset link at the bottom if you need to start over.
Overall progress0 / 0
🔴 This Week
🟡 Within 2 Weeks
🟢 2-3 Weeks Before
Quick Reference
Emergency Contacts
Swiss all-emergency: 112
Police / fire / ambulance: 117 / 118 / 144
U.S. Embassy Bern (24/7): +41 31 357 70 11
U.S. Consular Agency Zurich: +41 43 499 29 60
Money
Currency: Swiss Franc (CHF), ≈ $1.15
Cards widely accepted; carry some cash for markets
No foreign transaction fee card recommended
Apps to Download
SBB Mobile — trains, tickets, delays
WhatsApp — family group chat
Google Translate — German offline pack
Offline maps for Switzerland
Luggage Plan
Bags travel with the group — not shipped ahead
Sun Nov 29: stored in Interlaken Ost lockers (~CHF 9/large locker) during caves
Retrieved before boarding the Zurich train
Packing
Waterproof winter jacket, warm hat, gloves
Wool socks, waterproof boots with grip
Type J Swiss plug adapters
Layers — 25–45°F, possible snow
Open Decisions
Interlaken-area lodging location
Lucerne hotel vs. chalet
St. Gallen booking still needs reducing
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