Best Route from Zurich to Saas-Fee

Transportation, Travel and Trips
1
Hi All,

Im driving to Saas-Fee Skiing in a few weeks and wondered if anyone could suggets the best route as each time i go onto Google and TomTom Route planner they both give me different routes, TomTom changes as per the time of day.

The strangest one is that TomTom says i need to get a ferry through a mountain at Kanderstag but I guess this is a tunnel. Is the tunnel good to use or should i go round?

Route 1 taking the tunnel is down towards bern, Thun, Frutigen, Kanderstag

Route 2 which i think i may take is Zug, Gerasu, Altdorf, Munster-Geschinen, Brig-Glis

thanks,

2
It is a tunnel indeed, but for trains. You put your car onto a train and are being transported through the Lötschbergtunnel. Look here for details in English: http://www.bls.ch/e/autoverlad/autoverlad.php

You may have to queue for up to a few hours, since this is a very popular route.

No idea why you would go via Gersau. Zug-Schwyz-Andermatt-Altdorf-Munster-Brig might make sense, but is probably more of a challenge to drive in snow/winter conditions compared to the other route.

3
The challenge will be that the Furkapass is (almost certainly) closed during winter. However, you can take a train transport from Realp to Oberwald through the Furkatunnel. See here for (German only) details http://www.matterhorngotthardbahn.ch...s/default.aspx

4
Can't help you much about driving there using your GPS, but if it helps, I took the PostAuto bus from Brig to Saas-Fee last week ( 70 mins or 50 if from Visp ):

Brig(–Brigerbad)–Visp–Stalden–Saas–Saas-Fee

Route

5
Doesn't the Zug Altdorf Andermatt Brig Saas Fee route need the train through the Furka anyway? Perhaps the difference at different times of day is due to the varied waiting times at the entrance to the tunnels.

Too slow at map-reading! Others got there first.

6
Michelin offers 3 routes

http://www.viamichelin.de/web/Routenplaner - select Schweiz!

via Lucerne, Göschenen & Visp, 3 hours 48 minutes, 218 Km, no train (Difficult route in bad weather, Furkapass might be closed)

via Berne, Vevey, Sion, 4 hours, 355 Km, no train (Long route but easy)

via Lucerne, Interlaken, Steg, 3 hours 39 mins, 203 Km, (Short drive, but expensive)

+ CHF 90 train single fare for a single car. Must reserve early !

http://www.bls-shop.ch/bls_release/frmReservation.aspx

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You cannot drive in Saas Fee, you have to park outside and take an electric taxi to the hotel, so you might find taking the train is best

www.sbb,ch CHF 101,20 for a single ticket full price 2nd class, 3 hours 24 minutes,

S4, Inter City to Visp, Bus, reserve seat now ! Good views, no stress, quickest journey

[](http://fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/query.exe/dn?ld=&i=fc.011943245.1293550610&n=2&uscid=0) Adliswil Sa, 15.01.11 depart 09:35 [](http://fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/query.exe/dn?ld=&i=fc.011943245.1293550610&n=2&uscid=1) Saas-Fee, Busterminal arrive 12:59

Saas Fee town website, http://www.saas-fee.ch/en/accessing_resorts.cfm

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Car-parks / visitor's card

Saas-Fee is car-free! You can leave your car in the covered car-park or at the outdoor car-park at the entrance to the village. You can take your luggage to your holiday apartment or hotel in an electrically-powered taxi or with a handcart, and then you can start to enjoy your holiday without your car! Ask the owner of your apartment or hotel about the transportation of luggage before you come. All hotels and some holiday apartments offer free transport from the car parking.

You will be given the Saas-Fee visitor's card, which entitles you to a reduction on parking fees from the 2nd day, by the owner of your apartment or hotel. Before you drive out of the car-park, bring your visitors' card and car-park ticket to the tourist office to encode the reduction on your car-park ticket. Ask for this when you arrive, and you will be offered various discounts in the village. See the information in the local magazine, the "Gletscher-Post".

Total number of parking spaces in Saas-Fee: 3000

The visitor's card is also available in the villages of Saas-Grund, Saas-Almagell and Saas-Balen. Please ask for it when you arrive, and you will be offered various discounts.

In Saas-Grund, Saas-Almagell and Saas-Balen you can park your car at your place of accommodation or in a public car-park (these carry a fee in Saas-Grund and Saas-Almagell).

Parking tariffs:

Saas-Fee, winter:

1st day CHF 17 .-/EUR 11.40. With visitors' card: from the 2nd day CHF 13 .-/EUR 8.70, from the 8th day CHF 8.50/EUR 5.70, from the 15th day CHF 6.50/EUR 4.40.

Saas-Grund, winter:

Car-park at the bottom station of the gondola-lift: 30 mins. free

Day-time tariff (8 a.m. - 12 midnight): from CHF 1.-/EUR 0.70 to max. CHF 8.-/EUR 5.30

24 hours CHF 14.-/EUR 9.40.

Saas-Almagell, summer and winter:

Cars: CHF 5.-/EUR 3.40 per day. 2 hours free parking.

Coaches: CHF 7.-/EUR 4.70 per day. 2 hours free parking.

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7
I am starting to think that getting the train might be easier which was the original plan (seats already reserved) but now we have a car I thought it might better to drive as the kids just don't sit still on the train but yes 2 hours does seem temping and I could send the luggage in advance.

Tricky one indeed.

8
The Autoverlad in Kandersteg costs SFr. 20 - 25 one way per car.

http://www.bls.ch/d/autoverlad/goppenstein-preise.php

9
Take the train

10

It is always closed in winter.

The car-train from Realp to Oberwald is what I'd do (and have done in the past). Short ride, runs often.

Freitag - Montag 06.30, 07.00 alle 30 Min. bis 22.30 Dienstag-Donnerstag 06.30, 07.30 alle 60 Min. bis 21.30

Tom

11
I used to pay Fr 25 back in 1995

But BLS states fare is Fr 90,-- here,

http://www.bls-shop.ch/bls_release/frmReservation.aspx

Looks like you pay more when you reserve a place...? Or maybe it's cheaper if you come from cantons Bern / Valais?

.

12
Since my parents live in that area, I drive it frequently - there really isnt many alternatives this time of year - I was there last week and driving there tomorrow again

The Furka train is hardly an option, I was up there a few weeks to check and it was driving on snow and icy roads through switchbacks and a few steep inclines, plus not all is freeway (though it's the shortest drive and best scenery). Besides, listening to DRS3 all day at work, people seem to crash left, right and center towards Gotthard these last few days.

My navi usually tries to get me up past Meiringen, Interlaken, Kantersteg - but the road over that pass isnt much of a go either

So as crazy as it may sound, the fastest and freeway almost all the way is the road over Bern to Kantersteg, on the train to Goppenstein, down the mountain and voila. I usually drive from Zug so I have to go over Luzern but you can do the direct freeway from Zurich to Bern. The train leaves every 15 minutes this time a year, and last week was every 5 minutes to clear the traffic - gotta hand it to them, they know how to clear up the queue and get people moving.

13

90 ??? u gotta be joking ... I use the Loetschberg card so it's on a point system, but never more than 25chf one way for a car - no need to reserve unless you go on a Saturday where most people try to get into their rented chalets

14
11 years on and I’m about to do the journey again but this time I will be driving. Any tips from las time?

Google maps is telling me to take the furka-basistunnel train however having not done this before and wary of long queues

15
Anyone any recommendations from the last time?