Swiss Lakes by E-bike Lake Geneva To Lake Lucerne Bike Tour Reviews (page 2)
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★★★★★ Traveling Jackie
Cycling doesn't get more beautiful than this!
I can still hear the cowbells! I thought I knew what to expect coming into this tour, but I completely underestimated almost everything about this trip. The scenery blew my mind every second, the hotels were MUCH better than I realized they'd be (Category A all the way), the hills were steeper, the fondue tastier, and the rejuvenation and "reset" for my well-being... I just didn't even realize how GOOD I would feel just from saying yes to this experience.
I loved it and would recommend making it longer if you can, add a day to the middle somewhere (possibly Lucerne) to allow yourself more time to soak in the beauty that is Switzerland. My only complaint is that it went too fast.
I've been on 3 bike tours and used a hybrid touring bike for each of them (I opted NOT to use an e-bike on this trip). This was definitely the most challenging itinerary I've experienced with a hybrid bike, but I would choose a hybrid again if given the chance to do it again, because I loved the challenge. If you aren't a strong rider, definitely get an e-bike, we are talking about the Swiss Alps!
I also recommend buying a picnic lunch everyday (there is a store called Coop that is found all along the route) because timing your hunger with open restaurants and backcountry trails is almost impossible. And the picnic views are unbeatable.
Also, be sure to download the Swiss Mobility app and I also recommend Maps.me, both work offline and with the two of them we found our way just fine. Definitely choose Category A hotels, don't think twice! Also I would skip Zug and stay in a different town instead. Find more tips and stories from my experience at https://travelingjackie.com/swiss-alps-by-bike/
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
Video: Swiss Alps by Bike: A MUST-DO For Adventure Lovers
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★★★★★ Timothy Ricks
Spectacular beauty
Outstanding vistas! Spectacular beauty!
Pros: 1. Some really fine hotels, many with great views. 2. Reliable luggage transfers. 3. Reliable bikes. No mechanical problems with either e-bike or regular bike.
Cons: 1. Eurotrek’s maps and gps often do not match up with the routes you need to take to navigate each day. Result is that it is essential to bring your own Garmin device AND your smartphone in order to navigate when your hotel may not even be in the same town as the gps would take you. 2. Most Swiss hotels have no A/C, and with climate change, they are too hot. Open windows bring noise and insects, so not great sleep. 3. Eurotrek’s non-electric bikes are sturdy, reliable, heavy and slow. Be prepared for a good workout and slow riding. -
★★★★★ Linda MiolaFurrier
Great views - beautiful countryside
For the most part, this touring company did a good job. They dropped the ball a few times, but were quick & responsive to repairing the issues. Chosen navigation software did not work for us, thus we were forced to use our own - which was fine but not ideal. Definitely bring a backup phone battery on every ride. Hotels were adequate, clean, well positioned for our enjoyment of the area. We have done other bike trips, and this Swiss Lakes trip was the most scenic. We would do it again.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Emily Hyde
Fun trip but bikes too heavy
All aspects of the trip were very well organized. The packet we were given was great. We had a problem with one of our bikes, and had a new one the next day! The tour company did a good job with helping when needed. Each hotel we stayed at knew we were coming. Check in was always smooth. Even though we arrived early each day, the hotels were very accommodating and our room was always ready. They all were prepared for our bike storage as well.
We wished we would have covered more mileage each day. Other than scenery, there wasn't much to do in some of the towns, so we would have liked to have covered more mileage. The last day was only a twelve mile ride, which was disappointing. That distance is covered in no time at all on an e-bike. We checked in to our hotel by 1 pm each day. Unfortunately for us it rained everyday except the last, so we didn't meander around as we hoped, we made it as fast as we could to each location. It took us about 3 1/2 hours each day to cover the distance we were supposed to ride. We probably would have stopped along the way had the weather been better.
Hotels:
Again, ALL were accommodating. Staff at every location welcomed us warmly!
The Hotel Ermitage in Schonreid was truly exceptional in each and every aspect. Will be going back one day! Wish we could have had our rest day there! The Gruyere Hotel staff went above and beyond. They welcomed us with hot cocoa when they saw how wet and cold we were. One of our group twisted their ankle, they helped with what we needed. They contacted the bike company for us with picking up one of the bikes that wasn't working. We also sent our bikes instead of riding because of the rain and they helped us arrange that.
We were very disappointed in the Seegarten Marina Hotel in Spiez. It was definitely not up to the quality of our other hotels. The room was incredibly small, as was the bathroom. We should have been given the option of two rooms in that hotel. We had three people with us on this trip, and it was the only time it was really uncomfortable. The third person slept on an actual cot. Unfortunately, it was also our "rest day," so we had two nights at that hotel. We were given the hotel list about two weeks prior to our trip. Perhaps a list of hotels ahead of time would be nice. It would have give us the option of making plans for things to do at each location, especially on the rest day.Bikes: Although we wondered before our trip about the mileage we would be covering, that, we found, was of no concern on an e-bike.
Didn't need to train, or get ready to sit for a long time on the seat each day. Those ended up not being an issue at all. The BIG issue was the weight of the bike. All three of us felt we would probably never do one of these tours again-completely because of the bike. We had rented e-bikes in the states before we came. Totally different. Your bikes were very, very heavy. We felt off-balance on the bike--ie--couldn't look back on the bike for fear of falling. Two of us did fall(just lots of bruising.). We all thought that should be mentioned somewhere in your literature. SHOW MOREA couple other items:
The funicular station in Vevey said "no bikes". So, we started riding them. Big mistake. We rode--well, walked, our bikes up one of the steepest sections of the trip. Send your bikes whenever it says to do so. Makes a big difference in your day!The timing of the chocolate factory wasn't great. Although it probably was the last timed ticket for the day, we missed the bus, which only came hourly, and had to take a $50 cab ride to make it there on time. This was the only day we got into town late (didn't use the funicular! and got lost)
The directions were good on the open road. Not as great in the city. Was usually hard to navigate from the hotel out of the city.
Rest day would be good in a different city. Not much to do in Spiez.
Would probably have been a wonderful trip if we saw the Alps, and the bikes were lighter!
SHOW LESS- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
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★★★★★ Jim D.
Swiss Trip
Beautiful way to experience Switzerland. Good workout everyday, Hotels were nice and breakfast was very good. Route was generally good but some spots with heavy traffic. Route signs were usually easy to follow but some signs were in odd spots and hard to find. Road surfaces were outstanding. The rest day gave us time to explore the area.
Overall a very good trip!- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- None before this one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Grasshopper
Amazing Trip on an e bike through Switzerland
We really loved this trip. We were very concerned at first as the maps we received were not well marked and the information from the help line contradictory. Then out of the Blue our savior Rudie came along and we managed to hitch onto the group he was guiding. From there all was well. Thank you again Rudie for your help. The guide book was not provided in English. Apparently there are limited editions. The hotels we were booked into went from fantastic to three start ordinary. The bikes were good enough and did the job. I loved this trip and would recommend it but it needs refining ...
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2018
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
