Tour of Switzerland

[cyclingovereurope]

For next summer we are planning a tour around Switzerland , from Chiasso, through Vaduz, Costanza Lake, Zurich, Bern, Geneve, Martigny, Lugano....There is someone already did it?
any suggestions? safe cycling routes?

[JJF]

Switzerland has a network of cycle routes. I have used a few of them and found the signing very reliable.
Look at
http://www.veloland.ch/en/cycling-in-switzerland.html

[foxyrider]

Unless you are used to alpine climbing give yourselves a few days of 'easier' terrain before you start on the passes!

There are routes that don't involve too much serious climbing but these can be directional eg the Brunig pass is much less climbing and stressful heading north than it is south.

The Veloland.ch site is excellent and on the ground signing is very good, be careful that you follow road cycle routes rather than MTB routes.

If you aren't great climbers you can take bikes on many Postbus (PTT) routes and most of the rail system.

Oh and be prepared for heavy rain - I've done quite a few trips to Switzerland at various times of year and whilst the weather can be glorious it can be dismal too, even in summer and it can be cold on top of the passes with snow even in July/August.

[cyclingovereurope]

Switzerland has a network of cycle routes. I have used a few of them and found the signing very reliable.
Look at
http://www.veloland.ch/en/cycling-in-switzerland.html

I looked at it but i don't understand if those are all cycling route, only for cycles, or some of them are along the main roads

[cyclingovereurope]

Unless you are used to alpine climbing give yourselves a few days of 'easier' terrain before you start on the passes!

There are routes that don't involve too much serious climbing but these can be directional eg the Brunig pass is much less climbing and stressful heading north than it is south.

The Veloland.ch site is excellent and on the ground signing is very good, be careful that you follow road cycle routes rather than MTB routes.

If you aren't great climbers you can take bikes on many Postbus (PTT) routes and most of the rail system.

Oh and be prepared for heavy rain - I've done quite a few trips to Switzerland at various times of year and whilst the weather can be glorious it can be dismal too, even in summer and it can be cold on top of the passes with snow even in July/August.

Thanks a lot, in my mind there is the climbing of san bernardino the first days and the climbing of neufenen pass or the furkapass the last days...i just hope the weather will be better than last year in Austria/Germany

[foxyrider]

Switzerland has a network of cycle routes. I have used a few of them and found the signing very reliable.
Look at
http://www.veloland.ch/en/cycling-in-switzerland.html

I looked at it but i don't understand if those are all cycling route, only for cycles, or some of them are along the main roads

Where they follow main roads there is usually a cycle path/lane but most of the 'main' roads have very little traffic - most transit routes have motorways taking the bulk of motor traffic but even the passes have, for the most part, got wide carriageways so its rare to come into too much traffic conflict outside of the cities. Even there I've found navigation in the cities very easy (I've ridden through Basel, Bern, Zurich, Lucerne etc), signposting excellent and they easily take you in and out of the towns. One thing I have noticed is that there isn't a lot of bike parking anywhere, they don't seem to be bothered where you park in general.