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Independent Tour Questions Which tour should I do ? An Independent Tour or a Guided Tour ? What are the differences between the Independent bicycle tour and the guided tour ? I want to do an Independent Tour. Should I do the Standard Tour or choose the Budget Option ? What happens when I arrive ? What about my luggage ? Are there any luggage restrictions ? Yes. Each rider is allowed one piece of baggage. If it is a family tour and a discount is applied, then two children must share a suitcase. The baggage must be standard size luggage (all dimensions to exceed 62 inches) and the bag should not weigh over 50 pounds. But I'm travelling with a lot of luggage ? No problem. The hotel in Geneva will keep it in storage for you, or we will store it at our facility in Geneva for you to pick up on your return..
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Bike Switzerland offers luxury without pretension. Our Standard Tour hotels are all normally 3 or
4 star quality, typically Swiss and located in magnificent settings. We realize that your
accommodations are an extremely important part of your experience and we've gone out of our
way to find some great places to stay. You will find pictures of hotels with descriptions for each
day of the tour on the website. Two possibilities: use ours or bring your own. Our 21-speed Swiss BMC hybrids have smooth Do I need to bring anything for the bike ? Some riders choose to bring their own seat for optional comfort. Otherwise, our bicycles come
with double sided pedals (flat on one side and SPD on the other), so riders not comfortable with
these pedals (or using another system) may bring their own. What if I have serious mechanical problems ? If you’re doing an independent bicycle tour, then you’re expected to be able to repair a flat and make the
kind of minor adjustments which may be needed on a week long ride. That said, all of your bikes
are completely cleaned and serviced after each ride, so there shouldn’t be any problems.
In the event of something more serious (for example, a bent rim resulting for a fall), give us a call
and we will direct you to the nearest bike shop and even call a taxi for you. In this unlikely event,
you would assume the costs of repairs, etc.. You'll certainly take a wrong turn or two, but you'll be fine. You'll have a bicycle GPS system, a set of maps, a telephone and the route is sign-posted at almost every turn. But I don't know how to use a GPS. That's fine. You may not even use it. However, we'll be spending 2 or 3 hours with you the day before the briefing to make sure you feel comfortable with the GPS, maps and itinerary.  Can you tell me more about the GPS ? We have an entire document devote to our GPS which can be found here.
We'll send you a complete packing list 4-5 weeks before your ride. As for your bike gear, we supply handlebar bags, seat-post bags, lock, repair kit, pump and bike tools. If you plan on coming back through Geneva, we can also loan you a helmet.
Do the independent bicycle tours include meals ? No, they do not. A cheap meal in a restaurant will cost around 20 francs. Most of our hotels have a restaurant which offer a ½ board option and this is usually around 30 Chf. We can inform the hotels that you are planning to take ½ board and you would pay the hotel directly before checking out. A more lavish meal outside the hotel with several courses and a bit of wine or beer will cost around 50 francs. I'd like to add a hiking day. Is this possible ? Yes. If you're doing the Challenge Tour, we can store your bicycle in Interlaken and reserve your hotel in Wengen which is right on the hiking paths of the Jungfrau region. Riders doing the Lite Route can also have a hiking day in Solothurn. The cost of an extra day for hiking is $200 per person. I'd like to add a day or two to the itinerary to explore the region. No problem. We can make suggestions if you like. What do I do with the bicycle at the end of the tour ? You'll drop it off at the train station and it will be shipped back to Geneva. No worries. Do you have special prices for children ? Yes, children 16 and under receive the standard independent tour at ½ price. The following conditions apply: Do you have special prices for groups ? Yes. We can arrange special discounts/prices beginning with groups of 5 adult riders. Independent bicycle tour : Budget OptionWhat are the differences between the Budget Tours and the Independent Tours ? You'll be carrying your luggage in panniers and staying at youth hostels and budget hotels. There are also a few nights in which the Budget Tour's overnight stage is different, (this is done in an effort to find moderately priced accommodation). Are there any drawbacks to the budget tour ? No. Again, it all depends on your travel philosophy. True, you will be carrying panniers, but you'll also feel pride in being a self-contained biker. True, you'll be staying in youth hostels and will probably be sharing a room with strangers at times, but you will also be making friends and sharing stories. If you don't have this attitude, then you shouldn't be doing a budget tour. Are luggage transfers possible with a budget tour ? Yes. We can transfer your bags for $50 per bag, per day. How big are your panniers ? What do they look like ? Our rear panniers come in two different sizes. You will find full descriptions on the PDF at this link. What do I need to bring if I do the Budget Tour ? We'll supply your panniers. The youth hostels all have comfortable single beds with blankets, but sheets are extra so you may want to bring a sheet or sleeping bag liner to sleep in. Towels are also extra, so consider bringing a quick-dry camp towel. You'll also need your own soap and shampoo. Most youth hostels have kitchen facilities with silverware, pots, cooking utensils, refrigerators, stoves, all of which are at your disposal. Still, it might be nice having your own knife, fork, spoon and bowl just in case.
Yes. They all serve breakfast which is included in the price of the tour. They also normally serve very reasonably-priced evening meals. Most hostels that we use are often right in town, so if you don't want to cook (or picnic) in the evening, you certainly won't need to. I'm not “a youth”. Can I still do a Budget Tour and stay in youth hostels. Yes. Membership to the Swiss Youth Hostels is open to everyone and as a Bike Switzerland participant, you will be a temporary member. You'll see college backpackers, young families and retired hikers in the youth hostels. They are a popular place and the Swiss take good advantage of them. But I'm going with my girlfriend/boyfriend and we don't want to share a room. It may not always be necessary. The hostels often have a small number of twin-rooms and we always make a point of trying to reserve these rooms if you are travelling with someone. However, these rooms are often reserved way in advance, so we cannot guarantee that you will have your own room. Still, we always make a point of trying. I prefer staying in budget hotels for the entire trip and not youth hostels. Is this possible ? No. We work with a limited number of suppliers. You can refer to this link for a description ofeach youth hostel and hotel.
Swiss youth hostels are unlike youth hostels in any other country. The organization demands very high standards of all participating hostels, and Swiss towns and regions often take pride in their youth hostels which are often beautiful buildings in magnificent settings. They are modern, bright, clean and friendly places, and all of us have our own favorite. General Questions We're small group of educators living in Geneva, Switzerland. Our goal is to help cyclists discover Switzerland. We work in close collaboration with local Swiss authorities and establishments to provide our guests with an authentic Swiss biking experience. How long have you been doing tours ? We did our first tour in 2004. The summer of 2009 will be our sixth year. How long is the ride ? Where do we go ? Both our trips cross Switzerland. The Swiss Crossing Lite has 8 days of biking while TheChallenge has 7 longer days of biking. Both tours start in Geneva and end in Rorschach. TheChallenge covers approximately 600 kilometers (373 miles) while The Lite covers around 450kilometers with practically no climbing. Both routes cross Switzerland from West to East on national bike routes. The Challenge will take us through lake and alpine regions, while The Litewill stick to the meadows and valleys with the mountains always nearby. Is The Challenge ride too difficult for me ? While Switzerland is full of mountains, The Challenge sticks primarily to the valleys. Some ofthis riding, however, is quite steep and demands endurance. Riders averaging 1,000 or more miles a year should have no problem, but will enjoy the challenge. Less experienced riders who are “allergic” to moderate climbing should do the Lite Route. My spouse would love to come, but (s)he doesn't bike. No problem. Non-riding spouses will have a wonderful trip: riding the train, hiking the hills, shopping in the villages and relaxing at the hotel. We do give non-riding spouses a discount, but we do offer them a special train pass which allows them to buy ½ price tickets for their entire trip. Where does the tour start ? How do I get there ? All of our tours start in Geneva. We encourage participants to make their own travel arrangements over the internet since this is the cheapest alternative. If you're thinking of travelling before or after the tour, we'd be happy to talk to you about the possibilities and make suggestions. I plan to do some travelling after the tour. Do I need to come back to Geneva. No. And since the last night in Geneva is included in the price of your tour, we'll refund you $100 per person.
No, but we recommend it.. In Europe, you will seldom see a cyclist on the road without one. We do have our own helmets that we can loan one if you don't care to pack your own. When is the best time to do a tour ? What is the weather like ? Some people imagine that Switzerland is as cold as Alaska, but this is far from the truth. In the plain, temperatures can rise to 30ºC (86ºF) in the summer, and even in the mountains the sun is hot. In the winter, temperatures rarely drop below minus 5ºC (41ºF) in the entire country. It seldom snows in Swiss cities. The mountains, of course, are another story. It is very common to move from a cold, cloudy and rainy landscape to a beautiful clear blue sky with hot sun in just a few minutes. Still, if you want to shoot for the best weather without being the high tourist season, then you should try for June, September and May (in that order). October can be lovely with Indian summers, but it is a risk. That said, there is always the risk of heavy rain and in the mountains (challenge tour) temperatures could get quite cold even in July. Can I put my bike on a train if I get tired ? How does that work ? Our tour goes by various train stations 2-4 times each day. Riders would therefore be able to take the train should they want to shorten the day's mileage. During the orientation, guests will be shown how to put their bikes on the train and how to purchase tickets. How do I sign up? Tell me about the deposit. Go to the "Sign up" page (under "Join Us") to begin the process. You'll choose the tour, fill-out an on-line application, and pay a $500 deposit to reserve a space on our ride. If you are going through your bike shop or bike club, your deposit should be paid through the individual in charge. Otherwise you can reserve your trip with a check payable to John Klemme /
Bike Switzerland Credit cards are accepted through our site. You will be notified by email or telephone when your payment is received.
The balance for your trip is due three months before Day One of your trip. Again, the balance can be paid by check, credit card or bank transfer. Your balance should include any extras that you'll be needing (insurance, extra night in Geneva, etc.)
Once we receive your final balance, we will send a packing list and general information about our tour. If you change your mind three months before Day One of your trip, you will receive a full refund on your deposit minus $200. For example, if your tour begins on August 3rd, you would need to cancel your tour on or before May 3rd. What if I change my mind later ? Should you decide to cancel, and if there is a waiting list, Bike Switzerland will simply transfer your tour to a different person(s) of our choice and there will be an administrative charge of $100. If there is not a waiting list for your ride, we will apply the following refunds.
Yes. We offer Swiss-based emergency medical insurance. This insurance costs $100 and will give you 10,000 Swiss Francs of coverage over a 14-day period. This is ACCIDENT insurance and it covers evacuation and medical costs that would be directly related to the trip (bikeaccident, pulled-muscles, sprains, heat stroke). Pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.Medical expenses resulting from strenous activity (heart attack, would therefore not be covered. General sickness: cold, flu, etc. are not covered. There are lots of different kinds of insurance available (trip cancellation, lost luggage, flight delay, etc). If you're interested we suggest that you check out Travel Guard International. Do you have a liability policy ? Yes. Bike Switzerland is not liable for bodily injury or property damage as a result of (but not limited to) participants' physical exertion. Bike Switzerland is also not liable for property damage or bodily damage as a result of forces of nature; travel by plane, train, auto, bike, boat or other transportation. Bike Switzerland is not liable for accidents caused by consumption of alcoholic beverages; civil unrest; terrorism; breakdown of equipment; high altitude; lack of or limited access to medical attention in remote locations; and the adequacy of medical attention once provided. Bike Switzerland is also not liable for expenses not specified as included in the trip, but which may be required to get to or from a trip start or end. Bike Switzerland reserves the right to make route and hotel modifications as necessary for the comfort and safety of participants. Bike Switzerland may take photographs or make film records of its trips for promotional and commercial use, as well as approving such use by third parties without financial remuneration.
Is there anything else that I should know ? Again, Bike Switzerland believes in being very clear about policy so that there are no eventual misunderstandings. For this reason, please note the following:
Participants must sign the Release of Liability form and the Assumption of All risks and Arbitration Agreement.
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