Best Of
Re: Ideas for before tour starts
I agree there's lots to do in the Lausanne area and I loved the hotel Tauck uses with lake view rooms. There are several museums there, lake cruises, vineyards, Montreux, Glacier 3000, chocolate and cheese tours, etc. However if you really want to go somewhere else, Budapest is interesting but not sure I could find enough to keep busy for 5 days. Haven't been to Prague but have heard lots of good reviews.
As others suggested, I'd look at train routes and see what makes sense. I did a quick check on Trainline for trains and times to Lausanne: Milan 3.5 hrs, Paris 3.75 hrs, Lyon 2.5 hrs and Zurich 2.5 hrs. Anything else outside of Switzerland is going to be 5 hours or more. Or of course you can always fly.
Good luck. Switzerland is lovely.
Re: Venice, Florence, Rome backpacks and cameras
You leave things on the bus, normal on any Tauck tour and very safe.
Re: Ideas for before tour starts
We've been contacted by a TD before a trip, via e-mail twice.
More recently we actually received a personal phone call from our TD!!! TD: "Where are you? The hotel said you checked in yesterday?" Me, "We are sitting at home watching TV and hoping our flight gets out tomorrow!" (We were headed to Athens two days before the start of Treasures of the Aegean. Unfortunately, our flight was during the 2022 "Memorial Day weekend from Hell." We finally made it two days later- we literally walked in as the Welcome Dinner was beginning!
Re: Tauck Duffel bags
Tauck supplies the bags, about a month before the trip. If all bags look alike with the Tauck name on them, they will all be picked up for the transfer. If there was an odd looking bag, it would be left behind. We have done this for 3 trips and you will understand when you see them all lined up waiting for the small plane or boat.
Re: Trip Review and Tips
PhillyGal--it should be a good time. Looking forward to meeting you, your husband and your friends as well.
Re: Trip Review and Tips
voikk32 Looking forward to meeting you and sharing our trip. (My sister formerly lived in West Chester with my Mom, but lives in Exton now; brother lives in Yardley.)
Re: Ideas for before tour starts
I've never received an email from a TD in 11 tours and don't expect one. That said, if one arrived I wouldn't mind.
I think each TD probably has their own way of doing things, within the Tauck guidelines. Some probably feel that pre-tour emails help in their preparation and make the tour go a bit smoother, whereas other TDs probably feel there wouldn't be enough added benefit or that they might actually just create additional work and therefore don't send them.
I'm good either way.
It's kind of like the packing cubes that some people have been receiving. I don't expect them, but I wouldn't mind if they showed up.
Re: Electrical outlets
Yes, you will need a UK (not European) plug adapter for your dual voltage electrical items. If you use the hotel laundry services, check with the hotel about turnaround time and plan accordingly.