Travel Document Requirements –
If you are a U.S. citizen traveling internationally, you will need a passport valid for six months beyond the completion of your Tauck journey for entry into Switzerland, Austria and Germany, however; you do not need visas for the short duration of this tour.
If you are a citizen of another country traveling internationally, you should contact a consulate or embassy of Switzerland, Austria and Germany to determine what travel documentation is required.
Please note that longer stays abroad for any purpose may require additional travel documentation.
We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.
Travel with Children –
Age Recommendations ― Children 3 years of age or older at the time of travel are welcome on this Tauck Bridges journey. Based upon our experience with family travelers, we have a minimum recommended age for each journey to encourage comfort and enjoyment for all of our guests. We recommend that children be 8 years of age or older to fully participate in all activities planned for this tour. All children must be accompanied on activities by a parent or guardian. At least one guest in the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older in order to make a reservation. Signed liability waivers are required for some activities.
Babysitting ― Our journeys are designed for adults and children to share the wonder of discovery together. If you require babysitting services, your Tauck Director will put you in contact with the appropriate hotel staff with whom you may make babysitting arrangements. There is usually an additional fee for these services. Many hotels do offer on-site babysitting services; however, babysitting services may not be available at all of our hotels. Please note that our Tauck Directors are not responsible for providing babysitting services.
Safety and Welfare Responsibility ― We welcome the participation of child travelers on our exciting excursions. If you are traveling with a child on a Tauck journey, you have the sole responsibility for ensuring that that the child with whom you are traveling follows all rules of safety throughout the tour. By traveling with us, you release Tauck, Inc. and our partners of all liability for any risks and/or injuries to the child with whom you are traveling.
Special Travel Documentation for Children
Authorization for Travel
If you travel into or out of the U.S. with children under the age of 18, you should be aware of the following: because of increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and because children are at risk as possible victims of child pornography, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, you should have a notarized note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, or friends, a note signed by both parents) stating that the parent(s) not traveling acknowledge that the parent(s), family members, etc. who are traveling into or out of the U.S. with the child have permission to do so. While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if they do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed.
If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (parent deceased, sole custody, etc.), other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, or a death certificate, will be useful.
Many other countries also share this concern for children who travel without both parents. To ensure smooth travel, we require you to comply with the travel regulations of each country visited. This information may be obtained from a country’s consulate or embassy.
Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment
In the unlikely event of a medical emergency, a medical facility will require permission from the child’s parents to provide treatment. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you bring along a letter from both parents (including other pertinent documents as cited above) authorizing emergency medical treatment for their child.
Children who are U.S. citizens must have a passport valid for at least six months beyond the completion of the journey.
We are not responsible for the disruption of travel caused by the improper documentation of any guest, including children traveling without both parents. While there is no definitive format or standard, click here to view a sample letter for guardians or one parent traveling with a child.
Air Conditioning – The motor coaches are air-conditioned for your comfort. The Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich has air-conditioned guest rooms and the Schweizerhof Luzern is also air-conditioned, the rest of the hotels are not. Most air conditioning systems in European hotels have three settings for the fan, plus a "cool" setting. Very few of the European systems actually have a temperature setting. In general, the amount of cool air that is produced from a European air conditioning system may be less than what you may have in your own home.
ATM and Credit Cards – We recommend that you contact your bank in advance of departing on this tour to determine whether you will be able to use your ATM and credit cards while traveling. When contacting your bank, notify them of your travel dates so that they will anticipate charges being made outside of your hometown and do not suspend your cards for what may appear to them to be "suspicious" charges. We also recommend that you make a photocopy of the front and back sides of your ATM and credit cards to leave behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your cards are misplaced, lost or stolen.
Clothing and Packing – Your Alpine adventure is casual. The weather in Switzerland, Austria and Germany is temperate and unpredictable. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering. Generally, during the day, casual, comfortable, cotton clothing is recommended. Cool weather at higher elevations or at night will require warmer, layered clothing.
Most importantly, bring comfortable yet sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken in. It is important that your shoes have good ankle support as the walking trails can be wet and muddy.
In Europe, especially in finer restaurants, it is generally customary to dress somewhat formally. Slacks or a dress for women and a collared shirt and slacks for men are acceptable dining attire. A sports jacket for men is not required. It is advisable to avoid wearing jeans, sneakers or shorts to dinner. You may also wish to dress up a bit for the welcome reception and the farewell dinner, but by all means be comfortable.
You will find a hair dryer located in your hotel guest room. Irons and ironing boards are not generally available due to local fire safety regulations; however, pressing services are available for a fee. Valet laundry and dry cleaning services are also available for a fee.
We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor’s prescription or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.
We suggest that you pack the following items for your Alpine adventure:
- Casual daytime wear – shorts, slacks, long and short-sleeved shirts
- Optional: sports jacket for men
- Optional: Casually elegant evening wear for ladies
- Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
- Swimwear
- Gym wear
- A light sweater or jacket for higher elevations or a breezy night
- Binoculars (7x50 preferably)
- Insect repellent
- Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and/or plenty of film
- Lightweight, comfortable, sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in
- Battery-operated travel alarm clock
- Rain poncho and collapsible umbrella
- Zipper-lock bags
- Daypack for camera equipment
- Sundries and toiletries that may be difficult to find en route
- Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your hotel room while traveling
Children may want to consider bringing along pocket toys and games with a “sound off” button or portable radio/CD players with headphones for use on longer coach rides. Journals, binoculars and cameras are also great for children to have with them to make the most of their adventure.
Each child 17 and under will be sent a complimentary backpack from Tauck Bridges! If the child resides in the continental United States, the backpack will be sent to his or her home approximately two weeks prior to the tour departure date. If the child resides outside of the continental U.S., including Hawaii and Alaska, the backpack will be waiting on arrival at the first hotel on your itinerary.
Elevation - The maximum overland elevation on this tour is approximately 9,500 ft (2,895 m). The maximum overnight elevation is approximately 6,004 ft (1.830 m) in St. Moritz.
Health – This journey is paced to accommodate all our guests. It is, nonetheless, an active and extensive tour. To enjoy this tour, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surfaces. Some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. The amount of walking you do, however, is at your discretion. Switzerland, Austria and Germany are home to innumerable historic buildings and sites, many centuries old. Therefore, roads, walkways and architecture will present difficulties for some guests with physical limitations. You will encounter cobblestone streets, narrow passageways, and some steep and winding staircases.
The walk across a paved surface to Neuschwanstein Castle on day 7 takes 20 minutes at a normal pace with a few stops to catch your breath as the walk is quite steep. Inside the castle, you will climb approximately 200 steps on a winding staircase with a guide stopping on three floors for commentary. Then you walk down by yourself aided by a handrail. Most guests find that the experience is well worth the effort!
We regret that we cannot provide you with individual assistance for walking, dining or other personal needs. If you require such assistance, you must be accompanied by an able companion who will help you.
If you or your child has a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.
Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.
If you are a resident of the U.S. traveling internationally, no vaccinations are currently required for travel to Switzerland, Austria and Germany. For complete vaccination and inoculation information please contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to obtain information about vaccinations that may be required for your journey. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 800-232-4636 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on to the CDC website by clicking here.
If you are a resident of another country traveling internationally, please contact an embassy or consulate of each country visited on this itinerary to determine what vaccinations may be required for you to visit.
Luggage Restrictions -
Checked Luggage – General
While it is common for airlines to allow passengers to check more than one piece of luggage per person, space constraints during your Tauck journey make it difficult to accommodate extra luggage. We ask that you limit your checked luggage to one average size suitcase per person.
Recently, airlines have adopted policies enforcing strict number, size and weight limits. Luggage exceeding maximum restrictions may require expensive overage fees, frustrating and hurried re-packing at the ticket counter, or even risk being left behind.
Many carriers require that checked luggage not exceed a weight of 50 lbs (22.7 kg) per piece. Airlines revise luggage policies frequently and often without notice; therefore, we cannot be held liable for the accuracy of the weight limit listed above. We urge you to check with your airline before traveling to determine current number, weight and size restrictions. It is also important to note that restrictions for luggage number, weight and size may vary with the same airline based on the class of service you select. First and Business Class ticket holders may have different restrictions than Coach Class travelers. You may wish to consult the website, luggagelimits.com, by clicking here.
We cannot be held liable for additional fees or inconveniences imposed by the airline due to luggage number, weight and size policies.
Please be sure to attach your Tauck luggage tag to your suitcase before leaving home!
Carry-on Luggage - General
Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.
For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.