What to know before your first group journey through Switzerland

The shape of a group day

1. 1Breakfast at the hotel, usually between seven and half past eight
2. 2Coach leaves at a stated time — this is the fixed point of the day
3. 3One substantial thing in the morning, with the walking done before the heat
4. 4A long lunch, which is where most of the conversation happens
5. 5One lighter thing in the afternoon, or free time
6. 6Evening free, unless a group meal is included

What you give up

Spontaneity, mostly. You cannot decide at nine in the morning to spend the whole day somewhere else. If you like arriving in a city with no plan, a group journey will frustrate you and you should book independently instead — we would rather say that now than have you find out on day two.

What you get back

You stop making decisions. Somebody has worked out the tickets, the timings, which entrance has the shorter queue and where the toilets are. For a lot of people, particularly travelling with parents or children, that is the entire point.

You also get the group. Twenty-six people who did not know each other on Monday, sharing a long table by Thursday, is a thing that happens on almost every departure we run and which nobody books for.