Oak Hall Holidays

Welcome!

Detailed Information for Switzerland CA29

We are delighted that you will be joining us. You will be part of a group of about 80 people. Whether travelling with others or on your own, our friendly team and guests will quickly help you to feel part of the group. Each evening we meet together for a time of singing and a helpful Bible talk.

Code	Departure from UK	Arrival back in UK
CA29	Fri, 27 June 2025	Fri, 04 July 2025

The details of your holiday are in this document. It will be an important reference point and it is updated with more information as we get closer to departure.

Air travel

At The Airport

Please make contact with our team member at the meet point (see below) so that we know you have arrived. Look out for the dark blue t-shirt with ‘Oak Hall’ in white writing. For group bookings such as ours, check-in is done at the airport rather than online. The Oak Hall team member will have your ticket details and luggage labels (please note that these will not be sent in advance). For all of our flights you will need your passport to check in.

Flight Times

Meet at: Heathrow T5, in zone F of the check-in area: Fri, 27 Jun 2025 13:10.

Please be aware that with group travel it is important to meet and check-in on time.

British Airways	BA754	Depart	27 Jun 2025 15:40	London Heathrow	Terminal 5
		Arrive	27 Jun 2025 18:25	Basel

Flight duration: 1hrs 40mins

British Airways	BA755	Depart	4 Jul 2025 19:15	Basel
		Arrive	4 Jul 2025 19:55	London Heathrow	Terminal 5

Flight duration: 1hrs 40mins

All times given are local times (the flight duration takes into account any time zone differences).

Frequent Flyers

If you are a BA Executive club member, the airline have advised that it is best to either:

1. Speak to the airline staff at the airport and ask them to add your frequent flyer number at check-in.

2. Ask the Oak Hall representative at the airport for your e-ticket number and then contact the airline: 0344 4930747. NB points can't be added online for group bookings.

Paperwork

After Brexit, at passport control the local authorities can request proof of the following: 1) accommodation (e.g. your Oak Hall receipt) 2) insurance 3) flight/coach travel (which the leader will have) 4) funds for your stay (e.g. a banking app on your phone). It is worth bearing this in mind but in practice this isn’t usually asked for.

On Arrival

At Basel airport proceed through passport control, collect your bag, and wait for the leader at the luggage carousel.

Basel airport has exits into three countries. Please do not leave the baggage carousel until you have met with the Oak Hall team member, who will take you through the correct exit.

Please note that the coach companies do not provide car/booster seats for children.

The airport transfer on the arrival day takes approximately 3 hours

Seating

British Airways usually arrange a block of seats for our group on the plane and arrange us alphabetically by surname within this block. While usually this results in families being sat together, occasionally they could be split across rows. Also, we are unable to make specific seat requests (e.g. aisle seat). It may be possible to change your seating at check in – please ask at that stage - otherwise, our Oak Hall leader will try to help fine-tune arrangements onboard by asking our group to swap seats.

Luggage

Checked-in baggage allowance: one bag weighing up to 23kgs, no larger than 90cm x 75cm x 43cm (35x30x17 inches) including handle, pockets and wheels.

Hand luggage: one item weighing up to 23kgs, no larger than 40 x 30 x 15cm (16x12x6 inches), including handle and pockets. It must fit under the seat in front of you. You are guaranteed to be allowed to take this in the cabin of the plane.

You can also take a second item of hand luggage, not exceeding 23kgs and no larger than 56 x 45 x 25cm (22x18x10 inches) including handle, pockets and wheels. If the flight is busy, you will be asked to check this bag in. You may therefore prefer just to bring one smaller piece of hand luggage (as described above).

If you exceed these allowances the charges made by the airline can be high. Occasionally the airline change their luggage policy mid-season. Click here to see the latest details. We are booked for economy class with one checked bag.

Rules apply for carrying liquids of more than 100ml in your hand luggage. Click here for more details. New scanners mean that this rule is being phased out but it still applies at the time of writing.

Please pack in your hand luggage: passports, medication (subject to the liquid rules above), and valuables such as cash or cameras. Any sharp objects, including scissors and razors, should be placed in your checked baggage.

Meals

On BA short-haul flights they offer a free bottle of water and a small snack. A limited range of other items can be purchased onboard. You can pre-order a wider range a few days in advance: click here. Alternatively, you may prefer to bring food with you or purchase it in the departure lounge.

If you have an allergy (e.g. a nut allergy), please check the airline’s website for their policy and advice.

We are due to arrive at the accommodation at around 22:00. Some snacks will be provided on arrival (e.g. crisps). You may wish to purchase food before departing the UK or on the plane.

Our last meal at the accommodation will be breakfast on the day of departure, with the chance to make a packed lunch. We will be stopping in Basel for two or three hours to explore this interesting city.

Coming Home

For the journey home, the transfer coach will be booked to take the group to the airport to arrive 2 - 3 hours before the flight departure time (3hrs+ for long haul flights) to avoid groups missing the flight due to bad weather or traffic delays.

Please note that flight tickets cannot normally be used for one-way journeys – if you do not fly out with the group, the airline will usually cancel your inbound flight.

Please be careful about onward travel reservations back in the UK, as we cannot accept responsibility should there be delays.

On the last day, we travel to Basel using the Oak Hall coach and have chance to visit the city for a short period. We then travel by public transport from the city centre to the airport (our luggage will be stored on the Oak Hall coach while we visit the city. We will need to carry our own luggage on the public transport.

At the destination

Juhui Flumserberg

Schwendistrasse 11, Quarten, 8883

Tel: +41 79 204 65 52

unterkunft.ch/haeuser/flumserberg

Our accommodation is located in Flumserberg-Tannenboden at a height of 1340m. It was built about one hundred years ago in a prime position overlooking the deep valley of the Churfirsten Mountains. The views are stunning.

The centre provides simple but comfortable accommodation. It is built mainly of wood in the traditional Swiss style. The building has kept its character; although having modern safety equipment, it still has the welcoming atmosphere of a bygone age. Please note that there is no lift in the building. We will be the only group at the centre during our stay.

It may be helpful to note that the coach parks as close as it can to the accommodation but we will need to walk the last part, which is short but relatively steep.

There is Wi-Fi available in the accommodation (with a password), though the signal is not always reliable. It is also available at the local tourist information centre, which is a short walk away.

Sharing in the teamwork together

As mentioned in the Oak Hall brochure we invite you to join in and help with the teamwork, which helps us keep the cost of the holiday low. Our team would value your help with unloading the coach, plus serving and washing up at the breakfast and evening meal on one day during the holiday - great fun as we all do this together. We also ask you to look after your own bedroom during the week.

Please note that there is a no alcohol policy in our accommodation in Switzerland.

If you included a note with your booking about a dietary requirement, you can click here for a reminder of the arrangements for the meals.

Bedrooms

There is a wide range of rooms - most rooms have bunk beds, while others contain 2, 3 or 4 single beds. There are also rooms with a mezzanine i.e. a ladder takes you up to a hay loft style area with mattresses on the floor (NB there is not enough room to stand up in this part of the room). There is also a range of sizes – some rooms for 2 may be bigger, than others, for example. Each bedroom is unique. Some rooms have a wardrobe and chair etc while others may not.

All rooms contain a washbasin. Some of the rooms also have en-suite facilities (these rooms are reserved with a supplement at the time of booking). There are also showers and toilets available along the corridors for those whose rooms are not en-suite. Depending on the final group size etc it may be necessary to make the showers on a particular floor female only showers, for example, in which case men would need to go to showers on a different floor.

Sleeping arrangements

These are organised by the office before departure. Our standard arrangement is for those sharing rooms to share with others of the same gender, with the exception of married couples and families. If you are travelling on your own, as many of our guests do, we will arrange for you to share with someone of the same gender and, where possible, a similar age. If you are travelling with others and would like to share with them, please let us know in advance.

Climate

Please click on the month of your holiday for some useful information about the average temperatures, rainfall etc: June, August.

While summers often give superb weather, the Alps can give changeable conditions – please come prepared for some rain and colder temperatures. Averages drop by 0.5°C for each additional 200m elevation.

Useful information

Switzerland is 1 hour ahead of British Summer Time.

The international dialing code for calls to Switzerland is 0041. For calls made to England from Switzerland, you should drop the first 0 and add 0044.

The general emergency services number in Switzerland is 112.

Travel essentials

Passports and visas

You will need to carry a full, valid passport in your hand luggage to be able to leave the United Kingdom. For those who hold a British Citizen passport you will not require a visa for Switzerland.

Following Brexit, there are new regulations for passports when travelling to the Schengen area (i.e. many European countries - you can check the list online). They are complex but we’ve tried to make them as easy to understand as we can! Please follow these instructions:

1) Check the issue date of your passport. It needs to be less than 10 years before the start of your holiday (e.g. if your holiday starts on 15th August 2025, your passport issue date can’t be before 16th August 2015).
2) Check the expiry date of your passport. It needs to be at least 3 months after the end of your holiday (e.g. if your holiday ends on 22nd August 2025, your passport can’t expire before 23rd November 2025).

For British passports, please check that you have signed your passport (unless it was issued before Jan 2017 and has a digital signature) as some countries check this on arrival.

For tourism, a British citizen can stay for 90 days in a rolling 180-day period in the Schengen zone without a visa. Please be aware of any time you are spending in the Schengen zone prior to your Oak Hall holiday.

If you have a passport of a different nationality or status, please check about your visa and passport validity date requirements. We strongly advise you to check your requirements at the time of booking, as there can be delays in issuing visas.

If you require a visa, please ensure that it is also valid for Austria and Liechtenstein, as we will be visiting these countries on the excursion package.

New EU rules

There are new rules for non-EU nationals who are entering the EU, including British Citizens. The first stage is due to start in October 2025 when fingerprints and a photo will be collected at the border. This will replace stamps in your passport.

The second stage is expected to start in the last quarter of 2026, so it won't affect your holiday. When it is introduced, British Citizens will need to complete a visa waiver form (known as ETIAS) to travel to the EU. The cost will be €20 and it will last for 3 years.

GHIC Card

The Global Health Insurance Card gives you free or reduced-cost healthcare in state-run facilities while you are abroad. This replaces the EHIC card. Most people who are resident in the UK can apply for a GHIC.

The GHIC does not cover everything that travel insurance covers, so it is important to have both travel insurance and a GHIC (if you are entitled to one). Also, some travel insurance companies require you to have a GHIC. For more details and to apply, click here: www.ghic.org.uk

Health

A useful website for travel-related health advice is travelhealthpro.org.uk (including advice on vaccinations, and DVT for long-haul flights, for example). Your GP or practice nurse will be able to advise further based on your medical history etc (please contact them at least eight weeks before departure).

It is worth bringing a copy of the prescription for any medication you take, in case you lose the medicine or run out. Please note though that it is not guaranteed that UK prescriptions will be accepted abroad, so it it worth making sure that you have enough medication for the whole time away. The following website gives advice on travelling with medication: travelhealthpro.org.uk. It is also worth checking for any restrictions on bringing particular medicines into your destination country, which you can do by contacting their UK embassy.

Airlines often require medical clearance for certain health conditions (e.g. recent surgery) or use of medical equipment on board, including epi-pens or syringes. Please check the airline’s website for their policy and advice about this, as well as information about how they handle allergies (e.g. nut allergy) and pregnancy if applicable.

Insurance

For overseas holidays, we require everyone to have travel insurance. In the event of an accident, for example, Oak Hall could not accept responsibility for the fact that you were not insured, and the costs you would have to cover could be very high. Please ensure that you have travel insurance when you pay the balance for your holiday, so that you are covered should you need to cancel before the holiday.

Please add the details of your travel insurance to your booking (www.oakhall.co.uk/login or by post). You don’t need to send us a full copy of your policy but please check that you can access this during the holiday.

It is worth checking that your policy provides adequate cover in the areas you require. It is particularly important that any pre-existing medical conditions are covered by your insurance.

Before taking part in any activities, you should satisfy yourself that safety standards are adequate (e.g. provision of lifejackets) and that everything is covered by your own insurance or the supplier’s insurance.

If you would like to enjoy the walks on offer, it is worth checking the maximum altitude you are covered for hiking on your travel insurance policy.

A mobile phone can be particularly useful in Switzerland to keep in contact with others in the group while out walking, for example.

What to bring

Useful items

Bible for evening meetings
High factor sun cream, sunhat, and sunglasses
Raincoat
Plug adaptor. Most sockets in the accommodation are for Swiss plugs (three pins). These are different to European plugs (two pins). Some sockets will accept the standard European adaptors, others will only accept the specific Swiss adaptor, so it is worth bringing both.
Towel for showering. Also, soap/hand towels aren’t provided in the bathrooms, so you may also wish to bring these.
Swimming gear if you are intending to swim in the lake or local pool. The lakebed can be stony, so beach shoes/flip flops are useful.
Water bottle and rucksack for excursions and free days
To save plastic, you may like to bring your own mug and a lunch box
Warm, waterproof clothing – evenings can be cool and mountain weather is changeable
A basic first aid kit
Insect repellent
Any prescribed medication from your doctor
Earplugs (if you are a light sleeper in a shared room)
Copy of passport data page (in case you lose it)
(Optional) Games for the evening (e.g. cards or Dobble)
(Optional) A musical instrument for the evening meetings (NB airlines may charge to carry this). A guitar is available on most holidays.

For those planning to enjoy the walks on the excursions, don't forget to pack a pair of walking boots, a compass, phone, GPS (e.g. smartphone). We suggest not walking alone, and letting someone know where you are going.

One pillow is provided on each bed. If you would like more, you can either bring one or you can borrow one for 5CHF (please pay this directly to the Swiss caretaker).

A few hairdryers are available.

Please note there are no laundry facilities available at the accommodation.

Language and culture

In most countries, the people we meet will understand at least basic phrases spoken in English. However you may wish to bring a dictionary and learn some phrases in advance, as this will go a long way.

Each country has its own laws about things that can be brought into the country which can be found online. There are also restrictions on food and plants, for example, that you can bring back into the UK from certain countries: click here

Other laws vary in the countries we visit and you may like to familiarise yourself with these online before departing. For example, in some countries you must only cross the road at marked crossings, or it is illegal to take photos of government/military buildings.

If you swim on a beach without lifeguards you do so at your own risk. Please keep in mind while abroad that health and safety may not have been considered as carefully as in the UK (e.g. lack of railings on city walls).

Spending money

Most currencies can be bought in advance (online or at your local bank/Post Office). If you are flying, it’s worth noting that exchange rates at UK airports are usually very poor. Travellers cheques are no longer commonly used. If you plan to use a credit/debit card, it is still worth bringing some local currency cash as well, in case you can't access an ATM, or a shop doesn't accept cards.

The current exchange rate is approximately 1.04 Swiss francs to £1 (Jul 2025). This means 10 Swiss francs is approximately £9.60.

For a reminder of what's included in the cost, click here and see the 'Dates and Prices' section.

The amount of spending money you need will mainly depend on 1) what you choose to do on the free days e.g. transport or entrance fees 2) any additional things you choose to do beyond what is included during the excursions (e.g. museum entrance fees) 3) any souvenirs you may buy etc.

To give you an idea of prices, the cost of living is around 69% higher in Switzerland than in the UK. (Prices may be higher in the most popular tourist destinations.) For more detailed information about average meal costs, transport etc, you can click here.

The euro is the currency of Austria (which we visit on our three-country excursion) and France (which we travel through if you coming by coach from the UK). You can bring euros in cash or in most cases it should be possible to pay by card.

Tipping

In Switzerland tipping is not normally necessary, as it is a legal requirement for restaurants and cafes to add a 15% service charge (this often also applies to taxis).

Optional excursion package

We offer an optional package of excursions. The itinerary will be given at the start of the holiday. This may need to be adjusted according to weather conditions etc .

On each excursion, the driver will need to leave on time, so please plan to be back 5 mins before departure. You may be able to stay longer and travel back independently if you find one location particularly interesting. We would recommend that you stay with at least one other person, have the address of our accommodation and also funds to pay for your independent return.

Unless otherwise indicated, once we arrive at our destination, you then have free time to explore. The leader will have suggestions of things to do but you may like to do your own research as well or download an app such as 'Visit a city', which gives key information for popular destinations.

Each section below refers to an excursion on a different day.

1) Lake steamer cruise

We travel by coach down the mountain to Unterterzen by Lake Walensee. We cross the lake to Quinten, a village which only has access by boat. We will explore the village and the lakeside. Our boat collects us again and we cruise the entire length of the lake to Weesen. Again, this is an interesting lakeside town with plenty to see and time to relax over coffee and ice cream or swim in the lake. There is also an opportunity to walk to the waterfall that has the longest drop in Switzerland. We return by boat and coach to our accommodation.

Approximate time on boat: 2 hrs (with various stops mentioned above)

2) Three Country Tour – Now Over Two Days

Day 1: Rapperswil, Switzerland: We begin with a visit to the beautiful Swiss lakefront town of Rapperswil. Known as the “Town of Roses,” it offers scenic walks with panoramic views, charming medieval architecture, and the opportunity to swim in Lake Zurich. You’ll have time to explore at your own pace, relax by the water, or stroll through the historic old town. Approximate time on coach: 2 hours

Day 2: Liechtenstein and Austria: Our coach takes us on a cross-border adventure through two neighbouring countries. First, we visit Vaduz, capital of the tiny principality of Liechtenstein. Overlooked by the prince’s hilltop castle, the town is known for its postage stamps, banking, and peaceful Alpine setting. We then continue to Feldkirch, just over the border in Austria. This appealing town offers a classic Austrian atmosphere, with cobbled streets, charming buildings, and a variety of excellent shops to explore. Approximate time on coach: 2 hrs 10 mins

This two-part tour offers a memorable mix of lakeside serenity and cross-border culture.

3) Bad Ragaz

We set off by coach to spend the day in Bad Ragaz, an attractive town that is famous for its spas. Explore the shops, cafés and walks by the River Rhine. There is also the option to visit an impressive natural gorge. You can follow the interesting walk or take the gorge bus (bus and gorge entrance fee payable locally).

Approximate time on coach: 30 mins each way

Other local activities for free days

There is a range of walks available starting close to our accommodation, leading to attractive mountain huts in which you can enjoy a coffee.

Cable cars nearby give us access to the lakes, for swimming and boating, valleys and a network of footpaths to explore the area. Click here for prices. There are plenty of options in the local area to keep the active busy! Please note that the road leading from the accommodation up to the village and the cable car etc is relatively steep.

If you click on the links below you will find information about a range of activities on offer in the local area, including prices:

A cable car to the top of Mount Mashgenkamm costs around 26CHF (2024 price) or if you head down to Lake Walensee on the cable car it will cost around 15CHF (return - 2024 price). Here you can explore the town or use the trampoline to bounce into the lake. Alternatively, you can choose to take the Post bus down the mountain to Flums.

The tourist office offers a free ‘Heidiland’ card, which gives discounts off certain local attractions. For more details click here.

Links

Here are some other links that you may find helpful.

Interactive map of area
Lake Walensee boat map
Spa information (for the Bad Ragaz excursion)

Itinerary

If the itinerary is already available, it will show below. The excursions shown in the itinerary are part of the optional excursion package.

Please note that the itinerary is provisional - occasionally it is necessary to make changes due to factors such as weather. Please bear this in mind when making bookings for things on our free days.

The leader will give more detailed timings for each stop during the excursion.

	Thu, 26 Jun 2025
	Coach guests depart UK

	Fri, 27 Jun 2025
14:45	Oak Hall Coach arrives at Resort
18:25	Flight BA754 arrives at Basel
	Flight guests transfer to accommodation on hire coach

	Sat, 28 Jun 2025
	Excursion 1: Lake boat
09:30	Depart accommodation (by OH coach)
17:15	Arrive back at accommodation

	Sun, 29 Jun 2025
	Free day

	Mon, 30 Jun 2025
	Free day

	Tue, 01 Jul 2025
	Excursion 2: Three-country tour
08:30	Depart accommodation
18:55	Arrive back at accommodation

	Wed, 02 Jul 2025
	Free day

	Thu, 03 Jul 2025
	Excursion 3: Bad Ragaz
09:30	Depart accommodation
17:30	Arrive back at accommodation

	Fri, 04 Jul 2025
10:00	Oak Hall Coach departs from Resort
10:00	Depart accommodation (flight and coach guests)
13:00	Arrive Basel city
19:15	Flight BA755 departs at Basel

	Sat, 05 Jul 2025
	Oak Hall coach arrives back in the UK

Final payment: when?

The balance of your holiday payment is due by 27 Apr 2025. Please make a note of this date. We send e-mail reminders but sometimes e-mails don't arrive! You can pay this online by clicking here. To pay in instalments, log on to your booking and add a part payment at any time before the deadline. If you are no longer able to travel, then please let us know.

Contact

Oak Hall

If you need to get in touch with us, please contact the Oak Hall team via:

Email: office@oakhall.co.uk

Telephone: 01732 763131

Monday - Friday 09:00 - 17:30

On arrival day, if you need to make contact outside of office hours, an emergency mobile number is provided on the answerphone message from the office.

Here are the links to connect with us on social media:

Oak Hall Expeditions

@oakhallexpeditions

Finally...

Please upload your travel insurance and passport details, plus a head and shoulders photo in the guest area of our website. For details of our full booking conditions and more information, please visit www.oakhall.co.uk/terms. You may find the FAQs section particularly helpful.

For each summer trip we have a reunion weekend at Otford Manor. These are excellent times together where we enjoy reconnecting with each other, sharing new experiences in the beautiful Kent countryside and listening to excellent Bible talks. Please find below the link to the reunion weekend for your holiday:

KW42 Kent Cycling & Walking: 25 Sep 2025-28 Sep 2025

We are very much looking forward to sharing this holiday in Switzerland with you!

As a team, we will be doing all we can to ensure that you have a great time away with us. Our prayer is that this will be an inspiring time as we enjoy friendships, explore and relax together, and share helpful evening events.

See you soon!

Switzerland - CA29