Switzerland
Glacier views from the train window, lakes like glass, and villages where cars aren't allowed.
- Best time to visit
- Jun–Sep (summer); Dec–Mar (snow)
- Getting around
- Trains, lake boats and cable cars
- Currency
- Swiss Franc (CHF)
- Ideal length
- 7–9 days
Switzerland is best seen from a train window
Switzerland is small, and its trains, boats and cable cars connect almost everything, so the trip is the journey between the views. The classic route takes in Lucerne, the Jungfrau region around Interlaken and one or two of the great panoramic trains, with a night in a car-free village above the valleys.
Summer (June to September) is for meadows, lakes and hikes; winter (December to March) is for snow, skiing and Christmas markets. It's expensive, so the plan matters: which travel pass, which mountains are worth the ticket and where to stay. Honeymooners, families and older parents all travel well here.
The country, region by region
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Zurich is the gateway: an old town on the river, a long lakefront, Bahnhofstrasse for shopping, galleries and good restaurants. An easy day east, Appenzell is rural Switzerland, with painted houses, rolling green hills, cheese dairies and the Aescher guesthouse built into a cliff.
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Lucerne is the postcard: the wooden Chapel Bridge, an old town of painted facades and a lake ringed by mountains. Ride the steep cogwheel railway up Mount Pilatus, take the boat and train up Rigi, or go higher to the glacier on Titlis.
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Interlaken sits between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, the base for paragliding and the trains up to Jungfraujoch. Above it, Grindelwald lies under the Eiger, with gondolas up to First, and Lauterbrunnen's valley has 72 waterfalls. Car-free Wengen and Mürren, on the cliffs above, are the quiet places to stay.
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The capital's old town is a UNESCO site of arcades, fountains and the Zytglogge clock tower. To the west, Lausanne, home of the Olympic Museum, looks over Lake Geneva, with the vineyard terraces of Lavaux, Montreux and Chillon Castle along the shore.
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St. Moritz is the glamorous south-east, with frozen-lake events in winter and spas and mountain lakes in summer. The Glacier Express links it to Zermatt and the Matterhorn in about eight hours, and the Bernina Express runs south over the Alps to Italy, both crossing the Landwasser Viaduct.
Things worth actually doing
Tap the ones you would like on your trip.
Good to know before you go
Apply for a Schengen visa early
Indian passport holders need a Schengen visa (€90 for adults), applied for through VFS up to six months ahead. Apply to Switzerland if most of your nights are there.
Pick the right travel pass
The Swiss Travel Pass suits a moving route; the Half Fare Card often wins on slower trips. We work it out for yours.
Mountains change by the hour
High viewpoints like Jungfraujoch are expensive and only worth it in clear weather. We keep the order flexible and check the webcams with you.
Bring a Type J adapter
Swiss sockets take Type J plugs; slim two-pin plugs fit, but most Indian plugs need an adapter.
Read before you go
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Read
Offbeat
Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland: The Fairy-Tale Valley of 72 Waterfalls
Lauterbrunnen, tucked in the Swiss Alps, is a dreamy valley of 72 waterfalls, alpine meadows, and cliffside villages. Known for Staubbach Falls and scenic hikes to Mürren and Wengen, it’s a peaceful, picture-perfect…
Read the story
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Read
Offbeat
10 Unique Things to Do in Switzerland
However, Switzerland offers more than just its stunning landscapes. Here are 10 of the best ways to enjoy the surreal beauty!
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