Are you looking for some tips and advice on your upcoming trip? Read this Switzerland Travel Guide to find out everything I learned on my trip.
My husband, Joe is a huge train enthusiast, and our trip was designed to see as much of Switzerland as possible by rail, particularly the panoramic lines. Using the Swiss SBB Transportation App made it all easy. We flew in and out of Geneva and were in Switzerland for three weeks, touring smaller cities, Lausanne, Lugano, Bern, and Luzern, but there were five days in the middle to spend hiking in the Jungfrau Region of the Swiss Alps and one day in Zermatt. We used the transportation system every day, and this app was incredibly helpful!
Travel Notes
City Guides
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
When planning a trip, I research the sites on the UNESCO website and try to include them in my itinerary. Switzerland Travel Guide: Favorites UNESCO sites
The Alps: We spent five days in the Jungfrau Region and a day in Zermatt, enjoying the natural beauty of the mountains and glaciers. The weather was mixed, but we got some hiking in and went to Europe’s highest cable car station.
Bern’s Old City dates from the 15th century and has a medieval feel. It has wide avenues punctuated with fountains, one of which features an ogre eating babies!
Lavaux’s Terrace Vineyards have been under cultivation near Lausanne since the 11th century. We took a stroll through, following a mapped path from the tourist office.
A World Heritage Designation Can Be a Blessing, or a Curse, NYT 4/25/2023
Day trips
Shopping
Switzerland Travel Guide Suggestions: Läderach Chocolate, Watches, and Cheese. In Gruyères, we picked up a cowbell, because we didn’t think the cheese would keep. I like to collect stickers to decorate my suitcase and laptop and postcards.
Getting Around
Most Americans don’t use public transportation often. In general, we drive our cars. So, it is hard to get our brains around public transportation. We traveled by train, bus, boat, and gondola and loved every minute, but there is a learning curve and things you should know!
Rail Passes
Learn how to choose your pass and how it works! Traveling with the SBB app is very easy and helped us immensely.
READ MORE: Rail Pass Guide and Using the SBB App
What to Bring
Summer
Before the trip, I looked up the weather on AccuWeather for every city that we were to visit in Switzerland and noted the average temperatures and rainfall for the month. I learned that it could be warm during the day but would cool off at night and that in the higher altitudes, it might even snow!! So, be prepared for hot weather, rain, and snow – no problem!
As it turned out, there was a heat wave for half of our trip, and it was 20 degrees hotter than average. Before we left, I rechecked the weather so I knew it was unseasonably warm, but I didn’t expect it to last as long as it did. Predicting the weather is hard, so versatility and flexibility in clothing choices are critical when packing for Switzerland or anywhere else.
Winter
Switzerland is a ski destination, so there will be a lot of gear and warm clothes. You won’t need to deal with the hot temperatures that we endured!!
Things to Know
When to Go?
Switzerland is a ski destination, so winter is prime time in the Alps, but the mountains are great in the summer, also. The spring and fall will be less crowded, and prices will be lower.
Language
The predominant language was different, depending on which border was closer. The language is generally German, but everyone spoke French near Lake Geneva. In Lugano, the language was Italian. One of the handiest apps to have on your phone is Google Translate, which provides a translation from a picture!
Electricity
Switzerland uses a J plug with three prongs. I brought a C plug with two prongs, and it worked fine. Most of the hotels in cities have USB plugs, so you don’t need the adapter. The voltage is different in Europe, and you will need a converter, especially for hair appliances. It is easiest to buy an all-in-one converter and adapter. A few years ago, I bought a hair straightener in France, and it works without a converter; if you travel to Europe often, you might consider it. Check on eBay.
Money Matters
The currency is Swiss Francs (CHF) and is close to the conversion for the Euro: 1 USD = .95 Euro = .92 CHF. Euros were accepted when we were in Lugano, near the Italian border, but the Swiss Francs were not when we crossed into Italy.
I travel with an American Express, which is not always accepted, and an Amazon Prime Visa. For cash, I use my debit card in the ATM. Below are sample images of the currency.
Tipping
The tipping for meal service in Switzerland is different from the US; it is typically 10% of the bill, but not necessarily that much. The bill is typically rounded up. We held on to the larger coins for tipping bellmen and maids; also, we needed 5 CHF coins for the laundromat.
Arriving by Air
My preferred airline was Delta when I made this reservation, and it was an excellent price for a round-trip ticket from JFK to Geneva.
My bag didn’t make it, and Delta did not have a presence at the airport and relied on a third party to provide baggage service, which is a misnomer. The line was very long and slow, and I had to wait because you must have a claim number to track your lost bag. I have also decided to put airtags in my bags in the future. Of course, this can happen anywhere, but it was a disappointing experience all around.
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