Money-saving tips for planning your next Switzerland itinerary at the end — from food to accommodation and using the Swiss Travel Pass!

First published: 9 Nov 2018

Mountain View - Switzerland Itinerary

Just imagine waking up to this view every day 😍

Majestic mountains, deep forests, and azure blue skies. Switzerland truly lived up to our expectations.

Its beauty aside, it’s no secret that it can be an expensive destination. Even a standard meal at McDonald’s can set you back around S$15. But this itinerary will prove that you don’t have to be crazy rich (or Asian, for that matter) to experience the best of Switzerland under a S$2.3k budget.

Switzerland Itinerary Map - Rail Route

In this extensive 10-day Switzerland itinerary, we explore six captivating Swiss cities under a budget of S$2.3k, all made possible with the convenience of the Swiss Travel Pass.

From wandering through valleys that inspired scenes in The Lord of The Rings movie, to witnessing the breathtaking sunrise at the iconic Matterhorn mountain, and even indulging in exhilarating adventures like sliding down the Fräkigaudi Sommer with the majestic Swiss Alps as our backdrop — this Switzerland itinerary has it all.

View of Lauterbrunnen Church - Switzerland Itinerary

Budget Breakdown for 10-Day Switzerland Itinerary Across 6 Cities

Accommodation: ~S$558
Activities: S$365.31
Transport: S$1,057.39 (incl. Swiss Travel Pass)
Food & Miscellaneous:
 S$304.70

Total: ~S$2,285/pax 
Click here for full breakdown

This Switzerland itinerary starts off in Zürich. Flight prices aren’t included in the budget since they fluctuate all year round.

Travelling with the Swiss Travel Pass

Swiss Travel Pass - Switzerland Itinerary

Unless you’re renting a car to drive (petrol is crazy expensive btw!), the Swiss Travel Pass is an absolute essential for getting around Switzerland without busting your budget.

Apart from train rides, the Swiss Travel Pass also covers an extensive network of buses, boats and 500 museums across the country. For more details on what’s covered and what’s not, check out our guide to maximising the Swiss Travel Pass.

The Swiss Travel Pass is available in 3, 4, 6, 8 and 15 days. For our Switzerland itinerary, the 8-day pass works best! We flew into Zürich, rented a car to cover our first day of transport to Lucerne and surrounds, before activating the pass for days two to nine.

Once back in Zürich, you can get around the city either by walking or with the ZVV day-pass — valid for 24 hours. Using the pass only within Zürich meant we covered two zones, which set us back at CHF17.60/pax for the day.

Read also: Getting around Switzerland — How to Maximise Your Swiss Travel Pass

Day 1 – 3: Lucerne 

View of Lucerne form above - Getting around Switzerland

An hour away from Zürich Airport, we spent two days in the historic city of Lucerne. Highlights include its charismatic old town, getting to the top of Mt Pilatus via the famous Golden Round Trip, and its panoramic view of the Swiss Alps from Mount Rigi.

Transport: Commute via public trains with the 24-hour ZVV day-pass or rent a car from Zürich Airport and drop off in Lucerne (~CHF100/day)
Accommodation: Airbnb — private room in a shared apartment for three pax at ~S$178/night, 15mins from Lucerne main station

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Day 3 – 5: Interlaken

View of Handeck Bridge Front - Getting around Switzerland

Interlaken is a must-add to your Switzerland itinerary if you’re a backpacker, and serves as the perfect base for day trips to surrounding adventures.

What to expect: Paragliding in Lauterbrunnen — between valleys that inspired the LOTR movies, riding the Gelmerbahn — Switzerland’s steepest open-air Funicular, challenging your vertigo on the Thrill Walk — 200m-long walkway made of glass and metal wires, and last but not least, making it to Jungfraujoch — the highest train station in Europe.

From Lucerne – Interlaken: Ride the Luzern-Interlaken Express (~120mins). It departs every hour from 7:05AM to 3:05PM except 8:05AM
Accommodation: Backpacker’s Villa Interlaken (Hostel) — ~S$75/bed per night in a 7-bed mixed dorm, 10mins walk from Interlaken OST Station, or 5mins ride on Bus 102 (towards Interlaken West) alighting at Sonnenhof Station

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Day 6: Montreux

Alimentarium in Vevey - Getting around Switzerland

Crossing into Montreux, you’ll first realise the stark difference between the German-speaking cities of Lucerne and Interlaken and French-speaking Montreux. Other than its French-influenced architecture, it has the Swiss Alps as a backdrop and Lake Geneva at its doorstep.

It’s a place to unwind due to its serene atmosphere and slower pace of life. Even getting to Montreux via the Golden Pass Line is an experience in itself. See Switzerland’s grandest castle Château de Chillon, stroll along the romantic streets of Vevey, and take a detour to the Leukerbad Thermal Baths before hitting the next city (Zermatt).

Accommodation: Airbnb — private room in a rental unit fit for 1 pax — ~S$85/night, 10mins walk from Montreux main station

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Day 7: Zermatt

Getting around Switzerland_Zermatt

Home to the Matterhorn, a.k.a. the “Toblerone Chocolate Mountain”, Zermatt is a car-free town that has ski slopes open all 365 days of the year. And if you’re thinking of adding a hike to your Switzerland itinerary, know that Zermatt is the gateway to some of the most beautiful hikes in the country. Plot your route around the vast Matterhorn landscape with this full map of the Matterhorn Paradise.

Where to Eat Switzerland_Du Pont Cheese Fondue

Highlights here obviously include seeing the Matterhorn up close, but it’s also a great place to enjoy affordable cheese fondue (Cafe Du Pont)!

Transport: Take a train from Montreux to Leuk (1hr 20mins) and stop at the Leukerbad Thermal Bath. Thereafter, take the train to Visp (~30mins). The final leg is Visp to Zermatt (~1hr)
Accommodation: Zermatt Youth Hostel — 8-bed dorm room at ~S$81/bed per night, 15mins walk from Zermatt Station (incl. a long flight of stairs just before the hostel)

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Day 8: Glacier Express to St Moritz 

Swiss Travel Pass_Glacier Express

The Glacier Express is the queen of Swiss railways and the 8-hour picturesque ride is so popular that you’re advised to make reservations at least one month in advance to secure seats!

*Note: Bookings open three months ahead.

On the trip, plug into the train commentary for information about various stops along the route.

Swiss Travel Pass_Glacier Express View

Beginning from Zermatt and ending in St Moritz, highlights of the route include passing through the Oberalppass at 2,033m above sea level, the Rhine Gorge (a.k.a the Grand Canyon of Switzerland), and the famous Landwasser Viaduct.

*Pro-tip: Sit on the right side for the best views!

Cost: From CHF185 (second class). Pay a top up of only CHF33 (for the reservation) if you have the Swiss Travel Pass.
Timetable: Check schedule for specific timings

Day 9: St Moritz

Getting around Switzerland_Moritzsee-wordpress

The final stop of the Glacier Express is St Moritz, a popular town with luxurious alpine resorts. From here, you can take a day trip to the town of Filisur where you can hike to the famous view point of the Landwasser Viaduct.

Transport: Glacier Express (8hrs)
Accommodation: Youth Hostel — single bed in quadruple room for ~S$92/night, ~15mins bus ride from St Moritz station

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Day 10: Zürich

Getting around Switzerland_Zürich

The last day in our Switzerland itinerary is none other than Zürich, a bustling city with historical charm that offers a change of pace after days spent amidst nature. We arrived in Zürich from St Moritz at night, and started the next (and last) day exploring the city. Besides taking a day trip out to see the Rhine Falls, we explored Zürich Old Town and caught the sunset at Lindenhof.

At this point, our Swiss Travel Pass had expired, so we got around either by public buses or by foot.

When leaving the city en route to the Zürich Airport, there’s a direct train from Zürich HB station (~10mins, CHF6.80) or you can opt for a private car transfer to get straight to your flight with convenience.

Transport: Local SBS train from St Moritz to Zürich (3hrs 6mins)
Accommodation: Hotel Bristol Zürich — Various room configurations are available at ~S$95/pax. 5mins walk from Zürich station.

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Budget Considerations for 10-Day Switzerland Itinerary

1) Food

Getting around Switzerland_Vevey

Eating out anywhere in Switzerland sets you back at least S$20 per meal. For perspective, a simple main at an inexpensive restaurant costs at least S$22, water at restaurants cost S$5 a glass, and a McDonald’s meal goes for S$19. Our wallets would have experienced a money crisis scarier than ‘The Nun’ (more like ‘The None’).

The solution: Good ol’ supermarkets of Coop and Migros, which are found all over Switzerland. There are so many picnic-worthy spots in Switzerland anyway — great excuse to enjoy supermarket food outdoors! Think CHF4 salad pastas and CHF3 tuna sandwiches. Croissants, ham, and spreads in Switzerland are fresh and delicious for breakfast and lunch.

Opt to cook dinner instead of eating out too. We were kids in a candy store (kitchen, rather) trying out different recipes!

To our surprise, we actually managed to keep to a budget of ~CHF20/day. This was spent on groceries with a few restaurant meals of Cheese Fondue in Zermatt, a traditional Swiss restaurant in Lucerne and a comforting meal of McDonald’s. To be honest, food isn’t a highlight in Switzerland so we didn’t feel like we were missing out on much!

2) Accommodation

Getting around Switzerland_Accommodation

The cheapest accommodation options for any Switzerland itinerary are hostels and Airbnbs. Renting a whole Airbnb apartment can be pretty costly, but a room is usually good enough, even for the three of us!

Hostels are great because they’re not only affordable, but also often conveniently close to train station and offers access to travellers’ necessities — kitchen, laundry, and free breakfast.

Plus point: You also get to mingle with other like-minded travellers! Hostels in general cost about S$50–70/pax per night in a shared dorm, which is considered reasonable by Swiss standards.

3) Transport in Switzerland

People on the Train in Switzerland - Switzerland Itinerary

Travelling within or between cities inevitably incurs heavy expenses — one ride from Lucerne to Interlaken could easily cost S$41. We overcame this by planning our route around maximising the Swiss Travel Pass.

For a flat price, we got all unlimited rides on buses, trains and even discounted entries (many up to 50%) to some attractions! After doing the math, we realised we saved a whopping total of ~S$971 with the pass. Seriously!

The cheapest and most fuss-free option is to get the E-ticket Swiss Travel Pass via Klook. Confirmation is almost immediate and you have the convenience of accessing the ticket on your phone. Not to mention, they’re also 5% cheaper than getting physical tickets!

*Pro-tip: If you’re staying with an Airbnb host or hostel, ask for a Visitor Card. This gives you free transport within the city for the whole duration of your stay.

Planning your Switzerland Itinerary

Getting around Switzerland_Lake Brienz Drone Shot

Every city and town in Switzerland was so unique from each other — and every day was a surprise. Also, travelling across the country via rail, and waking up to a new destination each time felt magical. We hope this Switzerland itinerary inspires you to try out this Swiss adventure — an experience filled with unfiltered natural beauty, amazing outdoor adventures, and rich cultural offerings!

If you can’t see the widget above, find the cheapest flight tickets from Singapore to Zurich here.

Have any questions about our Switzerland itinerary? Let us know in the comments below!


This post was brought to you by Klook.

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95 COMMENTS

    • Hi Nikita, we didn’t include flights this round because flight prices tend to vary a lot and there wasn’t a flight promo we could share this round 🙁 hope it’s still helpful!

    • Hi Tabitha, we were there around the 1st week of October so the weather was comfortably cool. & yes we flew in and out from Zürich but I’ve seen itineraries that recommend an open jaw between Zürich and Geneva.

  1. HI, THANK YOU for the details in your itinerary. You mentioned that for Days 1-3, we could use ZVV 24-hour day pass or drive . Which did you use? If it was the day pass, please advise the zones which you bought – as I am likely to follow your itinerary closely.
    Much appreciated.
    Jeannie

  2. Hi Guys, just wanna let you know that this itinerary was really useful for our trip! We just came back from Switzerland and it was really helpful as we followed quite closely to your itinerary. Thank you so much for all the detailed info and tips! we had a great time in Switzerland!

    • Hi Luna, this itinerary was created just to share our own experience, we’re not selling any packages. However, in November, many of the mountain access will be closed due to heavy snow so do check them out beforehand!

  3. Hi,
    Can I check, do you still need to purchase the GEX pass even if you had purchased the Swiss Travel Pass?
    Hope you can clarify on this.
    thank you.

    • The Swiss Travel Pass includes your basic ticket on the GEX but you’ll need to top up CHF33 for a seat reservation!

  4. Hello,

    You have mentioned that you went there by first week of October, and we’re also planning to go there at the same time. But I’m worried because I have read in another blog that some of the places were closed. Did you have problem with it? We’re planning to go to Zermatt and Grindelwald.

  5. Hi,

    Can i check with you, that the reservation for Glacier Express, after i reserve the seat, and choose no meals, i click next and it just brought me back to the first page. Is it successfully reserved ? Or i am suppose to receive any confirmation email and itinerary? Thanks!

      • HI Cherie,

        On the Glacier Express website to book, how do i ascertain that the booking of seat is on the ride side? , there is no indication on the website . Do we assume that class 1 is the front of the train

        • Oh man, that’s tricky. But if you’re heading towards St Moritz, the bottom of the train would be the right side — does this make sense?

  6. Hi Cherie,

    Thanks so much for your detailed post.

    As I am planning to travel to Switzerland next year May with my teenage daughter after she finished her JC, can you advise me if it is safe to travel around Swiss just for two of us (ladies) ?
    ( we will also try to stay out late at night )

    That is my main concern since there are only 2 of us and I heard pick-pocket and crime rate is increasing.

    Appreciate your kind advice.

    Best regards
    Belinda

    • Hi Belinda! Switzerland is perhaps one of the safest places in Europe! — ok, don’t take my word for it since I haven’t been everywhere in Europe 😛

      But generally the Swiss are super honest and very friendly so there wasn’t a time we felt unsafe or cheated. That said, I wouldn’t keep my luggage out of sight when taking the trains. Either stow it above if it’s not too big or under the chairs. Hope you both’ll enjoy Switzerland as much as we did! 🙂

    • Hi Talia, we got our Europe Sim Card off Qoo10! The exact link we used is no longer available, you can do a simple search and see what suits you! Just searched Europe Sim Card and there were quite a few options.

    • Hi Phillip!

      We covered a bit of Zürich on day 10! It’s not much but if you hit “read more” there’s a few interesting things we covered 🙂

  7. Hello!

    Is the glacier express one-way? Planning to travel from Zermatt back to Zurich but cant really find this train route. Also, can we hop on with heavy luggages? And do people usually take glacier express as a one-day itinerary?

  8. Hi Cherie,
    I am going for 8 days. Arriving at Zurich in the morning and going to Lucerne on the first day from the airport. I guess i can somewhat follow your itinerary. But i was thinking of going to the following:
    Day 1 Lion Monument, Chapel bridge & old town as i wont have as much time on the first day since everything seems to close at 6pm.
    Day 2 Hammetschwand Lift, Mount Pilas and golden round trip & mount rigi.
    Day 3-5 I will probably follow yours for Interlaken . (I noticed that you didnt go to Trummmelbachfall & stubbachfall)
    I am wondering if it is doable in 3 days for all of this.
    Day 6 Zermatt can i go directly from Interlaken? I am thinking of doing a hike there. (any suggestions?)
    Day 7 Glacier express – should i book that now? Is it better to get window seat? i cant seem to find one.
    Day 8 Zurich and my flight back during afternoon.
    Do you think this is doable? Thank you so much Cherie!!

    • Hi Phil, will you be renting a car? The Hammetschwand Lift is a little inconvenient to get to without one. Other than that, this plan sounds alright. We didn’t go up to the waterfalls but we saw it up close during our paragliding ride (this was one of my favourite experiences)! Definitely try the gornegrat hike mentioned in the article (it closes in winter though so I hope you’re going early). From Zurich to Interlaken, there’s a change of trains. We used https://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html to plan our routes.

      Glacier Express MUST be reserved early. Locals usually book 2 months in advance but you’ll be able to enjoy the view all the same even if you don’t get a window seat.

  9. Hi Cherie,
    I am going for 8 days. Arriving at Zurich in the morning and going to Lucerne on the first day from the airport. I guess i can somewhat follow your itinerary. But i was thinking of going to the following:
    Day 1 Lion Monument, Chapel bridge & old town as i wont have as much time on the first day since everything seems to close at 6pm.
    Day 2 Hammetschwand Lift, Mount Pilas and golden round trip & mount rigi.
    Day 3-5 I will probably follow yours for Interlaken . (I noticed that you didnt go to Trummmelbachfall & stubbachfall)
    I am wondering if it is doable in 3 days for all of this.

  10. Hi Cherie, so sorry for the late reply . Thank you for your info but im going in early September. I am wondering what the weather will be like. So its probably best not to go for Hammetschwand lift since i wont be renting a car. Hmm i m wondering if going to zermatt for one day is enough…….yes i got the glacier express reserved but it wont be a window seat unfortunately. However, i still havent purchased my swiss travel pass yet. Do i just show them the pass when i get there since i already paid for reservation fee? Thank you so much Cherie.

    • September is perfect because all the hikes will still be open and it’s starting to get cooler. If you’re planning to do the hikes in Zermatt, it’s worth spending at least a night so you can watch the sun rising over Matterhorn. The weather isn’t always great so buffer a day or two if you can.
      For the Glacier Express, there will be someone walking around to check the passes so just show them your Swiss Travel Pass and a print out of your reservation slip.

      • I just realized from the weather forecast that it will be raining a lot the next two weeks. That is somewhat unfortunate. when i looked the weather forecast initially a month ago it was supposed to rain 1 day out of the time im coming but now that i look at it closer it is raining almost every single day. oy vey hah. I guess no sunrise moment over matterhorn then 🙁

        • oh man 🙁 We were there for 3 days, on the first day it was pouring so heavily we couldn’t get anywhere, the second day we caught the most magnificent sunrise and on the last day, it was so gloomy that Matterhorn was no where in sight! So don’t lose hope!! The good news is that Zermatt is still incredibly gorgeous even when the weather is terrible 😉

  11. Hi
    I am planning a 14 nights trip to Switzerland in Dec and will follow your route quite closely except we will stop over in Bern. Can I ask your 8 Day travel pass is flexi pass or consecutive ? What do you advise if for a 14nights in Switzerland, should we get a 15 days? In Zurich is it the pass is not really necessary as we will be in Zurich for 2-3 nights thereafter will fly back to Sin.

    Thank you.
    Vanessa

    • Hi Vanessa! Glad you found our itinerary useful 🙂
      Our 8-day pass was consecutive since we were travelling between cities almost everyday. Will your 15-day itinerary be covering 12-13 different destinations? If not, the 8-day flexi will be more worth it since it’s cheaper and you’ll get to spend more time in each location.
      We didn’t use the Swiss Travel Pass in Zurich so we saved that city for the last when our pass had expired.

  12. Hi,
    Should I reach juangfrauch by helicopter?
    Train ride prize is 190chf and helicopter is 250chf so which is more preferable?

  13. Hi Cherie

    Thank you very much for your reply. I will look into my itinerary and take note of your advice in regards to the flexi pass.

    Regards
    Vanessa

    • I can’t remember exactly but I believe it was done on 2 separate days because of the weather. But if you’re taking the first slot for paragliding in the morning, there’s more than enough time to do another hike before the sun sets.

  14. Hi Cherie may I have your itinerary pls. Thinking of going there in the beginning of May. Is it a good time to visit the places you covered?

    • A lot of them close in October up till Feb/March so I think there’s a pretty high chance it’ll be closed. Which hikes are you planning for? There’s usually a section on the official website that has info on the opening periods.

  15. Hello thank you fr your lovely post.

    Can i just ask, is the visitor card necessary even when i have the Swiss pass?

    And also, the activities like paragliding do i need to book in advance or can i book when im there?

    Thank you in advance 🙂

    • Hey Faliq, the visitor card is useful if you’re on the flexi Swiss Travel Pass! So on day where you’re just staying in the city, you can use the visitor card to get around on public transport for free while saving the days on your Swiss Travel Pass.

      Paragliding can be really popular especially during summer so best to book in advance! 🙂

  16. Hi, not sure if you will be able to help. I’ve bought the Swiss Travel Pass and intend to pre-book my train tickets (Lucerne-Interlaken, Interlaken-Zermatt) via Trainline. Does not seem to have an option for that Discount Pass though. Did you guys pre-book those as well? Or you guys managed to get the tickets at the train station on the day of travel? Or are those train tickets via those cities free if we have the Swiss Travel Pass?

    • Yup those routes you mentioned are free with the Swiss Travel Pass. Just have them on hand when the conductors do their routine checks. The only train we pre-booked was the Glacier Express between Zermatt to St Moritz. Hope that helps!

  17. Hi Cherie,

    Thank you very much for the lovely and detailed post.
    I am planning 10 days trip to Switzerland in Mid to Late June 2020. My itinerary looks like following:
    Day 1-2: Lucerne (1 day for Lucerne City Tour + Mount Rigi and 1 day for Mount Pilatus)
    Day 3-4-5-6: Interlaken (1 day each for Schilthorn and Jungfrau, 1 day for Lauterbrunnen + Paragliding and 1 day to visit other villages)
    Day 7-8: Zermatt (1 day for Gronergrat ride and 1 day for 5-lake hike)
    Day 9: Zurich (City tour with Rhine falls)
    Since I will be traveling from India, 1.5 days will be taken by flight.
    Do you think I need to add anything else? I am confused between spending 6th day in Interlaken and Montruex. What is your suggestion?
    Also where should I stay for Day 3-6 (Interlaken or Lauterbrunnen or somewhere else?) I am thinking to book whole Airbnb apartment.
    And finally if I book flights and Airbnb 3 months before, will there be any issue with price hike or should I book early? (I am not sure about the dates as of now)

    Thanks in advance!

    • Hi Jaymeen, this looks pretty similar to what we did! We managed to cover both Schilthorn and Jungfrau on the same day so perhaps you could just play by ear. If you manage to fit them on the same day, you could visit Montreux on day 6. Montreux feels quite different from the rest of Switzerland so it was quite a refreshing change in environment.
      We stayed 2 nights in Interlaken because that’s where all the cheaper options are but if you have more to spend, a night in in the Jungfrau/Lauterbrunnen area would be great! That way, you can take the earlier train up to Jungfrau too.
      I’m not too familiar with the Airbnb rates as they differ quite a bit but the prices at the Youth Hostels are quite consistent up till the day.

      Hope this helped and have an amazing trip! 🙂

      • Hi Cherie,

        Wasn’t very clear on how many nights you stay on each city, would you mind sharing? For example you mentioned Day3-5 Interlaken, I was assuming 3 nights but you comment stated you stayed 2 nights only. I am planning the activities around these cities but not sure which city I should cater more nights so as not to be too rushed.

        • Hi Shann, we stayed 2 nights each in Lucerne, Interlaken, and Zermatt and single nights in the rest!
          Day 3-5 = 3D2N, hope that clarifies! It’s a little packed but it’s because we wanted to maximise the 8-day Swiss Travel Pass.
          Some attractions can be taken out to allow more time to soak in the charms of each city.

  18. Hi, where do you purchase the tickets for the Golden Round Trip? Understand that we just need to top up CHF36 if we have the swiss travel pass. Do I purchase the tickets online or can I purchase the tickets a day before/actual day itself from Lucerne? Also, do I just show the swiss travel pass when I board the boat from Lucerne to Alpnachstad?

    • That’s right! It’s CHF36 for Swiss Travel Pass Holders. You can buy tickets at the entrance, no need to purchase in advance.
      & yes for the boat rides, they will come around to check for tickets when the boat is moving off.

  19. Hello! I was thinking of where to go for my honeymoon in June and was so happy to chanced upon this itinerary! Thank you so much for all the details but I’m still confused of where to start and all. Could you please help? Thank you 🙂

  20. When I reach Zürich, I need to rent a car to get to Lucerne? Where do I rent the car at and which exact destination I need to head to?

  21. Hi Cherie,

    May I check with you if it’s possible to travel to Pilatus and Rigi within the same day? Many thanks for your advice in advance!

  22. Hi Travel Intern,

    My friends and I are travelling to Switzerland in the late April. I would like to know if the plan is feasible and smooth for the 10 days trip in Swiss?

    Also, is your 8-days Siwss Travel Pass activated on the Second day when at Lucerne?

    Day 1 – Zurich To Lucerne
    *Day 2 – Lucerne – Pilatus (Cogwheel Railway operation closed till early May) – is it worth the CHF 36? or Rigi ?
    Day 3 – Lucerne to Interlaken
    Day 4 – Interlaken – Lauterbrunnen (Paragliding) & Schilthorn Is it possible in 1 day?
    Day 5 – Interlaken – Jungfraujoch (Top of Europe) & Hike Grindelwald First for stunning lake views?? Possible?? Smooth Day Trip?
    Day 6 – Interlaken to Zermatt
    Day 7 – Zermatt (Catch the Matterhorn’s beauty at sunrise & Go on the 5-Seenweg Hike)
    Day 8 – Glacier Express to St.Moritz
    *Day 9 – St.Moritz (St.Moritz to Zurich by night) *according to your guide, is it still covered by Swiss Travel Pass when travelling to Zurich?
    Day 10 – Zurich

    *8-Days Swiss Travel Pass Consecutive Activated Start/End
    Im looking using AirBnb for the entire Swiss Trip rather than mix w Hote/Hostel

    • Hi Fang,

      Alright, here goes:
      – Yes, we rented a car and drove from Zurich airport to Lucerne so we didn’t activate the pass on this day. After splitting up the cost of the car rental, this is much cheaper than using a day on the Swiss Travel Pass.
      – Day 2: Pilatus is one of my favourites so personally, I do think it’s worth it. Rigi was so so for me but it’s free!
      – Day 4: This is what we did! Book the first slot for paragliding (the weather in the morning is usually calmer too) and there should be enough time.
      – Day 5: It’s a bit of a squeeze. I could spend an entire day at Grindelwald. We actually managed to squeeze in Jungfrau on the paragliding day although that was a squeeze too.
      – Day 6: you might be able to squeeze in an early trip to Jungfrau before travelling to Zermatt (depending on train connections though, not sure if it’ll be different in other seasons. We went in Oct)
      Day 9: Yes, from Day 2 – 9 is 8 days

      • Hi Cherie,

        Thank you for the reply.

        Ya, I also looking into gg to visit Pilates but not so sure if it fit into our budget due to various places to go.

        Will look into it to find a way that is smooth and worth the pockets, as we are tagging along with luggage as well. 🙂

      • Hey Cherie,

        Please do bear with me as I’m finishing up the itinerary for the last remaining days for swiss.

        Just to check, on y’all trip to ‘Catch the Matterhorn’s beauty at sunrise’.
        How did y’all manage to make y’all way up to catch the sunrise? Not through tour right?

        Kind of confuse when I read it.
        “For this view, we took the first train at 7AM on the Gornergrat Bahn (Matterhorn Railway) from
        Zermatt village to Riffelboden Station. Walk to Riffelsee (~5mins)

        Also the Go on the 5-Seenweg Hike, y’all also did the hike?
        If I were to plan, i will need to travel back down to Zermatt and Zermatt to Sunnegga and transit to Blauherd.
        At Blauherd hike downwards towards Sunnegga and return to Zermatt.

        Rgs,
        Fang

  23. This is very helpful ! Planning to have a vacation trip in Switzerland after pandemic ! This 7 day itinerary and your blogs is such a big help and great 🙂 Hoping pandemic ends as soon as possible ! Looking forward for your next blogs.

    • hmm, just looked through, the Swiss Travel Pass we got from Klook still seems to offer more savings! It costs S$382 for the same 4-day consecutive pass, whereas the Interail Global pass costs €246 (S$398). Also for the Swiss Travel Pass, you get a free ride up Schilthorn but only 25% off on this pass

  24. Hi there, I appreciate the valuable information you have shared. Switzerland travel will be easier for a new traveler after studying the information uploaded here.

  25. Hello there, firtsly thank you so much for the very helpful post. May i know on the first day you rent a car from zurich to lucerne what route did you take? Any tips for which stops that shoud visit? Thank you again

  26. I am hoping to go to Switzerland in the middle of the year. So many years, I know someone who always wanted to go to there but because of the price, they did not even consider it. I studied your entire trip and came up with this below. Not sure whether is it correct but is possible to share your exact itinerary with me? The order of the places in which you all travel and do in each day. I was hoping to squeeze in as much good places as possible. Most prob, we will follow the exact itinerary that you all go but mainly change the lucerne, Zurich and the Interlaken part a bit to fit our physical limitations. And also some of the food places. Thank you very much

    Day 1:
    Fly to zurich airport
    Rent a car to drive from airport to lucerne
    -Visit workshop to make swiss army knife at brunnen
    -Visit the Highest Outdoor Lift in Europe, Hammetschwand Lift
    Drive back to Lucerne to explore the city area
    Eat at Wirtshaus Taube Luzern for dinner
    Check in to lucerne airbnb near main station for 2 nights – day 1 to 3

    Day 2:
    Activate the swiss travel pass on day 2
    Mount pilatus (around 6+ hours whole trip)
    -Travel to Alpnachstad from lucerne by boat
    -Travel to pilatus kulm by railway at 8.30am from Alpnachstad
    -Go hiking or the 40-minute Tomlishorn hike
    -Take Panorama Gondola cable car to kriens from pilatus kulm, along the way stop at Fräkmüntegg to take the Fräkigaudi Toboggan Slide
    -Travel back to lucerne from kriens kriens
    Mount rigi
    -Take train from lucerne to Arth-Goldau
    -Take cogwheel railway from Arth-Goldau to Rigi Kulm
    -15 minutes hike to the top to see the 13 lakes and the whole of the Swiss alps
    -Take cogwheel railway from rigi kulm to Vitznau
    -Take boat back to Lucerne from vitznau
    Cook dinner at airbnb

    Day 3:
    Leave airbnb at Lucerne
    Take train to interlaken
    Put down luggage at hostel
    Gelmerbahn
    -Take train and bus from interlaken ost to Handegg, Gelmerbahn
    -Ride Switzerland’s Steepest Open-air Funicular: Gelmberbahn
    -At the top, go see the Gelmer Lake and its turquoise water
    -Then go Handeck Suspension Bridge
    -Go back interlaken same way
    Take train nearby from interlaken to Iseltwald along Lake Brienz
    Go back to hostel

    Day 4:
    Stay at hostel from day 3 to day 5

    Paragliding at murren
    -Go Lauterbrunnen by train from interlaken
    -From Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg by bus
    -From Stechelberg to muren by cableway for paragliding
    Schilthorn
    -Afterwards, go Schilthorn famous james bond place by cableway from murren
    -Go for the trail walk on the way up the cableway
    -When at the Piz Gloria Schilthorn Summit, walk around the james bond museum
    -Then go back down
    Jungfrau
    -Then go wengen
    -Go Jungfraujoch via Kleine Scheidegg
    -While at the Jungfraujoch top
    -Walk through the Ice Palace and Alpine Sensation
    -Watch the Jungfrau Panorama
    -Send a postcard at Europe’s highest mailbox
    -Take train back to interlaken hostel from wengen

    Day 5:
    Airbnb stay on day 5 to day 6
    Leave interlaken hostel
    Grindelwald in interlaken
    -Go Ride the gondola up to the Mount First Top Station
    -Start the Grindelwald Hike to Lake Bachalpsee
    -Back to interlaken
    Take golden line train to montreux from interlaken
    Leave luggage at airbnb
    Visit Château de Chillon
    Travel vevey to see hq of nestle and the world tallest fork in the lake geneva
    Go back to airbnb

    Day 6:
    Hostel from day 6 to day 8
    Take train and bus to leuk and then leukerbad
    Go Leukerbad Thermal Baths and soak
    Then travel to zermatt
    Settle down then explore zermatt city area
    Go cafe du pont to eat cheese fondue

    Day 7:
    Go Gornergrat Peak from zermatt by railway at 7am to see matterhorn toblerone chocolate mountain sunrise
    Go highest hotel in switzerland for the view
    Then go 5-Seenweg Hike
    Go back zermatt from Riffleberg

    Day 8:
    Take glacier express from zermatt 8am to st moritz 6pm
    St moritz hostel from day 8 to 9

    Day 9:
    Hotel from day 9 to day 10 at zermatt
    Explore st moritz a bit
    Go filisur by train to see the Landwasser Viaduct Viewpoint
    Come back to st moritz and go to zurich
    Last day of swiss travel pass

    Day 10:
    Go for half day tour to rhine falls
    Go shop the Latest Trends at ‘IM VIADUKT’
    Visit the FREITAG Flagship Store
    Catch the sunset over Zürich by hiking up Lindenhof hill
    Take train to zurich airport
    Fly back to singapore

  27. Cool read! How were you able to take that photo of Landwasser Viaduct Viewpoint with a train passing by? Any tip where I can take off my drone? 😀

  28. Hi, able to share the extact itenary as I watched the YouTube video you uploaded. It’s like a tour package with all the activities I want to do. I was thinking I just follow yours, stay the same hotel etc.. since u have researched and happy with it. 🙂 If hotel you dont recommend after staying there.. perhaps also can let me know. Are u able to see my email or I can also paste in the next comment if need. Thank you in advance!

  29. Hi,
    Wanted to know if you stayed a night at Montreux? I was trying to follow the itinerary, but it sounded like you just took the train to Montreux, visited the chateau and Veveyand continued onto Zermatt and stayed the night at Zermatt for Day 6?

  30. Hi guys, thank you so much for this article, it’s a lifesaver! About the Swiss Travel Pass Promo of getting extra 2 days, If we are planning to book the 8 day pass now (to travel on 24 April 2023), do we get it automatically after we made the purchase? if you don’t mind explaining it to us, we would really appreciate that! Looking forward to hearing from you. Cheers.

  31. Hi Cherie,

    We will be carrying 25’inch with us.
    How did you handle the luggage transport services ?

    What is the best way to transport the luggage from one place to another place ?

    • on trains, we generally could fit our luggages in the overhead compartment where we were seated and could wheel it around almost everywhere as there were lifts and escalators around.

  32. When thinking about travelling in Switzerland I can recommend to go to the Berner Oberland. The nature and the lakes like the lake thun are awesome.

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