Switzerland is probably the last place a budget traveler would think to travel. But as an undergraduate student studying abroad in Switzerland, I was determined to travel the entire country during spring break.
Although Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in the world, it is possible to travel it on a budget without going broke.
Here are 12 things I’ve learned to cut down on the costs!
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Table of Contents
1. Skip the lift chair and take a hike
My roommate and I spent weeks planning a hiking trip through the fairytale land called Switzerland, where we were doing an exchange semester. We were determined to enter the pictures in our guide books and hike the mountains covered in green fields and mountain flowers.
This didn’t happen.
Since spring break was in March, there was still snow up in the mountains. Lots of it- people were still skiing. And as much as I wanted to join them, I didn’t have the equipment with me to do so, nor the money to rent. Also, my roommate and I were set on hiking: snow wasn’t going to stop us.
Now, as a disclaimer, it is not recommended to hike the mountains in snow if you aren’t in good shape or up for an adventure.
And weird stares, because we got a lot of those from other people. The only other people hiking up were wearing snow shoes or cross-country skis.
They gave looks of pity to the two poor American girls huffing their way up the mountain knee deep in snow. And some even asked if we were lost. Which no, we were not. We were trudging uphill in knee deep snow on purpose, thank you very much.
One time we reached the top of a mountain and wanted to take the lift chair back down because our lungs were overworked from the hike up. As we tried buying a one way ticket down, the lift chair operator was extremely confused as to how we got up without having a lift chair ticket up.
So it’s not a popular route for obvious reasons, but I don’t regret doing it. I got to see the absolute most beautiful views I’ve ever seen for free, and have some great stories to tell to boot.
If you want to travel Switzerland on a budget, get ready for some adventures.
2. Buy train tickets in advance
I once bought a train ticket from Innsbruck, Austria to Geneva, Switzerland (which is a day-long train ride across the entire country of Switzerland) for only around $30. I bought it a few months in advance, but if I were to buy the ticket only a few days before, that would have been well over $100.
It’s hard to plan things far out ahead (especially if you’re like me and live life spontaneously). But a trip to Switzerland is well worth the advanced planning if you’re on a tight budget- your wallet will thank you! While trains are extremely expensive in the tiny country of Switzerland, it is possible to ride them even if you’re on a budget if you plan it right.
3. Buy the discount train pass
The best way to travel Switzerland is by train, but like I said, the trains are REALLY expensive. And so is the monthly pass that let’s you get 50% off (185 CHF/month). But if you’re doing a long trip for more than a week through the country, you’ll be saving money.
So if you’re only going to be in Switzerland for a few days, this pass isn’t worth it. If you’ll be traveling for a few weeks, you should get it!
I did this during my spring break trip. While it was still really expensive for me (and probably is for many of you budget travelers out there), it was really worth it. Every train ride was unbelievably gorgeous and I had my eyes glued to the window for every moment, soaking in all the views.
I did another short trip through Switzerland with my mom when she came to visit, and we rented a car for it. Having a car was more convenient in that I didn’t have to sprint through little Swiss villages to get to the train station on time. (BTW, the trains leave exactly on time, which I learned the hard way too many times). We were also able to stop and take pictures along the way, which was equally convenient.
However, it came out to cost about the same.
And it also had its downfalls. It was really inconvenient having to find parking spots, which I didn’t have to worry about taking trains. Another hassle was finding the car. We were once stranded on top of a mountain because we didn’t remember where we parked our car. (Hey, don’t judge- the bus that drove down to the parking lot we parked at stopped running, and the winding streets were confusing!)
Also, be aware that some roads are not open during some times of the year. We once drove halfway up to a mountain pass when suddenly the road ended in a wall of snow. A trip that should have taken about 2 hours instead took 7 hours because we had to take the long way around the mountain.
And finally, some parts of Switzerland you can’t get to at all by car, even in the summer. This includes some of the carless little villages in the Interlaken area, which I HIGHLY recommend visiting.
4. Hostels!!
Yes, even in one of the most expensive and luxurious countries in the world, there are hostels. I did a lot of research on the cheapest and most conveniently located, so check back for the travel itinerary I’ll share on how I traveled through Switzerland and where I stayed on a budget. While the hostels were still fairly expensive to other countries, it is Switzerland, so you’ve got to take what you can when on a budget.
5. Or Airbnb if you’re traveling with others
Airbnb is definitely a cheaper option if you are traveling with other people. Hostels are great if you’re traveling alone, but they’re still fairly expensive (around $30 a night).
Airbnb in Switzerland also isn’t super cheap either compared to other cheaper countries I’ve traveled to, but a way better option than hotels if you’re on a budget. And split between a few people, it’s definitely the cheapest way to go!
6. Buy food from a supermarket- avoid restaurants at all costs!
Restaurants in Switzerland are really expensive; there aren’t really budget options. We only went to two during our trip. Once to reward ourselves for a long hike with some fondue (which you HAVE to splurge on) and once when we got lost walking for hours from one remote village to another. To celebrate making it out of the mountains alive, I ordered a boozy hot chocolate and raclette from the town’s only bar.
Other than that, we would eat really big breakfasts at our hostels because they were free. Then we’d buy sandwiches, snacks, cheese and lots of chocolate (which is is actually cheaper in Switzerland than back home!) to get us through the rest of the day.
I usually went to Migros, and I highly recommend it. High quality food, not too expensive (for Switzerland) and they’re easy to find (pretty much everywhere). Coop is another option, and Denner is usually cheaper, as it tends to have lower quality than Migros in my experience.
7. Adjust your food and drink preferences
Meat is expensive in Switzerland, so ignore your meat cravings while you’re there if you’re on a tight budget. Fresh fruits and vegetables were are also expensive, but not that much more.
Bread was cheap, and so was the cheese (a block of Gruyère cheese was somewhere around $4, while in the U.S. Gruyère cheese costs close to $10+). Therefore, most of my meals consisted of fresh bread and cheese. (In fact, I ate so much cheese that I became lactose intolerant…thanks a lot, delicious Gruyère cheese…) Although not the most nutritious, it tastes good and keeps you full.
Also, try to avoid going out at night to bars because drinks are crazy expensive. If you really want to drink, buy a beer or wine bottle from the grocery store and enjoy it at your hostel (if they allow it).
In the semester I spent in Switzerland, I went out maybe three times. Instead, I would buy my favorite wine (which was only 3 CHF…the reason why it was my favorite) and enjoy it back at my dorm’s common area.
8. Avoid McDonald’s and other fast food chains
Usually when I’m traveling and want to save money, I resort to McDonald’s for something quick and cheap. (Also, did you know that McDonald’s menu is different in different countries? My favorite was the brie cheese nuggets I found in Switzerland and then in Austria a few years later!)
But McDonald’s is super expensive there. Have you ever heard of the Big Mac index? I’m not an economist so I won’t get into the technicalities of it, but it has to do with the purchasing power of an economy. Basically, the more expensive the Big Mac is, the more expensive the country.
The top of the list for the Big Mac index? You guessed it: Switzerland.
So Switzerland has probably the most expensive McDonald’s menu in the world (although I think it tastes a lot better than in the U.S.). The same goes for other American fast food chains. Subway and Starbucks, for example, were a lot more expensive than back home.
Of course, these fast food chains are going to be a lot cheaper than if you were to eat at a restaurant, but keep in mind it’s not as cheap as you’re used to.
9. Don’t buy water!
Except maybe for once to have a bottle to use as a container. Then, fill that bottle up from the tap for the rest of your trip. Switzerland’s tap water comes from fresh mountain springs, and it is hands down the most delicious water I have ever tasted.
The people who say that all water tastes the same have never tried Swiss tap water. It tastes so fresh, like you’re drinking melted snow taken straight from the top of one of Switzerland’s many gorgeous mountains.
It’s so good that I actually filled up a few bottles when I was leaving the country so that I could enjoy the water for just a few days longer. It’s that good. So save your money; don’t buy water!
If you want a great travel water bottle, I actually recently bought this one for when I was traveling SE Asia, and I love it! It’s collapsible and for the cheap price, it’s great quality.
10. Be prepared to walk a lot
Same as with the trains, the buses and trams are expensive too. (Although in some cities, hotels offer free transportation cards- not available in some hostels and Airbnb’s though.)
This isn’t too hard to skip out on, as the cities in Switzerland aren’t that big so almost everything is within walking distance.
Even walking through the middle of nowhere in Switzerland is doable, since it’s such a safe country. I’ve done this before to save money on a bus (and once on accident when we missed the last bus of the day and had to walk a few miles to the next town over). I didn’t feel unsafe at all.
In fact, I was having the time of my life walking endlessly along green fields upon which cows were peacefully grassing, with impressive snow capped mountains looming above us.
Be prepared though: make sure you have good walking shoes (especially if you’re going to go hiking, obviously), carry a water bottle with you and pack light. I’d recommend only taking a backpack when you travel, as suitcases are very difficult to pull on cobblestone streets or gravel paths.
Looking for a cheap backpacking backpack? I’ve been using this one for a few years now. It’s still in great shape after many trips and it’s only $35!
11. Get a bike
Not feeling the walking option? Another alternative is to bike through a city. Some cities in Switzerland offer free bikes, so look into those.
If free bikes aren’t available, you can always rent a bike out. This may be cheaper than paying for public transportation (again, if it’s not included in your accommodation- hotels provide it for free!). It’s also just a great way to get exercise while breathing in fresh mountain air!
12. Research free things to do!
While there are many attractions in Switzerland that are too costly for most budget travelers, every place that I traveled to had lots of free things to do! Mostly that consisted of walking around and taking beautiful pictures, but that was fine by me. I could walk around doing nothing but enjoy the views all day long in Switzerland!
There were also free museums and monuments that I visited, so do your research. You can totally visit Switzerland by paying only for transportation, accommodation and food (using the tips I gave you to do this cheap), and only do free things. You’ll still have an unforgettable trip- especially if you love activities such as hiking.
Did you find any other ways to travel Switzerland on a budget? If so, share with us in the comments below!
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