How To Travel Switzerland On A Budget

Are you wondering if your hiking boots still suit you, how much weight you can get when you submit your chocolate cravings or if you need to bring a German, French or Italian dictionary.

If it were not just for the persistent voice on the back of the head. You know, the one who keeps you awake at night with a million questions.

  • How to make it through a single day in Switzerland without robbing a bank?
  • Are you going to crawl into a box and sleep in a stranger’s garden just to save money?
  • Are you happy to live on instant noodles like you did during that trip to Australia?

Use free public transport

If you live in Bern, Lucerne, Basel, Geneva or Lausanne, you can use local public transport for free.

Your accommodation offers you a ticket that is valid during your stay.

Canton of Ticino expanded this concept and recently introduced what I call the travel jackpot.

Every visitor who spends at least one night in the Canton receives an all-inclusive ticket.

Do not buy a travel card

Do not buy a travel card, at least not until you know your options.

Travel cards can be fantastic value for money if you are going to use public transport. But they do not always make sense.

To avoid wasting your money on something you do not need, set aside some time to do your research.

To choose your best match when buying a travel card, try to answer the following questions as accurately as you can:

  • Where do you want to go? What places do you want to see?
  • Will you cover long distances or mostly live in the same area?
  • Do you travel to Switzerland to any other European countries?

Take things into your own hands

If you do not want to, you do not need to book a tour to explore Switzerland.

When public transport is as efficient and plentiful as it is, you will be hard pressed to find a place that is not accessible by bus, train or boat.

Buses and trains run frequently so do not worry about getting stuck somewhere.

But if you go to more isolated places, double check the timetable just to be on the safe side.

Sleep over the cows

Believe it or not, but there is.

Especially if you are looking for an adventure and traveling with a sleeping bag.

Go out of town and sleep on some Swiss hay.

With breakfast included, it’s well worth taking a detour from the city.

Embrace your inner chef

You guessed it. Eating out is also expensive.

Cooking your own food is much cheaper. Depending on how much of a gourmet you are, you can make do with 60 – 80 CHF a week for groceries.

Maybe even cheaper if you cut a few edges.

Buy Stale Bread

To fight food waste, these guys collect what bakeries could not sell during the day and offer it for half the price the next day.

As a result, you can get pastries, breads, sandwiches and sausage rolls at a huge discount.

You will find Ässbar stores in St. Gallen, Winterthur, Zurich, Bern, Friborg and Basel.

And because their concept is so popular, they seem to be expanding to other cities as we speak.

Things To See And Do In Zurich And Geneva

Are you curious about traveling to Switzerland; the chocolate and the luxurious land of bells? Here you get tips on two wonderful weekend cities to take a closer look at.

Look at art at the Kunsthaus

Zurich’s main art gallery Kunsthaus is located on the Heimplatz square. Here you can admire paintings by dignitaries such as Picasso, Monet and Rembrandt. The address is Heimplatz 1.

Grossmünster Church

The medieval church Grossmünster is a strong symbol of the city and it is characterized by two mighty twin towers. Climb up one of the towers to get the best view of Zurich and beautiful Lake Zurich. The church is located on Grossmünsterplatz.

Eat food in the dark

If you are craving a different meal, you should visit the restaurant Blinde Kuh where you eat in almost total darkness. To enhance the unique feeling, the food is served by blind staff. You will find the restaurant on Mühlebachstrasse 148.

Check out people at Paradeplatz

The tram-tight Paradeplatz is Zurich’s most popular square. The area is crowded with luxury shops, banks and insurance companies. Sit on a bench with an ice cream and watch people.

Shopping

Zurich has shopping for all interests and wallets. Bahnhofstrasse is a luxury shopping street and where you will find some of the world’s most exclusive brands. You will find both watches, clothes and accessories. If you are instead looking for flea market bargains, you can do so on Bürkliplatz in the old town. The market is open between May and October. The old town also offers the Schipfe area, which has a strong focus on design shops and crafts.

Eat luxury chocolate at Teuscher

If you love chocolate, you must have a coffee at Teuscher on Bahnhofstrasse. Buy delicious champagne truffles consisting of dark chocolate, butter cream and Dom Perignon.

They source Jet d’Eau

The Jet d’Eau fountain is one of Geneva’s most famous landmarks, and also one of the world’s largest. It sprays out five hundred liters of water per second and reaches a height of 140 meters. Expect to get wet if you are close to the wind can easily change direction!

Take a guided tour of the Palais des Nations

Geneva has many headquarters for international organizations. One of these is the UN headquarters Palais des Nations. Here you can take a guided tour among chambers and works of art. Outside the building is the Ariana Park beautiful park with beautiful monuments.

Eat at Il Lago

The Il Lago restaurant has a good reputation and the chef has two Michelin stars. Here you are met by high ceilings, crystal chandeliers, beautiful art, Italian food and an incredible wine list.

Buy chocolate at Auer Chocolatier

Auer Chocolatier has been a family-owned chocolate shop for five generations and has been named the best in the city several times. Each praline is made by hand and then wrapped exclusively in a luxurious package. You will find the store on Rue de Rive 4.

Swim on the Bain des Piques

If you are in Geneva during the summer, the central bathing area Bain des Pâquis is a hot tip. It is an artificial peninsula that has a beach, sauna, Turkish bath and a beautiful view of the lake.