In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Switzerland
Brig
Brig-Glis
Give Brig one night as a rail junction for Zermatt, the Simplon and the Aletsch cable cars; the old town itself needs half a day.
Brig-Glis is a town of about 13,000 at the foot of the Simplon pass, where the lines from Bern, Zurich, Geneva, Milan and Zermatt meet. Since the Lötschberg base tunnel opened, most traffic runs through Visp, but international trains still stop here as the last Swiss stop before Italy. Sights are few and close together: Stockalper Palace, a river old town, and the fortifications across the Rhone in Naters. Most travellers use it as a bed before or after the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn to Zermatt, or as a base for the Aletsch area.
- Country
- Switzerland
- Local name
- Brig-Glis
- Best months
- Jun–Sep for hiking and the Aletsch cable cars; Dec–Mar for skiing
- Avoid
- Nov (quiet, some lifts and mountain services closed); check late-Oct and Nov closures
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CHF
- Money
- Currency is the Swiss franc (CHF). Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere; euros are sometimes taken with change in francs.
- Daily spend
- Budget CHF 90–140 excl. bed · Mid CHF 140–220 excl. bed · High CHF 220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Swisscom, Sunrise and Salt sell prepaid SIMs (ID needed); Swisscom covers the most mountain terrain.
- Emergency
- Police 117 · Ambulance 144 · Fire 118 · Rega air rescue 1414 · European emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types J, C · 230 V · 50 Hz · Swiss three-pin sockets are recessed: thin two-pin (type C) plugs fit, but thick German Schuko plugs do not — bring a Swiss adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Service included; round up or leave 5–10% for good service.; Café or bar: Round up.; Taxi: Round up.; Hotel: Optional; CHF 2–5 for porters.; Mountain guide: CHF 20–50 for a day, optional.
- Water
- Tap and fountain water is excellent. Restaurants usually charge for bottled water; ask for 'Hahnenwasser' / 'eau du robinet'.
- Toilets
- Station toilets cost CHF 1–2; restaurants and department stores are free for customers.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | CHF 4–6 |
| Cordon bleu main | CHF 25–35 |
| Beer: draught / supermarket can | CHF 6–8 / CHF 2–3 |
| 5 km taxi3.1 mi taxi | CHF 20–28 |
| Local bus single ride | CHF 3–5 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | CHF 15–30 |
| Museum or palace entry | CHF 8–12 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ZRH · Zurich
- Direct InterCity trains to Brig, roughly 2 h 30 min
- GVA · Geneva
- Direct trains along Lake Geneva to Brig, roughly 2 h 45 min
- BSL · Basel-Mulhouse
- Train via Bern and the Lötschberg, roughly 3 h; check connections
Typical fares
- Brig → Zermatt, MGB
- about CHF 45 one way, 1 h 30 min (check)
- Brig → Visp, train
- about CHF 8, 10 min
- Brig → Domodossola, EC
- about CHF 20, 40 min
Get around
The centre is small and walkable; the station, old town and Stockalper Palace sit within about 15 minutes on foot. Local buses serve the outskirts and Brigerbad. In summer a free bike scheme near the station lends bikes for the first four hours (check current hours). The Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn tracks are on the square in front of the main station, so Zermatt trains leave from street level.
See and do
Known for
- Stockalper Palace
- Simplon tunnel and the Milan line
- Cordon bleu
- Gateway to Zermatt and the Aletsch
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Zermatt | Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn from the square in front of Brig station, about 1 h 30 min | About 1.5 h |
| Visp | Frequent trains, about 10 min | About 20 min |
| Saas-Fee | Train or bus to Visp or Stalden, then postbus up the valley | About 1.5–2 h |
| Leukerbad | Train to Leuk, then bus up to the village | About 1.5 h |
| Riederalp and Bettmeralp (Aletsch) | Train to Mörel or Betten, then cable car | About 1–1.5 h |
| Domodossola, Italy | Train through the Simplon tunnel, about 40 min | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Bahnhofstrasse and the station
- Hotels within a few minutes of the platforms and the MGB tracks; best for a one-night rail stop.
- Old town (Stadtplatz)
- Pedestrian lanes under Stockalper Palace; quiet at night, 5–10 min walk from the station.
- Glis and Naters
- Quieter residential sides of the Rhone; Naters is a short walk across the river and has the fortification museums.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | GrüeziGRUE-tsi |
| Thank you | Merci vilmalMER-si feel-mol |
| How much is it? | Was kostet das?vas KOS-tet das |
| Can I pay by card? | Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?kan ikh mit KAR-te TSA-len |
| Where is the station? | Wo ist der Bahnhof?vo ist der BAHN-hof |
| One ticket to Zermatt, please | Ein Billett nach Zermatt, bitteine bil-LET nakh TSER-mat BIT-te |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; three cheek kisses among friends; avoid: Skipping the greeting in shops
- Punctuality: Be exactly on time; avoid: Running for the train expecting it to wait
- Language: Greet in the local language, then ask for English; avoid: Speaking German in Geneva as a default
- Quiet: Low voices in trains; quiet carriages are marked; avoid: Speakerphone calls
- Money: Keep financial talk discreet; avoid: Asking people's salaries
- Recycling: Separate PET, glass and cans; avoid: Leaving rubbish in hotel or flat bins unsorted
Scams and watch-outs
- Most long-distance trains now stop in Visp as well; check which station your connection uses before booking.
- Stockalper Palace interiors are guided-tour only; the courtyard and garden are free.
- The Swiss Guard Museum in Naters keeps limited hours (Jun–Oct Saturdays) plus tours on request.
- Mountain cable cars above the valley close for maintenance in shoulder seasons; check before travelling for the Aletsch side.
- Shops shut on Sundays; the station area is the reliable fallback.
Brig is a small, calm town and feels safe day and night. The real risks are altitude and weather on day trips, ice on winter pavements, and the Simplon road in winter: check conditions before driving.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Brig yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Stockalper Palace
- Simplon tunnel and the Milan line
- Cordon bleu
- Gateway to Zermatt and the Aletsch
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Brig-Simplon Tourismus: www.brig-simplon.ch
- Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn: www.matterhorngotthardbahn.ch/en/
- Switzerland official tourism: www.myswitzerland.com/en/
- Wikivoyage: Brig, revision 5306020 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5306020
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
BrigBrig-Glis
Zu dieser Adresse, bitte
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Brig; most countries keep embassies in Bern and consulates in Zurich or Geneva. Check your own country's list.
Swiss German is spoken locally; English works in hotels, restaurants and at the station.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/brig). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.