Switzerland for first-time visitors: what to know before you go

Switzerland rewards a short, fixed route. Pick one city and one mountain base rather than hopping between five towns; the trains are fast but every move costs half a day with luggage. Zurich or Lucerne works as the arrival city, and the Interlaken area (Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Mürren, Grindelwald) or Zermatt works as the mountain base. Add Lake Geneva or Ticino only if you have ten days or more.

Trains are the default. The network is dense, punctual and integrated with boats, buses and mountain railways, so you rarely need a car. A hire car makes sense only for remote valleys in Appenzell or Graubünden, and even then parking in villages such as Zermatt and Mürren is impossible because they are car-free. Decide between a Swiss Travel Pass and point-to-point tickets once your route is fixed: the pass pays off on long multi-leg days, while short stays in one region are often cheaper with individual tickets and a half-fare card.

Mountain excursions are weather-dependent. Jungfraujoch, Gornergrat and Schilthorn are expensive, so check the summit webcam in the morning and buy on the day if the forecast is marginal. Cheaper viewpoints such as Harder Kulm, Männlichen or Rigi often deliver the same panorama for a fraction of the price.

Money is straightforward but not cheap. Cards work almost everywhere, including ticket machines, though a few small kiosks and mountain huts prefer cash. Tipping is not obligatory; rounding up or leaving about 5–10% in restaurants is normal. Tap water is drinkable across the country and public fountains are generally fine unless a 'kein Trinkwasser' sign says otherwise.

Book the big things early. July, August and the Christmas–New Year weeks fill hotels and panoramic trains such as the Glacier Express and Bernina Express weeks or months ahead. Shoulder months (May–June, September–October) give lower prices and quieter trails, with some high cable cars closed for maintenance.

Carry a light rain shell and layers even in summer; Alpine weather turns within an hour and summits run 10–15 °C colder than the valley.

Buy groceries and picnic food at Coop or Migros to cut costs; a supermarket lunch is a third of a restaurant one.

Validate nothing on trains but do buy before boarding; inspectors fine passengers without a valid ticket.

Recycle and sort rubbish as locals do; deposit and sorting rules are strict and often enforced by the building.

Learn a few words of German or French for the region you are in; English works in tourism but not everywhere in rural areas.