Overview
Switzerland is a country in Europe according to cheeroutdoor. A mix of green natural landscapes and plenty of fresh air, paired with chic, modern cities, Switzerland offers travelers both varied outdoor and interesting city tourism. Switzerland’s best ski areas include Zermatt, Verbier and celebrity-loving St. Moritz, and even in summer the snow-capped high mountain peaks and blue skies provide the perfect background for wonderful hiking tours. Numerous sights, shopping opportunities and traditional folk art can be found in historic Bern, the capital of Switzerland. Zurich, on the other hand, is a stronghold of the arts (mainly opera and theater) and design. Modern bars and nightclubs ensure a lively nightlife. Switzerland – small, rich and mountainous – is known for its enviably high standard of living and is impressive because everything runs like clockwork here. Swiss products, which include cheese and chocolate as well as the famous Swiss watches and (slightly more affordable) Swiss army knives.
Getting there
Arriving by plane
The international airline Swiss (LX) serves a large number of destinations worldwide from Zurich and Geneva. Lufthansa, the Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings (EW), easyJet (U2) and Austrian Airlines (OS) connect Germany and Austria with many Swiss destinations. Austrian (OS) flies from Vienna, Graz and Salzburg to cities such as Zurich, Geneva and Bern in Switzerland. EasyJet (U2) serves the route Berlin – Basel. Fly Bair and Lübeck Air (6I) connect Lübeck via Stuttgart with Bern in the summer.
Flight times
Frankfurt – Basel/Mühlhausen: 45 minutes; Frankfurt – Geneva: 1 hour 05 minutes ; Frankfurt – Zurich: 55 minutes Vienna – Zurich: 1 hour 20 minutes; Vienna – Basel/Mühlhausen: 1 hour 30 minutes
Departure fee
None.
Arrival by car
Switzerland has a well-developed and well-maintained road network. From Germany you can get to Basel on the A5. Another crossing is at Schaffhausen; or you cross the border at Lindau and drive via Bregenz (A) to St. Margarethen (CH). From Austria you have the option of taking the A14 to Hohenems to Diepoldsau (CH) or to Dornbirn and then across the border to Au. When driving into the Engadin, the A13 to Zams via Prutz to Vinadi (CH) is a good choice. Long-distance bus: Flixbus and Eurolines, among others, connect Germany and Austria with Switzerland. Toll: Swiss motorways and motorway-like roads with white-green signs are subject to tolls. For vehicles over 3, 5 t, a heavy vehicle fee is payable on all roads. The motorway vignette can be purchased at petrol stations, customs and post offices, among others, and is valid for 14 months; from December 1st to January 31st of the year after next. Documents: The national driving license is sufficient.
Arrival by train
Good direct connections to all neighboring countries, especially with the fast EuroCity trains. Numerous EuroCity trains connect Switzerland with Germany and Austria, with onward journeys to Belgium, Italy, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands. The XXL-ICE runs on the route Hamburg – Hanover – Kassel – Frankfurt am Main – Mannheim – Karlsruhe – Basel – Zurich/Chur. There is a high-speed line between Lindau and Munich. A train journey with a high-speed train from Munich to Zurich takes 3 hours 30 minutes. The French high-speed train TGV serves the routes Zurich – Basel – Paris, Geneva – southern France (including Marseille, Montpellier, Lyon) and Bern – Paris. The night train portal http://trainite.eu/ provides an overview of night train connections. The EuroNight night trains (EN) offer sleeping and couchette carriages on European routes, including the Zurich – Graz/Budapest and Zurich – Prague routes. ÖBB’s Nightjet night trains run from Germany and Austria on the following routes to Switzerland: Hamburg – Berlin – Basel – Zurich; Vienna – Linz – Feldkirch – Zurich; Graz – Leoben – Feldkirch – Zurich. The Austrian Railjet connects Zurich with Graz daily and Zurich several times a day with Innsbruck, Salzburg, Linz and Vienna (journey time Zurich-Vienna: 7 hours 50 minutes).
rail passes
The Interrail One Country Pass and the Interrail Global Pass are also valid in Switzerland.
