Switzerland: Traveling

Means of Transport Recommended in Town

Recommendation

Switzerland has a very efficient and modern urban public transport system. There are tramways and light rail services in Basel, Bern, Geneva, Neuchâtel and Zürich. These and a further dozen cities also have trolleybuses.

Fare systems are generally automated with machines issuing single or multiple tickets at the roadside. There is a day ticket for travel in one or more Swiss cities on any given day at a standard fare.

Taxis are widely available and drivers expect a 15% tip.

Maps of Urban Networks

Maporama
Mapblast
Mappy
UT Library on line
ViaMichelin

Transportation From Airport to City Centre:

Airport	Distance	Taxi	Bus	Train	Car Rental
Basel (BSL)	9 km / 6 miles	EUR 28-32 / 15 min	Available	-	Available

Means of Transport Recommended in the Rest of the Country

Recommendation

Domestic air travel is fast but expensive. Most people prefer to travel by train or road.  

Rail transport is well developed across the country. The Swiss railway company Schweizerische Bundesbahnen(SBB) and many other rail operators  provide excellent services. Use of the SwissPass(Visit: Swiss Travel System website is a superb way to view the scenery.

The condition of roads is generally good. Postal motor  coaches provide bus services even the remotest villages. However under the integrated national transport policy, few long-distance coaches are allowed to operate.

Rail Companies

Swiss Federal Railways

Airlines

You Can Consult the List of Airlines Banned Within the EU. Look Also at the rating of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Traveling By Yourself

Recommendation

The car registration sticker is compulsory in order to use Swiss highways. It is available at border posts, post offices, police stations. It is imperative to use snow tyres as soon as the weather requires it. In the event of an accident, call the police. The car insurance is compulsory. It is better to subscribe a good insurance policy since car repairs are very expensive.

Road Maps

ViaMichelin maps
Maporama
Live Search Maps

Find an Itinerary

Via Michelin

Different Forms of Tourism

Historical

Zürich (Switzerland's largest city) has many monuments to visit. One should definetly visit the gothicFraumünster with its stained-glass windows by Chagall; the imposing twin-towered Grossmünster cathedral; and the Swiss National Museum.

 Visit the Horological Museum and watch-making factories at La-Chaux-de-Fonds In the elegant ancient city cenre of St Gallen, enjoy the baroque cathedral and famous Abbey Library (Stiftsbibliothek) in the old Benedictine monastery (incunabula and illuminated manuscripts), named a World Heritage Treasure by UNESCO.

Some other important historical places to visit in the country are:

- Kunsthaus (Zurich),

- The Clock Zytglogge ( Bern),

- The Kunst Museum (Basel),

- The Swiss Transport Museum (Lucerne).

Cultural

Some of the important cultural places in Switzerland recognized by UNESCO are: - Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair - Convent of St Gall - Lavaux, vineyard terraces - Old City of Berne   - Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes   - Three Castles, Defensive Wall and Ramparts of the Market-Town of Bellinzone

Nature

There are many beautiful lakes in Switzerland which could be visited by a lake cruise or ferry trip. These include Lake Zürich, Lake Geneva, Lake Constance and the picturesque Vierwaltstättersee at Luzern.

Also visit Berner Oberland, a major tourist area that includes spectacular scenery including famous peaks (Jungfrau, Mönch andEiger), mountain lakes, alpine streams and wild flowers.

One should not miss to visit one of Switzerland's most photogenic villages, Gruyères, home to the nation's most famous cheese, to explore its castle and various cheese factories.

Religious

In the ancient city of St Gallen, one can visit the baroque cathedral and famous Abbey Library (Stiftsbibliothek)in the old Benedictine monastery (incunabula and illuminated manuscripts), named a World Heritage Treasure by UNESCO.

Thermal

Switzerland's has many thermal spa resorts. The Graubünden resorts of Arosa, Davos, Klosters and St Moritz are renowned the world over. Interlaken, near Bern, is another celebrated health resort and the gateway to the Berner Oberland.

Beach

There are no sea beaches in Switzerland.

Winter Sports

These include skiing, ice climbing, ski touring, snowboarding, heli-skiing and glacier walking.  Top ski areas include Portes du Soleil, Davos, Klosters, Zermatt, Verbier, Saas Fee and glamorous St Moritz.

Outdoor Activities

Hiking is a favorite Swiss pastime.There are over 5,000km (31,070 miles) of marked trails. Hiking times are given on the signposts, and trails are colour-coded according to difficulty .

 Cycling is another big outdoor activity. There are 3,300km (2,046 miles) of well-marked interlinked trails, and most of them offer easy cycling. Many railway stations offer bike hire (return it to any other station at the end of the tour) .

Shopping

Some of the traditional Swiss items one can shop for inlcude embroidery and linen, Bernese woodcarving, chocolate, cheese, Swiss army knives and luxury handmade clocks and watches. Zürich is the shopping capital. It has luxury boutiques and department stores of the reputed Bahnhofstrasse.

Tourism Organizations

Switzerland Tourism

Health and Safety

Health Precautions

There is no mandatory vaccination required. However it is advisable to take tetanus, diphtheria and polio vaccinations.

International Hospitals

Hospitals Worldwide – Switzerland Directory

For Further Information on Sanitary Conditions

Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH)

For Further Information on Safety Conditions

Visit: Travel Report provided by the site of the Canadian Foreign Office
The Current Travel Warnings given by the American State Department

Time Difference and Climate

Time and Time Difference

It is %T:%M %A In Geneva, Bern, Lausanne (GMT+1 in winter, GMT+2 in summer)

Summer Time Period

Yes

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October.