A Switzerland route by train It is one of the best traveling experiences you can have, being able to combine the comfort of this public transport, with the pleasure of seeing through the window, authentic mountain landscapes, many times, typical of a children's story.
In Switzerland, all this is possible in addition to very easy, thanks to the extensive network of trains that the country has, a worldwide reference, which allows you to reach the main cities and the most inaccessible mountain places, thanks to the great works engineering that have been built over the years. If we add to that excellent quality and extreme punctuality, as you can guess, this transport is the most valued way to get to know the country, both for tourists and for locals.
In addition this transport has the Swiss Travel Pass, a pass that allows you to save on the price of tickets and enjoy discounts on numerous attractions, an extra that we are sure, will be another reason not to resist this means of transport.
In our personal case, all these factors have been decisive in deciding that our second time in the country was going to be a Switzerland route by train, instead of the car we already used on our first trip to Switzerland.
Why buy the Swiss Travel Pass?
The Swiss Travel Pass is the most popular ticket of the Swiss Travel System, the Swiss public transport network, which includes about 29,000 kilometers of railways, bus lines and boats.
This pass allows you to make unlimited trips throughout the rail, bus, boat and all public transport network of 90 cities in Switzerland for 3, 4, 8 or 15 consecutive days and includes free admission to more than 500 museums and attractions. In addition to all these advantages, the Swiss Travel Pass is perfect for family travel, with children up to 16 years free of charge, provided they are accompanied by a parent with the pass. If this is your case, you can pick up the "Swiss Family Card" at any train station, showing only the Swiss Travel Pass.
Another decisive factor to choose this pass is that it includes panoramic trains such as the Glacier Express, 50% discounts on numerous high mountain trains, cable cars, funiculars and a 25% discount on the expensive zipper train that leads to the station Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe, one of our goals of this great trip.
Keep in mind that you can buy the pass both on the official website and at any of the main railway stations in Switzerland such as Zurich or Geneva and you have the option to choose between first or second class tickets. In this case, we recommend the second class to be cheaper, since the journeys between cities are not long and the difference in comfort in the seats is not so important as to compensate for the price.
Swiss route by train. Photo courtesy of MySwitzerland
Other interesting tickets of the Swiss Travel System are the Swiss Travel Pass Flex that allows you to choose the days you want to use the pass within the same month and the Swiss Half Fare Card that is cheaper but only offers a 50% discount on transport.
After our experience and taking into account the high price of renting a car in Switzerland, having to look for hotels with parking, the price of public transport and that of tourist attractions, a travel to Switzerland by train With the Swiss Travel Pass, it is much cheaper than by car.
How to use the Swiss Travel Pass
Once you have purchased the Swiss Travel Pass, the use is extremely easy and intuitive. You must not validate it before taking any of the trains or making any reservation, except for the Glacier Express, the Bernina Express, the Gotthard Panorama Express and the Palm Express, where it is mandatory to reserve a seat and / or pay a supplement.
You should only get on the train and when the checkpoint passes, show you the printed or mobile receipt, in case you have it stored on your device, show you the ID or passport, in case you ask for it and then, enjoy the landscape!.
Swiss Travel Pass Photo courtesy of MySwitzerland
To know all the routes and plan your trip, you have the Swiss Travel Guide application for iOS and Android, with which you can also see tips and possible routes, be inspired by an integrated map that includes 500 highlights in the country.
In addition to this, from the application you have the option "Timetable", in which you can indicate origin and destination and see all the information of the trains available between them, with all the details of them, including the platform from which they depart . Impossible not to organize or lose yourself!
Switzerland itinerary by train
After this brief introduction and if you are clear that you are going to go Switzerland by train with the Swiss Travel Pass, it's time to trace the itinerary through the country.
In this case we have made a 6-day classic tour of Switzerland, which combines walks through some of the main cities with a visit to some of the most famous natural wonders of the country.
In addition to all these points of interest, we have included in the trip some gastronomic experiences, in which the delicious Swiss cheese and chocolate, are the real protagonists.
To make the most of our time, we opted for a non-circular route, flying to Zurich and returning to Geneva with Swiss, the reference company in Switzerland and one of the best in the world.
Our train route through Switzerland:
Day 1: Barcelona - Zurich - Basel
Day 2: Basel - Thun
Day 3: Thun - Jungfrau - Thun
Day 4: Thun - Bern
Day 5: Bern - Freiburg - Gruyeres - Geneva
Day 6: Geneva - Barcelona
* If you have more days, we recommend adding them in the Thun area to see the Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald Valley.
Basel
The first stop of travel to Switzerland by train It is Basel, a city located on the banks of the Rhine, on the border with France and Germany. To get to Basel you can take a train at the same airport in Zurich, which will take you to Basel, transferring at the central station, in just over an hour.
Something important to keep in mind is that before you start the tour of Basel and whenever you do not have the Swiss Travel Pass, it is to check in at the hotel to get the Basel Card, a free card, which includes public transport and a 50 % discount in the main museums of the city.
Another good recommendation is to go through the Basel Tourist Office, located at the BASEL SBB train station, where they will provide you with a map with five routes perfectly marked by the city, which will show you the most interesting and touristy and with which you do not You will lose nothing important.
Once all the procedures have been completed, we recommend starting the route through the medieval historical center of the city, where most of the interesting places to see in Basel are concentrated, such as the Basler Münster Cathedral, Marktplatz, where a market is set up for week, the Town Hall, the amazing fountain of Tinguely and the medieval gate of Spalentor.
Also during the walk you will see numerous fountains with a dragon species as decoration, this mythological animal is known as basilisk and is considered an unofficial symbol of the city. How many do you think you can see?
Basel
After walking all the alleys on foot and discovering all the charming corners of the old town, we recommend you get on a ferry to cross the Rhine and reach the new part of the city. In addition to the experience itself, from this area of the city you will have magnificent views of the houses of the old town, while taking a romantic walk along the Rhine.
To return to the old part of the city you can cross the old Mittlere Brucke bridge on foot or with the efficient tram, having all the free transport with the Swiss Travel Pass or the Basel Card.
And to put the icing on the route through Basel, having a special gastronomic experience in a unique place, we recommend you approach the incredible restaurant Roter Bären. You will not regret!
In addition to this last recommendation, if you want to do an activity alternative, which also allows you to know several areas of the city little tourist but full of charm, we recommend you to take this Food Tour, for 29CHF, which we are sure, will surprise you !.
Our recommended hotel in Basel
Located in the historic center, a few minutes walk from the train station, is Nomad Design & Lifestyle Hotel, an incredible accommodation, which in addition to an excellent location, has a 24-hour reception, impeccable design and some breakfasts and service High quality restaurant
If it does not fit into your budget, since it is not a particularly economical hotel, we recommend using this famous search engine to find the accommodation that best suits your needs.
Our recommended hotel in BaselThun
The tour of Switzerland by train Continue with a comfortable journey of less than an hour and a half between Basel and Thun, another of the essential places to see in Switzerland.
This city, surrounded by the imposing mountains of the Swiss Alps, and located on the shores of a beautiful lake of the same name as the city, is perfect for spending a few days relaxing and doing some of the hiking trails proposed by the Tourist Office , in the surroundings.
During the walk through the fortified city of Thun you can not miss the Obere Hauptgasse street, the Wooden Bridge or Flusswelle, the historic center located on the islet of the Aar River, the Balliz Bridge with magnificent views of the castle, the Town Hall Square or the famous Thun Castle, with incredible views of the village with the lake and the Alps in the background.
Thun
In addition to knowing all these places in the city, we recommend taking a ride on the historic Blüemlisalp steamboat, included in the Swiss Travel Pass, where during the ride, in addition to enjoying the views of the lake and the Alpine mountains, You will pass near the photogenic Castle Oberhofen.
If you have extra time, you can also go by train to the tourist town of Interlaken, to get to know this tourist enclave a bit and go up by funicular to the Harder Kulm or Top of Interlaken, a viewpoint located at 1,321 meters, with spectacular views of the Lake of Thun, Lake Brienz and the most famous mountains in the Swiss Alps.
Another good option is to approach Lake Brienz to see the incredible waterfalls of Giessbach, formed by 14 levels of jumps with a total height of more than 500 meters that we are sure, will leave you speechless.
To arrive, the best option is to do it by boat, from where you will also enjoy an exceptional landscape, and then climb on the oldest funicular in the world, to the top, where in addition to the waterfalls, you can see the incredible Grand Hotel.
Our recommended hotel in Thun
The Congress Hotel Seepark is located in a privileged location on the banks of Lake Thun and a few minutes by bus from the city center. This hotel is perfect to use as a base to explore this entire area and enjoy the tranquility of a natural environment.
Lauterbrunnen / Jungfraujoch / Grindelwald
In the next stage of Switzerland by train We advise you to make small day trips from Thun to get to know the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Grindelwald and the Jungfraujoch or Top of Europe.
To get to all these points by train you will have to change in Interlaken, a city that we believe is too touristy and with relatively little charm, to use as a base.
In this case, when we meet Lauterbrunnen from our previous trip, we decided to go up to the Jungfraujoch and leave Grindelwald for when we return, we are sure, it will be very soon!
Lauterbrunnen
If we had to choose our favorite Swiss landscape, we would probably stay with Lauterbrunnen, a beautiful valley surrounded by imposing mountains, green meadows, wooden houses and 72 spectacular waterfalls, which make this environment a true paradise.
In addition to the walks in the area, here it is usual to make hiking trails or climb by funicular to beautiful villages like Murren, in which you will believe that at any time, you can see Heidi running through a green meadow.
From the town of Lauterbrunnen you can see the Staubbachfall waterfall, which is one of the highest waterfalls in Europe with almost 300 meters high or the Trümmelbach Falls, considered the largest underground waterfall in Europe.
Lauterbrunnen
Jungfraujoch
In this last travel to Switzerland by train we set as one of our objectives the ascent to the Jungfraujoch or Top of Europe, the highest altitude train station in Europe at 3,454 meters.
To arrive by train to the spectacular Top of Europe viewpoint, which overlooks the famous Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains, you will have to make several transfers to the Kleine Scheidegg stop. From this station, which is reached by train from Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen, a cogwheel train runs 9 kilometers with almost 1400 meters of unevenness, passing through a 7-kilometer tunnel, built between 1896 and 1912.
Also during the ascent route from Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen you will enjoy a spectacular natural UNESCO World Heritage Site and several impressive viewpoints located inside the tunnel, at the end of the journey.
Jungfraujoch Photo courtesy of MySwitzerland
There are several things to consider before and during this activity:
- Do not forget that doing this activity will take you to almost 3500 meters of altitude, so it is likely that despite climbing by train and making several stops before reaching the highest part, you suffer some symptoms of altitude sickness. If you are dizzy, it is important not to make great efforts and eat something sweet, such as a chocolate bar.
- Before enjoying the Sphinx Observatory and the Plateau viewpoint, with views of the great mountains and the longest Aletsch Glacier in Europe, we recommend you to warm yourself up to withstand temperatures below 10 degrees below zero at many times of the year.
- Finally, it is highly recommended to go up by Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen and down on the opposite side, since you can have a much wider perspective of this area and get to know both places.
And to complete the experience, nothing better than skating through the tunnels of the Ice Palace and eating a good dish of rösti, one of our favorite dishes of Swiss cuisine, at the Crystal restaurant.
Grindelwald
Grindelwald, located more than 1000 meters high at the foot of the Eiger mountain, is a town surrounded by spectacular natural surroundings. To discover all these wonders you can do some of the most impressive high mountain hiking trails such as the one from Grindelwald-First along Lake Bachalpsee to the Faulhorn mountain hotel and then to the Schynige Platte plateau.
Also, in Grindelwald-First you cannot miss walking on the First Cliff Walk, a walkway with views of vertigo.
Another famous excursion is the one from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg with views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains. As we mentioned earlier this is a plan that we have in the short term and that from what we have read, it sounds phenomenal!
First Cliff Walk in Grindelwald. Photo courtesy of MySwitzerland
Bern
From Thun station you can take a train that will take you in 20 minutes to Bern, our favorite city in the country and the next stop of the travel in Switzerland by train.
The old town of Bern, declared a World Heritage Site, falls in love at first sight thanks to its medieval architecture of reddish roofs and arcades preserved throughout the centuries.
In addition to walking through its streets quietly, you can complete this list of essential places to see in Bern such as the Clock Tower, Kramgasse Street, St. Nicholas Cathedral, which has magnificent views from its tower, Renaissance fountains full of figures of colors besides the Parliament and the Town Hall.
We are sure that after this long walk through the center, your stomach will be asking for your attention, so we recommend crossing the Nydeggbrücke bridge to reach the Altes Tramdepot restaurant, which was recommended by the Bern Tourist Office, where you can enjoy a great Ambience and a magnificent meal accompanied by a large jug of craft beer. One of the most typical dishes of Switzerland and we recommend trying this restaurant is the älplermagronen, which are a kind of macaroni with cheese with pieces of bacon and cream, served with applesauce. Delicious!
In addition to the good gastronomy, from this area you will have magnificent views of the medieval houses of the Aar river bank and the entire historic center.
Bern
After visiting the city, before sunset, we recommend you go to the Rosengarten or Jardin de las Rosas, the best viewpoint in the city, where you can see the meander that forms the Aar River as it passes through the city and from where you can enjoy what we would dare to say, they are the best views of Bern.
And finally to finish and if you want to put the icing on the cake At this stage of Switzerland by train, we advise you to try an exquisite and delicious dining experience at the Restaurant Bay and finish with a cocktail at the amazing Kornhaus Galerie Bar, the city's former barn.
Our recommended hotel in Bern
The Hotel Kreuz, located in the heart of the medieval historical center and 5 minutes walk from the train station, also has an excellent location, spacious rooms, friendly staff and a very complete breakfast, which make it one of the best accommodation options in Bern
Do not forget that when you check in any hotel or apartment in the city, they will provide you with the Bern Ticket, with which you will have free public transport, among other advantages.
Freiburg
The travel in Switzerland by train It continues with a 20-minute journey from Bern to Freiburg, a medieval city built on top of a hill, with the Sarine River at its feet.
With the characteristic of being divided into 2 parts, the most modern is located in the upper part and the oldest in the lower part, a tour of its cobbled streets and houses of medieval architecture, is one of the essential activities in the city.
On this walk, we recommend you make a stop at the Cathedral, the Zaheringen bridge, Lausanne street, the Bern bridge and the Milieu bridge, from where you get the best views of the city.
If you have more time for the visit, we recommend you visit the Freiburg Tourist Office, so they can advise you on what to do and what places to visit in the surroundings.
As a curiosity you will see that the signs of this city are in French and German, this is because it is a bilingual city, not forgetting that Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh, and according to the canton or region where you are, there is more talk than one.
Freiburg, one of Switzerland's train stops
Gruyères
The penultimate stop of the Switzerland by train with the Swiss Travel Pass It is Gruyères, one of the most beautiful villages in Switzerland, known for its renowned cheese and for being one of the most visited places by tourists from all over the world.
To get to Gruyères from Freiburg you must take a train to Bulle station and from there a bus that will leave you very close to the town in a total journey of about an hour.
This fortified medieval town is organized around a huge square, which goes from end to end of the town and is surrounded by beautiful houses adorned with flowers, which make it one of the most characteristic images of the country.
Other highlights of the town is the castle of Gruyéres, one of the most impressive in Switzerland and the museum dedicated to HR Giger, the creator of the Alien monsters, which although we do not believe it is essential, it is a visit At least curious.
In addition to a walk through the town and the surroundings, if there is something essential in Gruyères it is to eat an authentic moitié-moitié cheese fondue in Le Chalet de Gruyères, the most recommended place in the town and we would dare to say, the country.
This is the most typical dish of Switzerland, made from two cheeses, Gruyère and Fribourger Vacherin, which are allowed to melt in a metal saucepan, which is kept warm by means of a flame and eaten by dipping pieces of bread punctured in a long fork And for dessert, meringue with double cream. Speechless!
Gruyères
Geneva
This route through Switzerland by train It ends in Geneva, a large city located in a privileged environment, just off the Rhone River from Lake Geneva and with the mountain range of the Alps in the background, which as the Geneva Tourist Office itself says, is a haven of peace on the lake.
Famous for its clocks, this city has several interesting points in its beautiful historic center, called Vielle Ville in French, such as St. Peter's Cathedral, with good views from its tower, the Molard tower, the Bourg-de-Four square, the Hôtel-de-Ville, the Reformation wall and the Maison Tavel, the oldest private house in Geneva.
Although the most famous place to see in Geneva is El Jet d'Eau, a fountain with a powerful jet of water that reaches 140 meters high and is located inside the lake, very close to the shore.
Near the shore is also the English Garden, a perfect park to relax where you can see L'Horloge Fleurie, a precise outdoor clock made with flowers, which has become its most prominent place.
As we have done along the entire route, we recommend you to regain strength, taste the cuisine with local products, the beautiful restaurant Cafe du Marche and for dessert, approach the chocolate shop Mr & Mrs Renou, where you can succumb to the delicious chocolate Swiss while you discover the Carouge neighborhood, just 5 minutes by tram from the historic center and where you will feel like in a story.
And for dinner, nothing better than approaching the Café Cottage, with a privileged location next to the lake and a beautiful terrace.
Geneva, last stop on the route through Switzerland by train
If after all the visits and the gastronomic introduction, you have time, you can approach on foot or by tram to "The Jonction", where the waters of the Arve and Rhone rivers meet where you can enjoy a nice walk along the river, have a picnic in one of its wooden sunbeds or have a drink in one of the beach bars that are in the final part.
To end a route through Geneva you can take a tram that takes you to the headquarters of the United Nations, where the Broken Chair monument is located, which claims the rejection of anti-people mines and cluster bombs.
The International Museum of the Red Cross and Red Crescent also stands out in this area full of government buildings.
Our recommended hotel in Geneva
The Ibis Styles Geneva Gare is located next to the Geneva train station and Notre Dame Cathedral and in addition to its excellent location it has a friendly staff that make it one of the best value hotels in the city. city, especially if you are making this trip to Switzerland by train.
Remember that as in other cities in Switzerland, at the time of check-in they will give you the Geneva Transport Card for free, which includes transportation on buses, train and ferries in Geneva.
This article is written as part of the project Walking with Street Travelers, with MySwitzerland, but always based on our experiences, with original content and without any brand having influenced us in any case.
Thank you so much Sandra for so much and for making it so easy. For every laugh, for every teaching and for every career. Seeing Switzerland through you and your experience has been a great privilege. Thank you very much Ramón for allowing us to be us, with its pros and cons. For always being there, even when we didn't see you. Thank you very much for every smile and every laugh. Thank you very much for reminding us that the signs exist.
Thank you very much to both of you for making this trip an unforgettable trip.
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