During ski season (Nov.-Mar.) prices double in eastern Switzerland and travelers must make reservations months ahead. The situation reverses in the summer, especially July and August, when the flatter, western half of Switzerland fills with vacationers and hikers enjoying low humidity and temperatures rarely exceeding 26˚C (80˚F). A good budget option is to travel during the shoulder season: May-June and Sept.-Oct., when tourism lulls and the daytime temperature ranges from -2 to 7˚C (46-59˚F). Many mountain towns throughout Switzerland shut down completely in May and June, however, so call ahead.
Embassies. Most foreign embassies in Switzerland are in Bern . Swiss embassies abroad include: Australia , 7 Melbourne Ave., Forrest, Canberra, ACT, 2603 (☎02 6162 8400; www.eda.admin.ch/australia); Canada , 5 Marlborough Ave., Ottawa, ON, K1N 8E6 (☎613-235-1837; www.eda.admin.ch/canada); Ireland, 6 Ailesbury Rd., Ballsbridge, Dublin, 4 (☎353 12 18 63 82; www.eda.admin.ch/dublin); New Zealand , 22 Panama St., Wellington (☎04 472 15 93; www.eda.admin.ch/wellington); UK, 16-18 Montagu Pl., London, W1H 2BQ (☎020 76 16 60 00; www.eda.admin.ch/london); US, 2900 Cathedral Ave., NW, Washington, D.C., 20008 (☎202-745-7900; www.eda.admin.ch/washington).
Visa And Entry Information. EU citizens do not need a visa. Citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the US do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days. For stays longer than 90 days, all visitors need visas (around US$52), available at Swiss consulates.
Tourist Offices. Branches of the Swiss National Tourist Office, marked by a standard blue “i” sign, are present in nearly every town in Switzerland; most agents speak English. The official tourism website for Switzerland is www.myswitzerland.com.
Money. The Swiss unit of currency is the Swiss franc (CHF); plural Swiss francs. One Swiss franc is equal to 100 centimes (called Rappen in German Switzerland), with standard denominations of 5, 10, 20, and 50 centimes and 1, 2, and 5CHF in coins; and 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000CHF in notes. Widely accepted credit cards include American Express, MasterCard, and Visa. Euros (€) are also accepted at many museums and restaurants. Switzerland is not cheap; if you stay in hostels and prepare most of your own food, expect to spend 55-80CHF per day. Generally, it’s less expensive to exchange money at home than in Switzerland. ATMs offer the best exchange rates. Although restaurant bills already include a 15% service charge, an additional tip of 1-2CHF for a modest meal or 5-10CHF for a more upscale dinner is expected. Give hotel porters and doormen about 1CHF per bag and airport porters 5CHF per bag.
Switzerland has a 7.6% value added tax (VAT), a sales tax applied to goods and services. The prices given in Let’s Go include VAT. In the airport upon exiting Switzerland, non-Swiss citizens can claim a refund on the tax paid for goods purchased at participating stores. In order to qualify for a refund in a store, you must spend at least 500CHF; make sure to ask for a refund form when you pay. For more info on qualifying for a VAT refund,
By Plane. Major international airports are in Bern (BRN; ☎031 960 21 11; www.alpar.ch), Geneva (GVA; ☎022 717 71 11; www.gva.ch), and Zürich (ZRH; ☎043 816 22 11; www.zurich-airport.com). From London, easyJet (☎0871 244 23 66; www.easyjet.com) has flights to Geneva and Zürich. Aer Lingus (Ireland ☎0818 365 000, Switzerland ☎442 86 99 33, UK ☎0870 876 5000; www.aerlingus.com) sells tickets from Dublin, IRE to Geneva. For info on flying to Switzerland from other locations, see .
By Train. Federal ( SBB, CFF ) and private railways connect most towns with frequent trains. For times and prices, check online (www.sbb.ch). Eurail, Europass, and Inter Rail are all valid on federal trains. The Swiss Pass, sold worldwide, offers four, eight, 15, 22, or 30 consecutive days of unlimited rail travel (www.swisstravelsystem.com). It also doubles as a Swiss Museum Pass, allowing free entry to 400 museums. (2nd-class 4-day pass US$222, 8-day US$315, 15-day US$384, 22-day US$446, 1-month US$496.)
By Bus. PTT Post Buses, a barrage of government-run yellow coaches, connect rural villages and towns that trains don’t service. Swiss Passes are valid on many buses; Eurail passes are not. Even with the Swiss Pass, you might have to pay 5-10CHF extra if you’re riding certain buses.
By Car. Roads, generally in good condition, may become dangerous at higher altitudes in the winter. The speed limit is 50kph in towns and cities, 80kph on open roads, and 120kph on highways. Be sure to drive under the speed limit; radar traps are frequent. Many small towns forbid cars; some require special permits or restrict driving hours. US and British citizens 18 and older with a valid driver’s license may drive in Switzerland for up to one year following their arrival; for stays longer than one year, drivers should contact the Service des automobiles et de la navigation (SAN; ☎022 388 30 30; www.geneve.ch/san) about acquiring a Swiss permit. Custom posts sell windshield stickers (US$33) required for driving on Swiss roads. Call ☎140 for roadside assistance.
By Bike. Cycling is a splendid way to see the country. The Touring Club Suisse, with locations throughout Switzerland (☎022 417 22 20; www.tcs.ch), is a good source for maps and route descriptions.
Email And Internet. Most Swiss cities, as well as a number of smaller towns, have at least one Internet cafe with web access available for about 12-24CHF per hour. Hostels and restaurants frequently offer Internet access as well, but it seldom comes for free: rates can climb as high as 12CHF per hour.
Telephone. Whenever possible, use a calling card for international phone calls, as long-distance rates are often exorbitant for national phone services. For info about using mobile phones abroad, Most pay phones in Switzerland accept only prepaid taxcards, which are available at kiosks, post offices, and train stations. Direct access numbers include: AT&T Direct (☎800 89 00 11); Canada Direct (☎800 55 83 30); MCI WorldPhone (☎800 89 02 22); Sprint (☎800 899 777); Telecom New Zealand (☎800 55 64 11).
Mail. Airmail from Switzerland averages three to 15 days to North America, although times are unpredictable from smaller towns. Domestic letters take one to three days. Bright yellow logos mark Swiss national post offices, referred to as Die Post in German or La Poste in French. Letters from Switzerland cost 1.40CHF to mail to the US, 1.20CHF to mail to the UK, and 0.85CHF mailed domestically. To receive mail in Switzerland, have mail delivered Poste Restante. Mail will go to the main post office unless you specify a subsidiary by street address. Address mail to be held as follows: LAST NAME, First Name, Postlagernde Briefe, Postal Code, City, SWITZERLAND. Bring a passport to pick up your mail; there may be a small fee.
There are hostels ( Jugendherbergen in German, Auberges de Jeunesse in French, Ostelli in Italian) in all cities in Switzerland as well as in most towns. Schweizer Jugendherbergen (SJH; www.youthhostel.ch) runs HI hostels throughout Switzerland. Non-HI members can stay in any HI hostel, where beds are usually 30-44CHF; members typically receive a 6CHF discount. The more informal Swiss Backpackers (SB) organization (☎062 892 2675; www.backpacker.ch) lists over 40 hostels aimed at young, foreign travelers interested in socializing. Most Swiss campgrounds are not idyllic refuges but large plots glutted with RVs. Prices average 12-20CHF per tent site and 6-9CHF per extra person. Hotels and pensions tend to charge at least 65-80CHF for a single room and 80-120CHF for a double. The cheapest have Gasthof, Gästehaus, or Hotel-Garni in the name. Privatzimmer (rooms in a family home) run about 30-60CHF per person. Breakfast is included at most hotels, pensions, and Privatzimmer .
Switzerland is not for the lactose intolerant. The Swiss are serious about dairy products, from rich and varied cheeses to decadent milk chocolate —even the major Swiss soft drink, Rivella, contains dairy. Swiss dishes vary from region to region. Bernese rösti, a plateful of hash-brown potatoes (sometimes flavored with bacon or cheese), is prevalent in the German regions; cheese or meat fondue is popular in the French regions. Try Valaisian raclette, made by melting cheese over a fire, scraping it onto a baked potato, and garnishing it with meat or vegetables. Supermarkets Migros and Co-op double as cafeterias; stop in for a cheap meal and groceries. Water from the fountains that adorn cities and large towns is usually safe; filling your bottle with it will save you money. Kein Trinkwasser or Eau non potable signs indicate unclean water. Each canton has its own local beer, which is often cheaper than soda.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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