5 Best Tips to Travel Switzerland on a Budget & Save Money

Learn helpful tips to save money when travelling around Switzerland. Visiting Switzerland can be expensive, but with these ideas, you can stay on budget. Find out more about using a Swiss Travel Pass to more affordably take a train to visit the Swiss Alps, and so much more!

Mountain lake in Switzerland

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The majestic Swiss Alps, men in tight leather shorts yodelling, and more cheese and chocolate than you could eat in a lifetime. These are just some of the reasons why Switzerland is a fantastic place to visit. Unfortunately nothing in life is free, and that maxim very much holds true in Switzerland, where a Swiss vacation is the opposite of free. I grew up in Switzerland, and Sita and I recently spent three years living and working there, so we are here to give you some insider tips on how to enjoy everything that Switzerland has to offer, without getting a nasty bill from your credit card company at the end of your trip.

Hiking in the mountains in Switzerland in the deep snow
Hiking in the mountains in Switzerland in the deep snow

1. Buy a Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Travelcard – Halbtax

If you plan on utilising the excellent train network in Switzerland, or want to visit the spectacular mountain peaks of the Swiss Alps by cable car, then we would definitely recommend buying a half fare travelcard. With this card, you get 50% off all train tickets, along with ferries, Post buses, and the majority of cable cars. In 2023, the card costs CHF 165 for one adult, and is valid for one year from the date of purchase, so you have plenty of time to reap the benefits. For example the cable car to the top of Grindelwald normally costs CHF 86.40 for one adult, but with the half fare travelcard you only pay CHF 43.20. Unless hiking for 3 hours up the side of a mountain to see the mountain peak fills you with joy, then we would strongly recommend buying the half fare travel card.

Hiking the Via Ferrata Trail Grindelwald
Hiking across a bridge on the via ferrata trail in Grindelwald, Switzerland
On the via ferrata trail in Grindelwald, Switzerland

Speaking of Grindelwald, if you want to partake in some of the ‘adventure’ activities at the top of the mountain, such as the First Flyer Zipline, then the half fare travel card will reduce the cost from CHF 78 to CHF 52. Visiting the Swiss Alps, such as the Jungfrau region, is a top thing to do in Switzerland, and there are a variety of activities available for all comfort levels. 

Jungfrau, First Flyer Switzerland
First Flyer in Grindelwald, Jungfrau Region

If you are travelling to Switzerland for up to 15 days, and want to avoid a rental car and the associated pain of Swiss fuel prices, then we would recommend buying the Swiss Travel Pass. With this pass you can travel on the entire Swiss train network, along with all public transit, for free. You will also get the same discount, or greater, on cable cars as with the half fare card. Obviously this card is significantly more expensive than the half fare card, with 15 days priced at CHF 429 and 8 days at CHF 389, so this card will only be a good value if you intend on using the train network a lot during your visit to Switzerland. To help give you a rough idea of how much you could save, a full price ticket from Zurich to Geneva costs CHF 88, but with the Swiss travel pass it would be free. For more information on the half fare card and the Swiss travel pass, follow the links: Half Fare Travelcard and Swiss Travel Pass. These budget friendly Swiss travel passes will help you save money whilst visiting some of the top sites in Switzerland.

2. Save Money with Self Catering Accommodation

Breakfast overlooking the Rhine
Breakfast overlooking the Rhine River

Whether you are visiting Switzerland for a skiing holiday, or in the summer, we would strongly recommend that you find an Airbnb or chalet with a kitchen so that you can cook your own food. Although the Swiss greatly enjoy eating out, anyone not earning a Swiss salary will find that eating out in Switzerland is prohibitively expensive. The good news is that it will be easier to stick to your travel budget if you combine this tip with our next suggestions, so you can still enjoy a taste of Switzerland without breaking open your emergency piggy bank.

3. Stay on Budget by Grocery Shopping in Germany, France or Italy

Vegetables at a farmers market in France

Switzerland is surrounded by Germany, France and Italy, a piece of knowledge that will help you at your next trivia night, but also save you money during your Swiss vacation. All three countries that surround Switzerland are significantly cheaper for grocery shopping than Switzerland, in fact the majority of Swiss people that live in the border regions will do their weekly shopping in these countries. We did the same when we lived there, and saved a lot of money. For example if you are visiting Zurich, you can easily pop across the border to Germany to stock up on groceries. In Geneva, France is right next door and will happily supply you with all the delicious wine you can carry. The one exception to this advice is cheese, which is not only better, but also cheaper in Switzerland. 

If you have never travelled to Europe before, and are concerned about crossing country borders constantly, then we can alleviate your concerns immediately. Crossing country borders is a completely normal activity in the Swiss border regions, a lot of people will even commute from Germany to Switzerland every day, and it is honestly quite rare for the border guards to stop you, just make sure you always have your passport with you. If you plan to stock up on meat, and alcohol then make sure you are aware of the personal import limits for these items. To find out what the current limits are you can check the Swiss Customs Website.

Bear in mind these values are all per person, so it is definitely worth doing a cross border shopping trip together with your travel companions. 

4. Fulfill Your Swiss Cheese Fantasies at a Käserei (Cheese Maker)

Cheese shop in Switzerland

Switzerland is rightfully known for its delicious cheeses, and no holiday to Switzerland would be complete without trying as many different cheeses as you can fit in your stomach. This should be right at the top of your things to do in Switzerland list. Although you can find decent cheese at most Swiss super markets, they are produced at a larger scale, and simply will not give you the best possible impression of that cheese. Instead we would recommend seeking out a Käserei and asking them to help you find the perfect cheese for you, based on your own taste preferences. Our favourite Käserei is the Biosphäre Berg-Käserei in Schüpfheim, where they make all their own cheeses using milk from local organic farms.

5. What is the Best Thing to do in Switzerland? Eat Chocolate!

Chocolate selection at a grocery store in Switzerland
Chocolate selection on sale at the grocery store in Switzerland

We all know the real reason you want to visit Switzerland is for the chocolate, that is completely understandable. The good news is that you do not have to spend a fortune to enjoy delicious chocolate, unless of course you need it to come in a fancy box. Instead of buying chocolate from the chocolatiers in town or at the airport, stop by a Migros supermarket, and load up on the Frey brand of chocolate. Unless you are an absolute chocolate snob, this chocolate is better than anything you can find in North America. If you go to a bigger Migros supermarket they usually have a huge selection of excellent chocolate, and often have multi packs on sale so you can try a little bit of everything, and even bring some home for friends, and family. Although if the chocolate happens to get ‘lost’ before you even make it home, well accidents happen. 

Even with these money savings tips, Switzerland can still be very expensive. If you are looking for mountains on a budget, consider visiting Slovenia. Check out our post on ‘5 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Slovenia‘.

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