While startintype this blog post I’m enjoying the views of the Swiss Alps from the Glacier Express, one of Switzerland’s most famous panoramic trains. Picture the glowing mountain hills in a late summer sun, with in the backdrop a view of one of the country’s most famous glaciers, where ice is eternal and skiing can be done in summer. On the journey from Zermatt to Chur, I’m halfway through my 2-week trip through Switzerland, with nothing but highlights!
! In fact, the Swiss public transport is one of the best and most punctual I’ve experienced so far. None of my trains has even had 1 minute of delay. And with the Swiss Travel Pass you can easily hop on any train or bus in the country. This allowed me to accurately plan this trip past some of Switzerland’s most amazing destinations. Curious? Read on to find out my entire itinerary!
Note: public transport and some activities mentioned in this article were sponsored by the Tourism Board of Switzerland. However, what you read here is my authentic experience and honest opinions of the country.
Please also note that all prices in this blog post are based on my experience in September 2023. Keep in mind that prices might have changed now.
The first day of my train road trip in Switzerland I departed by train from Belgium. From Brussels, it’s only a 6-hour journey to Basel, either through Germany (Cologne) or France (Paris or Strasbourg). I easily booked my ticket online via NMBS International and paid around €150 for a one-way ticket to Basel. If you’re flying in from another destination, I recommend flying to Zurich and spending the first night there or flying to Frankfurt and taking the train to Basel.
Hint: if you’re traveling by train, make sure to book your ticket early in advance and avoid weekends. This way you can halve the price of your ticket!
I arrived pretty late in Basel so I wasn’t able to discover the city by daylight. Luckily, there were a lot of things to do by night as well! Accidentally, the Jugendkulturfestival was taking place. This festival with a lot of music performances all over Basel is being organised at the beginning of September.
Restaurant tip: if you’re arriving hungry, the perfect place to grab some dinner is the Markthalle. Here you’ll find different international food stands that offer you (affordable) food options! This might be a good way to save you a heart attack when first seeing the prices of a steak in Switzerland… Alternatively, you can visit the riverside where you’ll encounter quite a few nice restaurants.
For my quick stop in Basel, I booked a room through Airbnb with a local Swiss lady who gave me a lot of tips about the city. It’s a perfect affordable place to stay for 1 person at walking distance from all sightseeing locations.
While starting to type this blog post I’m enjoying the views of the Swiss Alps from the Glacier Express, one of Switzerland’s most famous panoramic trains. Picture the glowing mountain hills in a late summer sun, with in the backdrop a view of one of the country’s most famous glaciers, where ice is eternal and skiing can be done in summer. On the journey from Zermatt to Chur, I’m halfway through my 2-week trip through Switzerland, with nothing but highlights!
! In fact, the Swiss public transport is one of the best and most punctual I’ve experienced so far. None of my trains has even had 1 minute of delay. And with the Swiss Travel Pass you can easily hop on any train or bus in the country. This allowed me to accurately plan this trip past some of Switzerland’s most amazing destinations. Curious? Read on to find out my entire itinerary!
Note: public transport and some activities mentioned in this article were sponsored by the Tourism Board of Switzerland. However, what you read here is my authentic experience and honest opinions of the country.
Please also note that all prices in this blog post are based on my experience in September 2023. Keep in mind that prices might have changed now.
The first day of my train road trip in Switzerland I departed by train from Belgium. From Brussels, it’s only a 6-hour journey to Basel, either through Germany (Cologne) or France (Paris or Strasbourg). I easily booked my ticket online via NMBS International and paid around €150 for a one-way ticket to Basel. If you’re flying in from another destination, I recommend flying to Zurich and spending the first night there or flying to Frankfurt and taking the train to Basel.
Hint: if you’re traveling by train, make sure to book your ticket early in advance and avoid weekends. This way you can halve the price of your ticket!
I arrived pretty late in Basel so I wasn’t able to discover the city by daylight. Luckily, there were a lot of things to do by night as well! Accidentally, the Jugendkulturfestival was taking place. This festival with a lot of music performances all over Basel is being organised at the beginning of September.
Restaurant tip: if you’re arriving hungry, the perfect place to grab some dinner is the Markthalle. Here you’ll find different international food stands that offer you (affordable) food options! This might be a good way to save you a heart attack when first seeing the prices of a steak in Switzerland… Alternatively, you can visit the riverside where you’ll encounter quite a few nice restaurants.
For my quick stop in Basel, I booked a room through Airbnb with a local Swiss lady who gave me a lot of tips about the city. It’s a perfect affordable place to stay for 1 person at walking distance from all sightseeing locations.
Leave a Reply