Not only is Switzerland an incredible, pristine and scenic country, but its compact size and central location in Europe makes it the perfect country to road trip. This blog will give you a great overview of how to make the most of your Swiss road trip.
If you're looking for a more comprehensive guide than what we can include in this blog, be sure to check out our Switzerland Road Trip Guide and Map, with a detailed itinerary, travel tips and insider info!
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Switzerland Road Trip Guide
Imagine a place with mountains, lakes, traditional houses, waterfalls, lush green pastures and the sound of cowbells ringing. That’s Switzerland, it’s like a fairytale.
Switzerland, located in the heart of Europe, shares its borders with five countries: France, Germany, Austria, Italy and Liechtenstein. Switzerland is home to about 20% of the Alps, which span over half of its territory.
Despite the size of the Alpine region, only a small amount of the Swiss population lives there. Spanning from its northernmost point to the south, Switzerland stretches across a distance of 220 kilometres.
Planning Your Switzerland Road Trip
When is the best time to visit Switzerland?
If you want to hike on your Swiss road trip, you either need to make sure that you go late enough in spring that the hiking trails are open or visit in summer. We visited in late May and everything was accessible but we did still experience some snow on our hikes at high altitude.
The weather is also not as reliable at this time of year, we had quite a lot of rain and it felt like the mountains in Switzerland had their own climate. Summer is a good time to visit if you want to have more reliable weather, but you should still expect some rain.
Switzerland is also a popular location for winter skiing and usually the Swiss Alps start to see their first snowfall in October so you may also get to witness a fresh blanket of snow. It would also be a nice time to visit Switzerland around Christmas, as there are a lot of Christmas markets around.
If you want to see the charming, traditional Swiss towns look even better, then you should visit when they’re lined with decorations and lights.
If you plan to fly and rent a vehicle then flying to Zurich or Geneva are perfect options. If you’re driving from your home country, Switzerland is easy to reach because of its central location in Europe.
Switzerland is an ideal road trip from the UK as Zurich is located less than 10 hours from Calais, where you will likely arrive from the UK.
4 Must-See Locations on your Switzerland Road trip
Rhine Falls
Located a stones throw from the German border, Rhine Falls is the biggest waterfall in Europe by volume. This is an absolutely jaw dropping waterfall; pure power and a magical turquoise river.
If you visit in Spring time like we did, this waterfall will be in full flow with the recent snow melt. We can’t think of a better place to start a road trip!
Zurich
Zurich, the financial capital of Switzerland is a perfect stop on your road trip. Spend a day wandering around this unique city, we’ve certainly never been to a big city with such a crystal clear river before.
Take in the sights such as Fraumunster Church and the Church of St. Peter in Zurich’s Old town. Ogle at the designer products that you would need a bank loan to afford in Zurich’s Bahnhoffstrasse, the most expensive street lined with all the designer shops you could imagine.
Interlaken
Interlaken is situated between two stunning lakes, Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. It’s a good base to go and explore the Bernese Oberland region and see some incredible mountains in Switzerland.
Known for adventure spots and stunning scenery, if there was anywhere you wanted to try something like paragliding, this is the place. If you want to find things to do around Interlaken, make sure to check out out Switzerland road trip map.
Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen is a fairytale town located within a picturesque valley. Steep rocky cliffs with 72 waterfalls plummeting down. If you love waterfalls, there couldn't be a better place to add to your Swiss road trip.
The most famous waterfall, Staubuch can be easily reached on foot and it’s free to get to the viewing platforms. Trummelbach, another famous waterfall here, is a very unique and powerful series of ten glacier-fed waterfalls inside the mountain. A tunnel lift has made it accessible and there are several viewing points throughout.
Activities and Experiences
Activities
Switzerland is a brilliant country for mountain activities, but be warned that cable cars can be quite expensive so you either need a big budget or to also mix in some more budget friendly days! First mountain, in particular is a great option for activities, known as the ‘Top of adventure’.
After taking the cable car to the top of the mountain you can choose from a zipline, trikes or a mountain cart to get back down, guaranteed fun! Switzerland is also home to many mountain coasters, called ‘Rodelbahn’ in German. These would be great fun for the whole family and you get to enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery whilst doing it.
Cuisine
When you think of traditional food in Switzerland, you will most likely think of its cheese because it plays a big role in Swiss culture. But where do you begin? Fondue, a Swiss melted cheese, is one of the most famous dishes, served in a communal pot and eaten by dipping bread into the cheese.
Raclette, another popular dish, traditionally eaten by holding a whole wheel of cheese in front of the fire and cheese was scraped onto a plate as it melted.
Practical Tips for a Swiss Road Trip
Accommodation
There’s lots of choice for accommodation depending on what level of luxury you would like. Hotels and B&B’s are always an option and you will be spoilt for choice for rooms with incredible views.
If you are looking to travel Switzerland on a budget then a road trip either in your own campervan or renting a van might be a cheaper option. Our Switzerland road trip map includes locations for overnight stays in your campervan and campsites.
If you’re looking to be completely in nature and leave your van behind, the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) runs more than 150 cabins all over Switzerland that you can book into!
Most huts are simply furnished and can be very cosy in high season, many also allow you to bring your dog but it’s best to check each hut before you rock up.
Driving tips
If you want to drive on Swiss motorways and expressways whilst on your Switzerland road trip, you need a motorway vignette sticker, which must be stuck to the inside of the windscreen and must be clearly visible. The vignette sticker costs 40CHF.
We were able to drive without buying one because our SatNav has the functionality to avoid roads that need a toll sticker. Sadly, while Google maps allows you to avoid toll roads, you can’t avoid roads that require a toll sticker on there.
If you plan to drive in Switzerland during the winter months, snow chains are compulsory in certain areas, these are indicated by appropriate sign and must be fitted on at least two drive wheels
The Ultimate Guide to a Swiss Road Trip
If you’re looking for a more extensive road trip guide to Switzerland including more detailed information about places to visit, make sure to check out our full Switzerland Road Trip Guide and Map.
Our Switzerland road trip map includes a rough itinerary for up to 3 weeks road tripping this country, hikes, lakes, overnight spots, photo spots and more.
Happy road tripping!
