International · Alps & Plateau
Switzerland
Alps & Plateau · 400 m valleys to 4,478 m (Dufourspitze); Zurich sits at 408 m
Where every train window is a postcard — cerulean lakes, cheese-scented valleys, and a snow peak around every bend, all on Europe's most efficient rail network.
Switzerland distils the best of Europe into a small, obsessively punctual country: glacier-carved valleys, mirror lakes, car-free mountain villages, and cogwheel trains that climb to 3,454 m before breakfast. For Indian travellers it ticks every box — romance, adventure, kids-friendly cable cars, and a food scene that goes well beyond cheese and chocolate.
We package this one
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Go in
In season, days sit around 22° and nights near 11°.
What you'll see & do
The sights worth the trip, and how to spend the days around them.
To see
- Jungfraujoch — Top of Europe (3,454 m), Interlaken
- Matterhorn & Gornergrat viewpoint, Zermatt
- Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) & Lake Lucerne, Lucerne
- Jet d'Eau & Palais des Nations, Geneva
To do
- Rack-railway to Jungfraujoch (year-round, allow full day)
- Tandem paragliding over Interlaken from Beatenberg
- Glacier Express or Bernina Express panoramic train
- Lake cruise on Lake Lucerne or Lake Geneva by paddlesteamer
Before you go
- Switzerland is Europe's most expensive destination: expect CHF 5–6 (approx. ₹500–600) for a coffee and CHF 30–50 (approx. ₹3,000–5,000) for a restaurant meal; budget at least ₹6,000–8,000 per person per day for meals and incidentals beyond the package.
- The Jungfraujoch peak-season return ticket from Interlaken is CHF 261.60 per adult (May–Oct 2026); from Grindelwald it is CHF 239.20; with a Swiss Half Fare Card it drops to approximately CHF 130.60 from Interlaken — webshop tickets cancel free until 23:59 the day before, but there is no refund once you board, so check the official summit webcam before committing on a cloudy-forecast day.
- Schengen visa refusals and delays are a real risk — do not book non-refundable hotels until the visa is confirmed, and submit the application at least 6–8 weeks before departure.
Days, already shaped
3-day plan
- Arrive Zurich → transfer to Lucerne; Chapel Bridge, Lion Monument, lake promenade dinner
- Lucerne → Interlaken (2 hrs); afternoon Lake Brienz boat cruise; Harder Kulm sunset gondola
- Jungfraujoch full day by Bernese Oberland railway; return to Zurich for evening departure
5-day plan
- Arrive Zurich → Lucerne; Chapel Bridge, old town, lakeside dinner
- Mt Pilatus round trip (cable car up, rack railway down); Lake Lucerne cruise
- Lucerne → Interlaken; Harder Kulm panorama; paragliding option
- Jungfraujoch full day; overnight Grindelwald for Eiger views
- Grindelwald → Bern old town (UNESCO arcades, Bear Park) → Zurich airport departure
7-day plan
- Arrive Zurich → Geneva (2.5 hrs); Jet d'Eau, Palais des Nations, lakeside dinner
- Day trip to Montreux and Château de Chillon; evening back to Geneva
- Geneva → Bern old town (UNESCO arcades, Zytglogge clock tower) → Interlaken
- Lauterbrunnen Valley waterfalls + Trümmelbach Falls; Grindelwald overnight
- Jungfraujoch full day (Top of Europe, Sphinx observation deck, Aletsch Glacier view)
- Train to Zermatt via Visp (3.5 hrs); Gornergrat rack railway for Matterhorn sunset
- Zermatt → Zurich (3 hrs) via Brig; old town café stop; evening flight departure
Getting there, permits & day trips
By air — Delhi/Mumbai–Zurich (ZRH) direct: Swiss International Air Lines or Air India, ~9 hrs; via Dubai (Emirates) or Doha (Qatar) adds 4–5 hrs with layover; Geneva (GVA) is alternate gateway for French Switzerland itineraries
By rail — Swiss Travel Pass (3/7/15-day) covers all trains, buses and lake boats — strongly recommended; Zurich–Interlaken 2 hrs, Zurich–Zermatt 3.5 hrs, Zurich–Geneva 2.5 hrs; Glacier Express Zermatt–St. Moritz 8 hrs (scenic, reservation required)
By road — Mandatory CHF 40 motorway vignette sticker (annual); Zurich–Lucerne 50 min, Zurich–Interlaken 2 hrs, Zurich–Geneva 3 hrs; Gotthard tunnel can queue 1–2 hrs in peak summer — time via Gotthard Pass (open May–Oct) if scenic
On a Driftibo trip we handle the transfers.
Permits & entry — Indian passport holders require a Schengen visa; there is no visa-on-arrival. All applications must be submitted through VFS Global in India — the Swiss Embassy in New Delhi and Consulate in Mumbai do not accept direct walk-ins — so book a VFS appointment slot 6–8 weeks before travel, and earlier still for June–August departures when slots fill quickly. The visa permits a maximum stay of 90 days within any 180-day period (single or multiple entry); mandatory travel/medical insurance of at least €30,000 cover is required at the time of application. Visa fees are €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6–12. Switzerland has no inner-line or protected-area permits; Jungfraujoch and Gornergrat are accessed by paid rail ticket only, with no separate entry permit. Mountain passes Furka and Grimsel reopen 29 May 2026; Susten reopens 12 June 2026; the Gotthard mountain road (separate from the year-round Gotthard road tunnel) also closes in winter — confirm all pass statuses at alpen-paesse.ch or tcs.ch before finalising itineraries.
Day trips nearby
- Chamonix, France — 1.5 hrs from Geneva; Mont Blanc cable car, Mer de Glace glacier
- Milan, Italy — 2.5 hrs from Lugano or Zurich by train; Duomo, fashion quarter, Last Supper (book ahead)
- Annecy, France — 45 min from Geneva; medieval old town, turquoise lake, cycling paths
- Stein am Rhein + Rhine Falls — 1 hr from Zurich; medieval frescoed facades + Europe's largest waterfall
Seasons and access shift — we reconfirm every detail before we quote.