I was lucky enough to spend a week in Switzerland unexpectedly, working remotely and visiting some family just outside of Bern. To be honest, Switzerland was never very high on my list. It’s famously expensive, and I suspected it might be a little overrated. But after visiting, I can honestly say it’s one of my favorite countries to date.

It’s so easy to get around. Everything is well connected, and it’s possible to go from climbing a cliffside Via Ferrata in the Alps in the morning to sitting at a coffee shop in the center of Bern by early afternoon (which I actually did!). Taking the train was the best way to understand the geography. Watching the lakes, valleys, rivers, and mountains connect felt like a giant jigsaw puzzle coming together before my eyes. If you get the chance, look out for the panoramic train carriages — sitting there and staring out the window while weaving through the Alps was something truly special.

Tips

Aussichtspunkt means “viewpoint.” (I only learned this when I was about to leave Switzerland 🥲)
Eating out is very expensive: expect 25–30 CHF for a meal and 6–8 CHF for a coffee. If you’re on a budget, grab groceries or quick meals from Migros, Coop, or Lidl. At Bern’s central station, the grocery stores even have coffee machines for just 2 CHF.
Shops close fairly early, and many are closed on Sundays, so plan ahead if you need groceries.

Transportation

Switzerland is extremely well connected. Trains and buses are straightforward and fairly frequent, though not cheap. Ticket checks happen regularly on trains. I never saw them on buses or trams within cities.
The SBB app is essential. It’s reliable and easy to use — you can buy tickets directly or set up “EasyRide,” which uses your GPS to calculate fares automatically, so you don’t need to stop at a machine.
Pass options (prices at the time of writing in Aug 2025):
- Swiss Travel Pass – 379 CHF for 6 days of unlimited boat/train/bus travel (available for 3, 4, 6, 8 or 15 day increments)
- Half Fare Card – 120 CHF for a month.
- Eurail Global Pass – I chose this since I was planning to travel outside Switzerland too, and later found out it offers lots of discounts within the country as well. Ensure to book trains and boats (where relevant) via the Rail Planner app.
- For mountain trips, there are also regional passes like the Jungfrau Pass or the Berner Oberland Pass, but I believe they only make sense if you’ll be spending a lot of time in that specific area. You can get discounts off these if you already hold a Swiss Travel Pass or a Half Fare card mentioned above.