8 - 16 May 2022

Switzerland earns its reputation. Every photograph you've seen of it is real — the mountains are that dramatic, the lakes are that blue, the villages are that impossibly neat. But what nobody told me before I went was that the best way to experience all of it isn't a viewpoint or a summit. It's the train window.

Switzerland is one of the most beautifully connected countries in Europe, and travelling it by train doesn't just make logistical sense — it gives you a front-row seat to countryside that most tourists never properly see. The train is the scenery. And once you understand that, the whole trip changes.

Is Switzerland Worth Visiting? (The Honest Take)

Yes — unequivocally, and I say that as someone who thinks overhyped destinations rarely deliver. Switzerland is not overhyped. Every claim about the scenery is accurate. Every train journey between cities is a reason to stay awake and watch out the window. What caught me off guard wasn't the famous peaks or the chocolate-box villages — it was how consistently beautiful the in-between moments were. The countryside framed between towns. A lake appearing around a corner on a route you didn't expect. The sheer density of natural beauty per square kilometre is unlike anywhere else I've been.

What Are the Best Places to Visit in Switzerland for First-Timers?

Montreux — The Quieter Side of Switzerland

Montreux sits on Lake Geneva in the French-speaking part of Switzerland and has a noticeably different character from the German-speaking cities. The Montreux Promenade along the lakefront is lined with flowers and sculptures, and the pace is unhurried in a way that even Lucerne can't quite match. If you want one afternoon that feels less like a tourist landmark and more like an actual place people live, Montreux delivers it.

Zermatt — Home of the Matterhorn

The Matterhorn is one of those peaks you've seen on Toblerone packaging your whole life, but standing beneath it in person is a different experience entirely. Zermatt is a car-free village, which immediately makes it calmer and cleaner than you expect a major tourist destination to be. The train ride up toward the mountain offers increasingly dramatic views as you ascend — keep your camera accessible at all times on this route.

**Matterhorn @ Zermatt**

Famous Toblerone chocolate

Interlaken Region — Lauterbrunnen, Jungfrau, and Grindelwald

The Interlaken area is the alpine core of any Switzerland trip. Lauterbrunnen Valley is home to Staubbach Falls — one of the highest free-falling waterfalls in Europe, visible right from the valley floor. From Grindelwald, the First Cliff Walk by Tissot is a steel walkway extending from the cliff face with open views across the Alps below. Not for the faint of heart, genuinely spectacular for everyone else.

Jungfrau requires a full day and an earlier start than you think. The train journey up is itself the experience; by the time you're at the top, you're in a different world.

The Harder Kulm Observatory above Interlaken gives you a bird's-eye panorama of the entire region — the two lakes, the town below, and the Alps framing everything in the distance. Go in the late afternoon for the best light.

**Staubbach Falls** in Lauterbrunnen Valley

**Harder Kulm Observatory**

Bird’s eye view of the stunning panorama of Interlaken

Lucerne — History and Lakes Together

Lucerne is the most accessible of Switzerland's classic destinations and earns its place on every itinerary. The Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) is the oldest wooden bridge in Switzerland, dating back to the 14th century — the painted panels inside are worth stopping to examine rather than just photographing in passing. The lake promenade is the most pleasant kind of city walking: you're beside the water the entire time, the mountains frame the background, and the architecture is impeccable.

**Chapel Bridge in Lucerne**

Oldest wooden bridge in Switzerland, dating back to the 14th century

Zürich — More Than Just an Arrival City

Zürich is often treated as purely an arrival or departure city, which sells it short. Lake Zürich is beautiful, and the city itself is clean, walkable, and less hectic than most major European capitals.

**Lake Zurich**

Free cruise ride if have Swiss Train Pass

What Is It Like Travelling by Train in Switzerland?

Switzerland has the best rail network I've encountered in Europe. The connections between cities are fast, the schedules are reliable, and the countryside views from the windows regularly outperform the destinations themselves. A few things that catch first-timers off guard:

Train doors do not open automatically. There is a button to press both inside and outside. No one tells you this — and every first-timer misses it at least once.
Get a window seat. Every time. The countryside between cities is genuinely worth watching.
Seating is generally open (sit anywhere you like) except on certain routes like the Glacier Express, which requires a reservation.
Most trains have toilets; longer routes have dining cars.

What Are Switzerland's Hidden Costs — and Hidden Savings?

Switzerland's reputation for expense is deserved, but there are a few ways the country genuinely surprises you.

Where it costs less than expected:

Drinking water is free. Tap water across Switzerland is clean and drinkable everywhere. We refilled water bottles at fountains, café counters, and yes, even bathroom taps — because locals do the same. This sounds like a minor detail until you calculate what you'd spend on bottled water over nine days.

Public toilets are free and genuinely clean. Every public washroom I used — in train stations, tourist sites, malls, and on the trains — was clean, stocked with toilet paper, and free of charge.

What Is the Weather Like in Switzerland? (Honest Advice)

Variable and sometimes punishing, particularly at altitude. In May, valley temperatures were mild and pleasant. On the mountains, even in late spring, wind makes it significantly colder — bring a proper layer regardless of how warm it feels at the base.

The more critical issue is the sun. The UV intensity at altitude is much higher than at sea level, and standard sunscreen — the SPF50 you'd bring for a beach holiday — is not adequate. Some of us got sunburned on clear days despite applying it. If you're heading to Jungfrau, Zermatt, or any high-altitude viewpoint, use mountain-specific sun protection and reapply frequently. This is genuinely important and most travel guides skip it.

What Languages Do They Speak in Switzerland?

Switzerland has four official languages: Swiss German (the most widely spoken), Swiss French (western regions), Swiss Italian (southern region), and Romansh (small eastern region). Which one you encounter depends on where you are. Most Swiss people across all regions speak English, and restaurants in larger cities typically have English menus. In smaller towns, staff may not speak English but will often understand it — ask clearly and simply, and most interactions work out fine.

Two dishes worth trying wherever you are: Rösti (a crispy pan-fried potato dish, essentially an elevated hash brown) and cheese fondue, which tastes exactly as it should in Switzerland — far better than any version you've had elsewhere.

What Else Surprised Me About Switzerland?

A few observations that didn't fit neatly anywhere else:

Dogs are everywhere, and they're impeccably behaved. It's completely normal to see locals bringing their dogs on trains, trams, and cable cars. Not one of them caused any disruption. I found this unexpectedly charming.

It is extremely safe. The safety index is higher than Singapore. Locals leave bags openly on chairs in cafés and don't seem to think twice about it. Petty theft is more common in major cities than in rural areas, but even there the risk is low.

The country is spotlessly clean. Not just in tourist areas — everywhere. Even high-traffic public spaces maintain a standard that feels almost maintained by unspoken agreement rather than enforcement.

Switzerland Quick Summary

Best for: Scenic landscapes, alpine experiences, multi-city travel
Must-visit: Zermatt (Matterhorn), Interlaken region (Jungfrau, Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen), Lucerne, Montreux
Budget tip: Tap water is free and drinkable everywhere — no need to buy bottled water
Weather warning: UV at altitude is intense; bring mountain-grade sunscreen
Train tip: Doors don't open automatically — press the button
Food to try: Rösti and cheese fondue
Standout surprise: The in-between train journeys through countryside were often as beautiful as the destinations themselves
Best for photographers: Matterhorn at Zermatt, Staubbach Falls at Lauterbrunnen, Harder Kulm panorama, Chapel Bridge in Lucerne

FAQs About Switzerland Trip

Is Switzerland worth visiting? Yes — the scenery genuinely lives up to its reputation. The consistency of natural beauty across the entire country, not just the famous landmarks, is what sets Switzerland apart. Every train journey between cities adds to the experience rather than just being transit time.

What is Switzerland known for? Switzerland is known for its alpine landscapes, including the Matterhorn, Jungfrau, and the Bernese Oberland region. It's also known for its lakes (Geneva, Lucerne, Zürich), its multilingual culture, precision watchmaking, cheese, chocolate, and some of the best-maintained natural environments in Europe.

Can you drink tap water in Switzerland? Yes, everywhere. Swiss tap water is clean and safe to drink throughout the country, including from public fountains. There's no need to purchase bottled water at any point during your trip.

What food should you try in Switzerland? Two dishes to prioritise: Rösti (a crispy pan-fried potato dish) and cheese fondue. Both taste significantly better in Switzerland than anywhere else you may have tried them.

What languages are spoken in Switzerland? Switzerland has four official languages: Swiss German (most widely spoken), Swiss French (western cantons), Swiss Italian (southern canton), and Romansh (small eastern region). English is widely understood across the country, especially in cities and tourist areas.

What should I know about the weather in Switzerland? Weather is variable, especially at altitude. Valley temperatures in spring and summer are pleasant, but mountain areas can be significantly colder due to wind. More importantly, UV radiation at high altitude is intense — standard sunscreen is often insufficient on mountain peaks. Use high-protection mountain sunscreen and reapply regularly.

Is Switzerland safe to travel in? Very safe — Switzerland consistently ranks among the safest countries in Europe. Locals routinely leave belongings unattended in public spaces. Normal awareness of your things is still sensible in major city centres, but the overall safety level is exceptionally high.

What are the best places to visit in Switzerland for first-timers? For a first visit, prioritise: Zermatt for the Matterhorn, the Interlaken region for alpine experiences (Jungfrau, Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen), Lucerne for the Chapel Bridge and lake, and Montreux for a quieter lakeside experience. Zürich is worth a day beyond its reputation as just a transit city.

Switzerland is the trip I reference most when people ask me what genuinely lived up to expectations. Have you been? What surprised you most?

Switzerland by Train: Why the Journey Is the Destination