Switzerland is truly one of the most stunningly beautiful countries I have ever laid my eyes on. We have spent time in some major cities such as Bern, Lucerne, and Zurich. We have visited some small towns such as Gruyere, and Stein am Rhein. We have also hiked and spent some time in mountain towns such as Champax Lac, Trient, and La Fouley.
While I’d love to keep revisiting Switzerland it definitely isn’t easy on the wallet. Here are a few tips we’ve accumulated in our travels to help make your visit to Switzerland more affordable.
1. Bring food if you can
Our first trip to Switzerland one thing that we did was pack oatmeal! It might sound silly but oatmeal is super light, packs easily, and you can make it in any hotel coffee maker. This saved us on breakfast or lunch each day. You could also pack protein bars, other snacks, etc. Oatmeal just works so well becuase of how light and small it is!
If you’re traveling into Switzerland from another country you may also want to load up on food/snacks there and bring them into Switzerland!
2. Grocery Shop
Although Switzerland is quite expensive we didn’t find the grocery store prices to be horrible. When we stayed in airbnb we were able to shop at the grocery and cook. When we were in hotels we popped into the grocery stores for pre-made salads and rotisserie chickens. This is a great way to avoid the extra expense of going to restaurants.
3. Walk a lot
We are lucky to really enjoy both walking and hiking. Most of our time in Switzerland has been spent just walking around, and honestly, we are SO happy with that. The cities and towns are so beautiful and clean and the mountains are absolutely epic! Pack a picnic from the grocery store and spend your time wandering, you will fall in love!
Also literally walk from town to town. If you walk through the mountains from one small town to the next you don’t have to spend a single dime on transportation!
4. Travel with Friends
If you travel with friends or a group you can split costs. This travel hack works anywhere, but it is especially helpful in Switzerland! You can also then afford to do fondue at least once! Which is expensive, but is really a worthwhile experience!!!
5. Book through a tour
When we hiked the Tour Du Mont Blanc it took us through a few Swiss mountain towns. Since the price of the tour was inclusive we only had to pay for our meals. We were able to use our hacks from above to keep meal costs down and thus, keep down the cost of our whole visit. We used Mont Blanc Treks to book the Tour du Mont Blanc.
6. Watch Sunsets
Find the most wonderful areas and sit and watch the sunset. Always the absolute best free activity in my opinion! Some of the towns we were in, many people gathered in teh cool sunset spots and all hung out together. It was a really nice vibe and a free activity!
7. Look for free tours
Many cities have free walking tours. You will likely still have to tip your guide (if you want to be a good person). But you can enjoy some really amazing tours and learn a lot about a city by taking a free walking tour!
8. Plan in advance
It always pays to plan in advance. Generally the longer you wait the higher prices will get in many places. If you have time to plan in advance this can benefit you in Switzerland as well. It also gives you time to pay things off one by one so that as you are getting closer to your trip you can have some of the major things like hotel already paid off.
9. Budget accommodation (hostels/housesitting/couch-surfing/etc)
We didn’t personally do any of these. But if you are this kind of traveler these would be excellent ways to save some money in Switzerland as accommodation is often a large part of the cost of a trip.
10. Stay in a dorm in a mountain hut & pay for half board
Prices in dorm style rooms in a mountain hut will be a bit lower, similar to a hostel. They are an awesome environment to hang out in and always have a lot of a great outdoor space for chilling. If you book with half board they also include breakfast and dinner! You can also usually book a packed lunch for the next day for 10-15 euros which makes it almost “all inclusive” and a bit easier on the wallet.
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