Cost To Visit Switzerland: Travel Budget Guide (2026)
Switzerland is famous for jaw-dropping scenery—and high prices. In this travel budget guide, I break down what you can expect to spend per day on hotels, food, transportation, and attractions so you can plan your trip budget with way fewer surprises.
Switzerland uses the Swiss franc (CHF). Prices in this guide have been converted from CHF to $ (USD) for ease of use for our U.S. audience.
Switzerland is typically very expensive on the ground—especially for hotels, restaurant meals, and mountain transport (trains, cable cars, funiculars). Within Europe, Switzerland is widely considered one of the most expensive places to travel. The good news: you can still do Switzerland smart by booking early, staying in less-hyped towns, using supermarkets for some meals, and choosing a few “must-do” mountain days instead of paying for scenic transport every single day.
Is Switzerland Expensive To Visit?
Yes—Switzerland is typically very expensive on the ground—especially for hotels, restaurant meals, and mountain transport (trains, cable cars, funiculars).
Within Europe, Switzerland is widely considered one of the most expensive places to travel. The good news: you can still do Switzerland smart by booking early, staying in less-hyped towns, using supermarkets for some meals, and choosing a few “must-do” mountain days instead of paying for scenic transport every single day.
Switzerland can feel more affordable if you:
- Mix grocery/bakery meals with a few restaurant dinners
- Stay in value bases (or slightly outside the postcard towns)
- Buy the right rail pass or book point-to-point trains early
- Pick 1–2 major mountain experiences and do free hikes/viewpoints the other days
Switzerland Vacation Costs
Below is a detailed expense breakdown for accommodations, food, transportation, and attractions—followed by day trip costs and realistic daily/weekly budgets.
Avg. Accommodation Cost
Peak
- Budget Travelers: $160–$260 per night
- Mid-Range Travelers: $300–$520 per night
- Luxury Travelers: $900–$2,000+ per night
Shoulder-Season
- Budget Travelers: $145–$240
- Mid-Range Travelers: $270–$480
- Luxury Travelers: $800–$1,750+
Off-Season
- Budget Travelers: $130–$220
- Mid-Range Travelers: $250–$430
- Luxury Travelers: $700–$1,550+
Note: Prices spike hardest in iconic bases like Zermatt, Interlaken region, Jungfrau area, and St. Moritz—especially when demand is high.
Food Cost
Budget Travelers
- Breakfast: $10–$18
- Lunch: $16–$28
- Dinner: $25–$45
Mid-Range Travelers
- Breakfast: $18–$30
- Lunch: $28–$45
- Dinner: $60–$130
Luxury Travelers
- Breakfast: $30–$50
- Lunch: $45–$85
- Dinner: $160–$350+
Biggest Saver: supermarkets and bakeries (breakfast + some lunches) over the course of your stay there will save you the most money. Limit your eating out and you can really save a lot of money.
Transportation Cost
Zurich Airport (ZRH) → City Center (similar logic for Geneva)
- Train: $8–$15
- Taxi: $55–$110
- Private transfer: $150–$300+
Getting around cities (Zurich/Geneva/Basel/Lucerne)
- Public transit single rides: $3–$6
- Day passes: $10–$25
- Taxi (short rides): $20–$40
- Taxi (longer rides): $40–$90+
Intercity trains (excellent but not cheap)
- Zurich ↔ Lucerne: $25–$60 round trip
- Zurich ↔ Interlaken: $55–$140 round trip
- Geneva ↔ Montreux: $30–$80 round trip
- Zurich ↔ Zermatt: $90–$220 round trip (connections vary)
Mountain transport (major cost driver)
- Cable cars / funiculars (single mountain day): $35–$140+
- Jungfrau region “big ticket” days can run: $120–$250+ (depending on route/tickets)
- Glacier/peak excursions in general: $80–$250+
Rail passes (sometimes worth it)
- Regional passes + Swiss Travel Pass options can save money if you’re doing lots of trains/boats/museums. Otherwise, point-to-point can be cheaper.
Car rental (useful in some regions, but not needed in many)
- Compact car:
- Off-Season: $70–$120/day
- Shoulder: $90–$150/day
- Peak: $120–$200+/day
- Fuel + parking (typical daily): $25–$60
- Mountain roads/parking can be limited and expensive.
Private driver
- Half-day: $350–$650+
- Full day: $600–$1,100+
Attractions
- Old Towns (Zurich/Geneva/Bern): free
- Swiss museums (major): $12–$25
- Lake cruises (varies): $20–$60+
- Rhine Falls (transport + viewpoints): $10–$40 (depends on route)
- Matterhorn viewpoints (Zermatt lifts): $40–$140+
- Jungfrau region mountain excursions: $120–$250+
- Schilthorn / Titlis / similar peaks: $70–$170+
- Scenic trains (seat reservations sometimes extra): $15–$60+
Day Trip Costs
| Day Trip | Transportation Cost (Round Trip) | Top Attraction | Attraction Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucerne (from Zurich) | $25–$60 (train) | Lake + old town walk | Free–$40+ |
| Rhine Falls | $20–$55 (train) | Rhine Falls viewpoints | Free–$15 |
| Interlaken region | $55–$140 (train) | Jungfrau region mountain day | $120–$250+ |
| Zermatt | $90–$220 (train) | Matterhorn viewpoint lift | $40–$140+ |
| Montreux | $30–$80 (train) | Lake promenade + Chillon Castle | $15–$25 |
| Bern | $35–$90 (train) | UNESCO Old Town walk | Free–$20 |
| Lake cruise day | $0–$20 (local transit) | Scenic lake boat cruise | $20–$60+ |
Daily Budget Need For Visiting Switzerland
| Season | Daily Total (Per Person) |
|---|---|
| Peak | $190–$310 |
| Shoulder | $175–$290 |
| Off-Season | $165–$270 |
| Season | Daily Total (Per Person) |
|---|---|
| Peak | $360–$620 |
| Shoulder | $330–$560 |
| Off-Season | $300–$520 |
| Season | Daily Total (Per Person) |
|---|---|
| Peak | $900–$2,000+ |
| Shoulder | $800–$1,750+ |
| Off-Season | $700–$1,550+ |
Weekly Budget (7 Days)
| Season | Lodging (7 nights) | Food (7 days) | Transport | Attractions | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak | $1,120–$1,820 | $350–$560 | $140–$420 | $200–$600 | $1,810–$3,400 |
| Shoulder | $1,015–$1,680 | $320–$525 | $130–$390 | $190–$560 | $1,655–$3,155 |
| Off-Season | $910–$1,540 | $300–$490 | $120–$350 | $180–$520 | $1,510–$2,900 |
| Season | Lodging (7 nights) | Food (7 days) | Transport | Attractions | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak | $2,100–$3,640 | $560–$910 | $220–$700 | $350–$1,050 | $3,230–$6,300 |
| Shoulder | $1,890–$3,360 | $525–$840 | $200–$630 | $320–$980 | $2,935–$5,810 |
| Off-Season | $1,750–$3,010 | $490–$800 | $190–$600 | $300–$910 | $2,730–$5,320 |
| Season | Lodging (7 nights) | Food (7 days) | Transport | Attractions | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak | $6,300–$14,000+ | $910–$2,450+ | $420–$1,400+ | $500–$2,000+ | $8,130–$19,850+ |
| Shoulder | $5,600–$12,250+ | $840–$2,200+ | $390–$1,260+ | $480–$1,800+ | $7,310–$17,510+ |
| Off-Season | $4,900–$10,850+ | $800–$1,960+ | $350–$1,120+ | $450–$1,650+ | $6,500–$15,580+ |
Flight Cost
Flight cost depends on where you’re departing from, the season, and the airline. Major international airports will have cheaper flights than smaller airports. Most U.S. travelers fly into Zurich (ZRH) or Geneva (GVA).
Average round-trip flight ranges from the U.S.:
- Peak: $700–$1,300
- Shoulder: $600–$1,100
- Off-Season: $500–$950
You can save money on flights by signing up for cheap flight alerts from Jetsetter Alerts.
Switzerland Travel Seasons
Peak Season
- Ski regions (Alps): mid-December–March—highest demand and pricing in resort bases, with the biggest spikes late December–early January and during February holiday weeks.
- Lake towns and cities: June–August—summer is when places like Lucerne-area lakes, Interlaken area, Lake Geneva, and Lake Lugano get busiest, and city hotels jump too (especially July–August).
- Extra peak week: late December–early January also pushes prices up in major cities (Zurich, Geneva) and popular lake towns because of holiday travel.
Shoulder-Season
- Late March–May: A strong value window for cities and lake towns—fewer crowds, better hotel availability, and plenty to do. In the mountains, this can be “in-between” season after the main ski rush, and some lifts/routes may start switching schedules.
- September–October: Often the best all-around timing—great for lake towns and city breaks, and many mountain trains/cable cars still run (just with fewer crowds than summer).
Off-Season
- April (late)–early June (early weeks): For ski regions, this is the post-winter lull—some resorts wind down and you’ll see more limited lift operations. For cities/lake towns, it’s usually calmer and can be a better value than summer.
- November–early December: Typically the best chance for deals—best suited for cities and some lake towns, while many mountain lifts/routes run limited schedules before winter ramps back up.
- Why it’s cheaper: better hotel deals in cities and many lake regions.
- Tradeoff: shorter days and some mountain lifts/routes may run limited schedules.
Sometimes—but it’s tight. A $2,000 weekly budget is most realistic if you keep lodging modest (or share costs), do some grocery meals, and limit expensive mountain transport days.
- Budget Travelers (7-day total): $1,510–$3,400
- Mid-Range Travelers (7-day total): $2,730–$6,300
- Luxury Travelers (7-day total): $6,500–$19,850+
To stay closer to $2,000, base yourself in one region, book trains early, and choose 1 major mountain day instead of several.
- Hotels are costly in cities and famous mountain bases
- Restaurant meals and drinks are expensive
- Trains are excellent but pricey without the right pass/booking strategy
- Mountain lifts and scenic excursions can cost $80–$250+ per day
- Use the right rail pass if you’re doing lots of trains/boats/museums
- Otherwise, buy point-to-point tickets early for lower fares
- Pick fewer “big ticket” mountain lift days and do more free hikes/viewpoints
- Stay in a base town and do day trips to avoid changing hotels often
Not A Member? ✈️
Save 40%-95% with Jetsetter Alerts - Airline Mistake Fare & Flash Sales Alerts!