This Switzerland Itinerary article is going to be a long one, but you do not have to read it all. First decide how many days you wish to spend – we have detailed Switzerland itineraries for 3 days, 5 days and 7 days.
It covers all the major places which Indians tend to like and visit. If you like off-beat trips, or would like to spend more than 7 days in Switzerland, you can contact us for a customized Switzerland itinerary.
Not sure how many days you should spend in Switzerland? We are here to help.
Switzerland Trip Cost
Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in the world. The most important factor for most people is going to be the cost, which is why we have included the approximate cost for each itinerary.
Per Person cost for Switzerland trip – including flights, visa, travel insurance, meals, and activities:
| Trip | 3 day | 5 day | 7 day |
| Budget | ₹ 90,000 | 1.2 lakh | 1.4 lakh |
| Mid-Range | ₹ 1.2 lakh | 1.6 lakh | 1.9 lakh |
| Luxury | ₹ 1.9 lakh | 2.6 lakh | 3.2 lakh |
Important:
- The above costs include return flight tickets from India (approx. ₹ 45,000 per person), Visa fees and travel Insurance (approx. ₹ 12,000). This also means, the longer you stay in Switzerland the lower the per-day costs as flight prices would remain the same.
- The cost for a child would be lower, as transport and activity cost are usually free or very low for children traveling in Switzerland. Everything, including flights, is free for babies under the age of 2.
- Budget trips would mean staying in hostels for backpackers or low-cost Airbnb for families. Here you would be cooking your own meals or buying food from grocery stores.
- Mid-range is staying at comfortable (3-star hotels) and eating out at McDonalds or low-end restaurants.
- Luxury trip would be staying at 5-star hotels and eating out at popular restaurants.
Switzerland 3 Days Itinerary
3 days is very little time for Switzerland, but if you are planning a trip for just 3 days – it has to be because you would be traveling to other places in Europe.
It would be much better to opt for a 5-day or 7-day trip, if you are only visiting Switzerland. This way, the cost of your trip would be lower because the price of flights and visa would remain the same.
The 3-day itinerary is as follows:
- Day 1 – Arrive in Zurich, take a train and head over to Lucerne. Stay in Lucerne.
- Day 2 – Day trip to Mount Titlis. In the evening, take a train to Interlaken.
- Day 3 – Visit Jungfraujoch. Return to Zurich.
- Day 4 – Leave Zurich, back to India
On Day 1, you can plan your first day depending on the time you arrive in Zurich. If you arrive early, freshen up and explore the beautiful city of Zurich.
Here are some things you can do in Zurich city:
- Zurich Old Town: A walk around the old town is an absolute must if you are visiting Zurich. The paths are beautiful, there are some expensive small shops where you can window-shop and plenty of restaurants.
- Lake Zurich: If the weather is good, this is a beautiful lake where you can enjoy a peaceful walk. Evenings here are beautiful. A boat cruise – which is free if you have a ‘Swiss Travel Pass’ – is again an absolute must.
- Uetliberg Mountain: If the weather is good, the mountain provides a panoramic views of Zurich and its beautiful lake. You can take the tram (free with travel pass) to visit the mountain.
- Zurich Zoo: If you have kids with you, this is another place which is worth visiting in Zurich. Should take around 2-3 hours to see the Zoo. Not included in the Swiss pass. Visit their website for ticket prices.
- Lindt Home of Chocolates: Great place to visit both for adults and kids. You can see the museum and also taste a variety of freshly made Lindt chocolates. Ticket costs 15 CHF (₹ 1300) for adults, free for kids under 8 years.
- If you like museums, you can visit the famous ‘Museum of Art’.
As you can see from the list above, there are plenty of things you can do in Zurich. If you have just one day, pick and choose your activities. Towards the end of your first day, take a train to Lucerne. You can alternatively stay in Zurich and catch an early morning train to Lucerne.
Day 2 starts with a trip to the famous Mount Titlis. This is a place almost every Indian takes time to visit because scenes from Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ (DDLJ) were filmed here. There is a cutout of SRK and Kajol at the top of the mountain.
You will find snow here throughout the year, make sure you carry winter clothes with you.
Instead of taking a paid day-trip (extremely expensive), we recommend you do the trip to Mount Titlis on your own. It is easy, and far less expensive if you have a Swiss Travel pass.
The whole Mount Titlis excursion should take around 6 hours from Lucerne and back. Make sure you start your day early. This will give you time to explore the beautiful city of Lucerne in the evening – before you take your train to Interlaken.
Yes, when you plan 3-day trips – the days are usually very hectic. Plan a longer visit if you are keen on a more relaxed trip.
Day 3 will begin with a trip to ‘Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe’. And as the name itself suggests, it is the highest peak in Europe. Apart from the mountain itself – which stands at an altitude of 11,300 feet – there are a lot of activities to do on your Jungfraujoch excursion. There is an ice tunnel, there are viewing platforms, cliff walk on Europe’s highest suspension bridge, Ice Flyer cable car, restaurants, souvenir shops and much more.
This activity should take around 6-7 hours to complete. In the evening you can explore the city of Interlaken or return back to Zurich if you have a flight to catch early next morning.
If you have one extra day, you can spend Day 4 exploring the beautiful villages near Interlaken. You can visit Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. There are lots of things you can do around Interlaken, search in Google and visit the places you like.
That brings us to the end of the 3-day trip to Switzerland. If you have 5 days or more, continue reading the article.
Switzerland 5 Days Itinerary
5 days gives you more time to explore Switzerland. You can spend an extra night in both Lucerne and Interlaken, exploring the nearby areas and having a slightly more relaxed trip.
- Day 1 – Arrive in Zurich, explore the city and stay overnight.
- Day 2 – Take a train and head over to Lucerne. Visit Mount Titlis. Stay in Lucerne.
- Day 3 – Explore areas near Lucerne. Stay in Lucerne.
- Day 4 – Take a train to Interlaken. Visit Jungfraujoch. Stay in Interlaken
- Day 5 – Spend the day visiting Harder Kulm and nearby villages like Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. Stay in Interlaken.
- Day 6 – Take a train to Zurich, return to India.
On the first day of your trip, arrive in Zurich and explore the city. Under the ‘3 day itinerary’ there is detailed info on the best things you can see and do in Zurich.
On Day 2, take a train to Lucerne. Visit Mount Titlis, which is famous for SRK and Kajol’s DDLJ. It is a beautiful mountain with a lot of activities to do. There is also a small Indian shop which sells Samosas and Masala tea. The samosas taste great, do try them.
After Mount Titlis, spend the rest of your day exploring Lucerne.
On Day 3, you will be spoilt for choices. There are a lot of things to do around Lucerne.
- Mount Pilatus: Is worth a visit to enjoy the stunning views from the top of the mountain.
- Lake Lucerne: Is a beautiful lake, you can take a boat tour.
- Rent a car: If you are a confident driver, you can rent a car and explore the beauty of the nearby places.
- Lucerne Old Town is very old, beautiful and well preserved.
- There is also an option to ride the Cog train up to Mount Rigi.
Pick and choose what you want to do. Whatever you choose, you will have a great time in Lucerne.
On Day 4, take a train from Lucerne to Interlaken – which is another city with close to a lot of interesting places to visit.
In the morning you will visit the famous ‘Jungfraujoch’ – the highest mountain peak in Europe. There is a lot to see and do here, and the trip should take around 6-7 hours. After this, return back to Interlaken – go on a small walk exploring the city and enjoy a good night’s sleep.
On Day 5, spend the day visiting Harder Kulm and the nearby villages of Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. Alternatively, if you are a DDLJ fan and want to see places where the film was shot – you can visit Gstaad and Saanen. Return to Interlaken or take the train to Zurich on the same evening, if you have an early morning flight to catch to India.
Switzerland 7 Day Itinerary
7 days will give you ample time to get a great taste of what Switzerland has to offer. You can explore the villages, do some shopping, and also go beyond Lucerne and Interlaken.
- Day 1- Land in Switzerland, Explore Zurich city.
- Day 2 – Take a train, visit Rhine Falls. Take a train to Lucerne (2 hours). Take a boat trip in Lucerne city.
- Day 3 – Visit Mount Titlis. Better to check the weather. This area is extremely popular with Indian tourists. Stay in Lucerne.
- Day 4 – Interlaken. Boat ride. Yash Chopra statue.
- Day 5 – Jungfrau (top of Europe). 2 hours. Lauterbrunnen village. Iseltwald.
- Day 6 – Visit Saanen and Gstaad if you are a DDLJ fan. If you are a confident driver, you could also rent a car and explore these two towns. You can do some shopping.
- Day 7 – Return to Zurich, explore the city, and return back to India.
On the first day of your trip to Switzerland, explore the city of Zurich. There is a lot of things you can do here – read about the interesting places to visit in Zurich under the ‘3 day itinerary’ (scroll up).
On your second day, take the early morning train to Rhine Falls. It is the largest waterfall in Europe and it is beautiful (especially during the summer months of July to August, when the flow rate is at its highest). After enjoying the Rhine waterfall, take a train to Lucerne – which should take around 2 hours.
In the evening, you can explore the Lucerne city or take a boat trip across the Lucerne lake.
On Day 3, visit Mount Titlis. Make sure you check the weather. As mentioned above, this is an extremely popular place with Indian tourists, especially DDLJ fans. In the evening, you can either explore the Old Town of Lucerne or enjoy a nice meal in one of the restaurants.
Do note, a restaurant meal is extremely expensive in Switzerland. A meal for two, could cost you upwards of ₹ 5000. If you are on a budget, we recommend you book a room with a kitchen and cook your own meals.
The next day, wake up early and take a train to Interlaken. You could spend time exploring the touristy city, do some shopping. You can also take a boat ride, check out the statue in honour of Yash Chopra. Just do a Google search for ‘things to do nearby’ and do whatever interests you the most.
On Day 5, you will be visiting Jungfrau – the topmost peak in Europe. It is a beautiful place, with quite a lot of activities to do. In the evening, you can visit the small – but stunningly beautiful village of Lauterbrunnen. Grindelwald and Iseltwald are beautiful places to visit too.
Alternatively, if you love adventure, Interlaken has several options. You could do Paragliding, Sky Diving, Jet boating, Kayaking or even Bungy Jumping.
Day 6 is DDLJ day. You should visit Saanen and Gstaad – two of the other places which are famous with Indian tourists. Alternatively, you can hire a car in Interlaken and explore the nearby places – including Saanen and Gstaad.
Day 7 is the last day of your trip in Switzerland. Head back to Zurich and take the flight back to India. If your flight is on the next day, there are a lot of things you can do in Zurich (already mentioned above). You could also do some shopping, buy some chocolates, some top-quality Swiss knifes – before you carry all that you bought, along with all those beautiful Swiss memories – back to India.
Important points to remember:
- The currency in Switzerland is Swiss Francs (CHF) and not Euros. We recommend you carry Swiss Francs from India instead of carrying Euros.
- Always bring winter jackets to Switzerland. You will find snow during your mountain excursions, and it will be cold!
- Comfortable waterproof shoes.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments section below. We will try and answer all questions!