Best time to visit Switzerland from India

Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries to travel in the world. So, before planning a trip it is important to know the best and worst times to visit the beautiful country.

This article will give you all the answers you need.

Let us get directly to the point:

Best Time to Visit Switzerland from India: May to September. December to experience Christmas.
Worst time to visit Switzerland from India: Early April and November.
Cheapest time to visit Switzerland from India: October, November.
Most expensive time to visit Switzerland: June, July, August, December (Christmas).
Most comfortable weather in Switzerland for Indians: June to September.
Best time to visit Switzerland for snow: January and February (fresh snow).
Best time to visit Switzerland for hiking: Summer months; June to August.
Low tourist season in Switzerland: Early April, Mid-September to November.
Best time to swim in Switzerland lakes: July, August, Early September.

Seasons in Switzerland:

Spring: March, April, May.
Summer: June, July, August.
Autumn: September, October, November.
Winter: December, January, February.

Detailed Month-by-Month weather and other details for visiting Switzerland for Indians:

Switzerland in January

The first month of the year is cold in Switzerland. But if you like fresh snow and are visiting for snow-related activities like Skiing, January is a great month to visit. You will find fewer tourists Mid-January onwards as the Christmas / New Year crowd begins to leave.

Hotel prices will drop, you can get some good delas at Ski resorts. Do pack warm clothes, you will have to dress in layers even when you live in lower-altitude regions.

Weather: Very cold.
Snow: Yes, fresh snow, even in cities.
Price: Cheap.

Switzerland in February

This month is very similar to January. Except there are some school holidays (Winter school holidays in Switzerland start from 13th February and go on till 26^th February in 2023). You might want to avoid those dates, as prices at resorts could rise and travelling during this period, generally means more crowds and higher prices.

Make sure you pack your winter clothes; it will be very cold in Switzerland in February. Apart from that, expect fresh snow. And it is a great month for snow-related activities.

Weather: Very cold.
Snow: Yes, fresh snow, even in cities.
Price: Cheap, except school holiday period.

Switzerland in March

With temperatures beginning to rise, March marks the end of the winter season and beginning of Spring. Many of the popular ski-resorts will start to shut towards the end of the month. If you are visiting in March, make sure you pick resorts which are higher in altitude. Weather will remain cold; we recommend you pack heavy winter clothing if you are planning a Switzerland trip in March.

Weather: Cold.
Snow: Until Mid-March.
Price: Cheap.

Switzerland in April

The weather is very unpredictable in April, which makes this month (especially the first half April) a bit of a gamble weather-wise. It can be bright and sunny or cold and rainy. April is off-season for tourism in Switzerland – even though it a popular month for Indian tourists because of school-holidays in some parts of India.

Winter clothes may be less necessary in cities like Zurich. However, if you plan on visiting Mount Titlis and the Jungfrau region, do pack winter clothes along with shoes that let you comfortable walk on snow.

Weather: Warm during day, cold at night.
Snow: No, go to the mountains for snow.
Price: Moderate. Crowds begin to arrive. Some closures this month.

Switzerland in May

It is a great month to visit Switzerland. The weather is warm, you no longer need winter clothes in the cities. It is still required when you visit the Swiss Alps. You will see a lot of flowers all around. Waterfalls will have high water-flow, making the village of Lauterbrunnen a must-visit during this time (it has 72 waterfalls!).

May is the beginning of the tourist season, but you could still find some good hotel deals if you are planning a trip in the first half of May.

Weather: Warm during day, cold at night.
Snow: No. Mountains will have snow.
Price: Expensive.
Swimming: No, the water is still cold.

Switzerland in June

We are now in the summer season in Switzerland. The weather is warm, you can begin wearing t-shirts in cities which lie in lower altitudes. The high-tourist season is official underway, which means hotels are more expensive. Great time to go for a hike, starts to get comfortable time to go for a swim.

If you are planning a trip in June, make hotel reservations in advance. You will still find plenty of Indians in Switzerland in June. This is a popular month because of school holidays, along with June having more-suitable weather temperatures for Indians.

Weather: Can get hot during the day, moderate at night.
Snow: No. Mountains will have snow.
Price: Expensive.
Swimming: Yes.

Switzerland in July

Another great month to visit Switzerland would be July. The weather can get borderline hot, with temperatures crossing 25 degree Celsius. Since July marks peak tourist season in Switzerland, hotel prices will also soar. You will no longer find great deals or discounts at some of the popular hotels in the country. Restaurant reservations will also have to be made in advance.

If you are planning to visit Switzerland in July, make sure you plan your budget carefully and book your hotels in advance. Also reserve tickets for ‘scenic trains’ like Glacier express in advance, as they do fill up quickly in the months of July and August.

Weather: Can get hot during the day, moderate at night.
Snow: No. Mountains will have snow.
Price: Expensive. Crowded.
Swimming: Yes.

Switzerland in August

Is very similar to July in terms of weather, the crowds, and the prices. You will find a lot of tourists around (fewer Indians, more foreigners, and local tourists). Hotel or Airbnb reservations will continue to cost you more as compared to shoulder season (April, May or September, October).

There will be a lot of events in Switzerland in July and August – as Swiss people love their summer. Going for a swim is great fun at this time of the year. There are plenty of designated areas to swim at almost all the major lakes in Switzerland (like Lake Zurich, Interlaken, Lucerne etc.)

Weather: Can get hot during the day, moderate at night.
Snow: No. Mountains will have snow.
Price: Expensive. Crowded.
Swimming: Great time to swim in those gorgeous lakes.

Switzerland in September

Is another good month to visit, it is still summer even though temperatures to begin to drop towards the end of the month. There will be fewer tourists, hotel prices will begin to dip. You no longer have to make those reservations in advance. Going for a swim is still great.

Weather: Moderate days, cold at night.
Snow: No. Mountains will have snow.
Price: Less expensive. Not so crowded.
Swimming: Yes. For most of the month.

Switzerland in October

It begins to get colder across Switzerland in October. Schools in India will have their mid-term vacations this month, there will be more holidays for Navratri. If you are planning a trip in the first half of October, it could still be a great time to visit. Prices will be cheaper, there will be fewer tourists.

Weather: Cold.
Snow: No. Mountains will have snow.
Price: Cheap. Not so crowded.
Swimming: No.

Switzerland in November

November: It isn’t a great month to visit Switzerland, as days begin to get shorter and colder. Many popular attractions like cable cars, scenic trains close down during this time of the year. And while some Ski-related activities might begin to open up, November is too early to enjoy the winter snow.

On the more positive side of things, Christmas markets will begin opening up in the last week of November. So, if you want to get the Christmas-vibe without paying a large premium to hotels, you could plan a trip between November 25 to December 10^th – after which hotel prices begin to rise quite significantly.

Weather: Very Cold.
Snow: No. Mountains will have snow.
Price: Cheap. Low number of tourists.

Switzerland in December

December: The Christmas month. A very expensive month, but great time to visit Switzerland. Expect to pay double, sometimes more than double for your hotel rooms. That is the premium you pay to visit Switzerland during Christmas. Cities will be decorated, there will be large Christmas markets (November 25^th onwards) and there will be Christmas-special activities. If you are lucky, you could get to see some snow towards the end of December.

You might also bump into an Indian celebrity somewhere in Switzerland. Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor make it a point to visit Gstaad every year during Christmas. Yes, Gstaad is the place where parts of Shah Rukh Khan’s DDLJ was shot. If you have the money to splurge, and want to experience a fairy-tale Christmas, Mid-December onwards can be a fantastic time to visit Switzerland.

Weather: Very Cold.
Snow: No. Mountains will have snow.
Price: Expensive early December, very expensive during Christmas. Crowded December 15 onwards.

Switzerland Weather averages

These weather averages are for cities where you would be staying; like Zurich, Interlaken, Lucerne, Bern etc. The weather higher up the mountains will be extremely cold throughout the year.

You will need winter clothes (layered clothing, jackets, gloves, shoes) throughout the year when visiting places like Mount Titlis or Jungfraujoch.

Month	High	Low
January	4 °C	-2 °C
February	6 °C	-1 °C
March	11 °C	2 °C
April	15 °C	5 °C
May	19 °C	9 °C
June	24 °C	12 °C
July	26 °C	15 °C
August	25 °C	15 °C
September	20 °C	11 °C
October	15 °C	7 °C
November	9 °C	3 °C
December	5 °C	-1 °C

If you have any questions related to weather in Switzerland, or if you have specific questions that are not answered in the article above, post your questions below.