SWITZERLAND ON A BUDGET: Top tips to travel to Switzerland on a budget in 2024!

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Traveling to Switzerland in 2024? In this video, we will show you how to travel to Switzerland on a budget! Switzerland is one of the most expensive places in the world, but we’re going to give you our top budget travel tips when traveling to Switzerland - so you can still enjoy all of beauty this country has to offer, without breaking the bank! We'll cover budget tips for transportation, accommodations, food, activities, and money!
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xx Lex & Louis

[@TheTravelingSwiss]

If you need more personalized help, from a detailed itinerary to a 1:1 call - head to our website to learn more: www.thetravelingswiss.com

[@milespalero]

🙋🏻‍♀️

[@milespalero]

I am planning a trip with my husband end of Sept. Looking forward to book a consultation with you!🤗

[@aaadddd4602]

Please can you let me know everyone saying buy a travel day pass but that expensive as well

[@user-sj8zb9er2k]

My top tip for food in towns and cities is that supermarkets like Migros and Coop often have restaurants and cafes, which have good food at reasonable prices. We're always on a budget and its always a good option if a picnic doesn't work for you on a day.

[@MarthaReynolds]

Yes!!!

[@BernhardSchwarz-xs8kp]

This posting is really packed with lots of useful information for both - tourists as well as ex-pats. For Americans who need to establish a banking relationship in Switzerland - Raiffeisen is most certainly the way to go. Food - throughout Europe - look for either ALDI - OR LIDL. Best quality/price - below Migros /Co-Op. Swiss Hotellerie is world-known - if you can afford it. If you combine the extremely high Hotel and Restaurant prices - AIRBNB is the solution. Cheaper Hotels outside the main centers are clean - but considerably below the standard that an Americana would expect Clean they are - don't be surprised - the rooms are smaller than you would expect and you might not like the idea that the "toilet" is somewhere on the floor.

[@georgekenna9351]

Great tips thanks!

[@JamieAdStories]

This is so helpful. Thanks.

[@Lopezs50]

Visiting in August of 2024 and you guys have helped so much! Thank you

[@annarosemelcruz6926]

Thank you very much for your vlogs! May I know if you have been to Chateau d'Oex for the Hot Air Balloon Festival? Do you recommend it?😄🥰

[@dbiswas123]

Greetings from sunny California. It's a good video. We (three adults: 61, 55, and 28 years old) are planning to visit Switzerland on May 24 (a few weeks from now!), and we'll definitely consult you!

[@BernhardSchwarz-xs8kp]

Beware - weekends in Switzerland are "time out" for the local workers. And that includes most Retail, Restaurants, and Gasoline Stations. Railway Stations and the Airport become the main centers where you can get what you need.

[@myselfsalma]

Lovely video guys. Very helpful I am traveling to Switzerland with my husband and 2 year old next week. We are thinking to take Glacier express What else you suggest for 4 nights.

[@md11b777]

Well done friends, Rob from Lenk

[@barbarawissinger]

We live outside Munich and wanted to visit Liechtenstein last Easter. After seeing the prices around Vaduz/St. Gallen, we decided to stay in Feldkirch & take the bus, which left us enough spending money for the day out.

[@jem1848]

Hi there thanks for this helpful video. Could I ask for your advise I am travelling in Switzerland in March for 5 days and will be in flying in to Geneva but flying out in Basel. First is going to Interlaken(Grindelwald & Lauterbrunnen) then to Zermatt and Luzern and the activities I want to do is Grindelwald First, Gornegrat and Mt. Titlis. Do you think I can save with STP or there's other way to save money. I appreciate your help in advance. Thank you.

[@leighbarborek6223]

Can you get the guest pass if you’re staying an an Airbnb? Or do you have to be staying at a hotel? Thank you!

[@3082frank]

Hi Louis and Alexis, love your channel. My common law and I plan to visit Switzerland for the first time. We plan to stay 4 nights only as we are doing a small eurotrip. Landing in Zurich, can you please suggest where we can visit for those 4 days. Thank you 😊

[@indranathtripathi7998]

Is there any day pass as I will on business trip and have only one day.

[@jonnyjonjon758]

THANK YOU THANK YOU! Just got your email about which train pass I should choose as I saw this video pop up. So helpful! I think this saved me hours of researching (and hours of watching more KZbin videos ^^)

[@TheTravelingSwiss]

Glad that our free train pass selector was helpful !

[@alessazia]

Is there a video on this??

[@katyhartTV]

Great tips! I’ve been binging your videos in preparation for a June/July trip this year! How early in advance do you recommend booking hotels?

[@thoughtsofafan]

I don’t have the answer for this but just be aware the Taylor swift concert in Zurich is in July and hotels are crazy expensive around those dates

[@its_you_against_you]

We are not super big into museums- more adventurous activities like para gliding and mountain cars. Do you think an 8k USD budget is realistic for a 10 day trip in March for a family of 4, not including air fare there?

[@tramnguyenpham9978]

do you get a guest card if you're staying at an airbnb?

[@lauraezell7723]

Regarding the water fountains: For the first time in 12 trips I encountered some fountains in a few off the beaten path towns (for example, Delemont & Spiez) where the fountains were not for drinking water. There were small signs on the fountain, but I missed the sign the first time as I was used to drinking up that delicious fountain water so be aware.

[@zaram131]

Now I’m trying to remember if I drank water from the fountain in Spiez 😂

[@lauraezell7723]

@@gr_br true, but on the sign there's a picture of a fountain or a glass of water with a great big X over it. That translates if you see it (I didn't 😆)

[@lauraezell7723]

@@zaram131 🤣🤣🤣

[@timmccabe4654]

Thank you for the tips! Can you tell us whether the Swiss post office still exchanges cash? I realize bringing an ATM card may be safer, but often the exchange rate and service fee can be high. Bringing some US cash and exchanging it can be a lot cheaper at post offices in some countries - for example Italy. Also, regarding cell phones, Verizon and AT&T now offer a flat monthly international roaming rate of $100. Maybe not as cheap as getting the Sim card in Europe but not too bad. Actually, I think Verizon may be as low as $81 a month now.

[@orphapeachey651]

I go to Reiffeisen Bank in Switzerland to exchange my US $ for Swiss Francs.

[@SD._]

​@@orphapeachey651. Do they have commission for exchanging the cash?

[@karinatrejogtz219]

Hi guys! Thanks for all the info. Do you know if there’s free walking tours in the most popular cities in Switzerland? Maybe there’s another way to know more about the country and also to save money in activities. Thank you!

[@markusf58]

I‘m a retired but pretty active Swiss citizen and I could show you Lucerne or Basel, if I’m around on the dates you‘re here (free of charge, of course)… I‘m always interested in people who visit our country!

[@amyhamilton5]

Where can I find the free hotel guide? I didn’t see a link in the video description that you mentioned… Thanks!

[@TheTravelingSwiss]

you're right! Link is here: www.thatch.co/guide/e355poo0cx26/edit adding it to description now. Thank you for calling it out!

[@jeffjackson4150]

Great tips! When purchasing the STP do you recommend buying before arriving in Switzerland or just buying at airport? Does it make a difference either way?

[@TheTravelingSwiss]

I recommend purchasing in advance so you can just get it done, loaded onto your phone, SBB app, etc. and make sure there are no issues. We already recommend purchasing via Get Your Guide since they have a very generous cancellation policy: www.getyourguide.com/central-switzerland-l82/swiss-travel-pass-swiss-all-in-one-pass-on-train-bus-boat-t383502/

[@halimabibi3886]

Hi there! What are the gluten free options like in supermarkets/restaurants? Thank you.

[@TheTravelingSwiss]

I see plenty of options in supermarkets, in restaurants, For traditional Swiss food (fondue, etc) they will usually substitute bread with potatoes. And honestly fondue with potatoes is just as good if not better :)

[@persephie6107]

I only eat enough to survive so thankfully I don’t have to worry about food then. A glass of milk for a whole day does the trick too

[@meenaji4287]

Very informative video. 🙏🏼 just wanted to check that we will be arriving Switzerland in April & on Sunday 😅 I have heard that everything is closed on weekends. Can u pls suggest any grocery store which will be open on weekends in Switzerland where we can get some food on weekends 😊. Thanks

[@matheusrodrigues2431]

Hey, I'm going to Switzerland in April as well! I don't believe the main chain grocery stores will be closed in weekends (like Migros and Coop), but will probably have a bit more restricted operation times.

[@orphapeachey651]

This depends on your Sunday location. Only in big cities do you find Migros or Coop open on Sundays. You will find some restaurants open in bigger cities, as well but in the villages everything is closed.

[@meenaji4287]

@@orphapeachey651 thanks a lot for the information. Actually we will be arriving late afternoon at Zurich first. So hopefully some grocery store will not be shut 😁 siteseeing to villages we are going on weekdays .

[@jodithecheeselady]

For the birthday perks does it have to be your actual birthday or do they give a window of days at all. We fly on my birthday, land in Frankfurt, so won’t be in Switzerland till a couple days later.

[@TheTravelingSwiss]

I believe it will have to be your actual birthday for most of these, haven’t encountered any with a window

[@janetrai185]

Hi, how's the weather now this month April? Should we carry heavy jackets ?

[@arzoo468]

You will need jacket wen u go up the mountain peaks...in the plains u will need light warm wear..umbrella or rainjacket is also a must

[@kevinschilt133]

The Schilthorn on my birthday! Please Look at my last name. If I go to Switzerland, I would go to do genealogy research in the Interlaken area.

[@janellegrubbs4053]

Where and who to you ask for guest card

[@TheTravelingSwiss]

Your accommodation will provide it to you - i.e. front desk of a hotel will give it to you when you check in

[@emmalaine3585]

Im wanting to visit Switzerland soon and I want to use a Swiss travel pass for 15 days. Do you still have to book your tickets when you ride the train or do you just board the train and take a seat and show your Swiss Pass when they come around?

[@BernhardSchwarz-xs8kp]

Careful - make sure you understand the system before you board trains or trams. There are machines in which you can "devalidate tickets". Which ones I don't know but do not run the risk. The finds are material. Every Train Station has "information services".

[@TravelLikeWeDo]

Oh no I wish i knew this as the first time i visited Switzerland on my birthday

[@petersabol2979]

Nice video, but there is no such thing as Switzerland on a budget. Your tips are precious, but if you are traveling to Switzerland, it is going to expensive no matter what. I therefore think this video is meant just to save you some money, not to suggest it is going to be even remotely comparable in terms of costs to most other European countries.

[@mikeb875]

Asia Kate Dillon FROM Billions in New role ? no offence

[@travellerswithoutborders6436]

In india 🇮🇳 restaurant serves free water 💧but in Europe we've to pay for it 😂😂

[@arzoo468]

In the German part..not in the French part

[@BernhardSchwarz-xs8kp]

I am surprised to hear that you can ask for "tap water" in a Restaurant in Switzerland. Good luck with that ....... I was politely reminded 3 months in Zuerich that "tab water" is not available. (in various places)

[@BernhardSchwarz-xs8kp]

Hardly worth traveling to India for free water.