Switzerland has the densest rail network in the world and the highest rail use per head. That is not a statistic for specialists but practical news: you do not need a car here, and the train is almost always faster and more pleasant.
The train
SBB and a dozen private railways run to a clock-face timetable — usually half-hourly, hourly in side valleys, with connections coordinated. Punctuality is real: over 90 per cent of trains arrive within three minutes of schedule.
- Zurich–Geneva: 2 h 45. Basel–Lugano: 3 h 30. Zurich–Bern: 56 minutes
- Single Zurich–Lucerne around 27 francs, Zurich–Zermatt around 80
- Saver tickets are sold online up to 60 days ahead, often at half price. They are valid only for the booked train
- Reservations are unnecessary domestically, except on the panoramic trains
Which pass for what
- Swiss Travel Pass: all trains, postbuses, boats and city transport, free entry to around 500 museums, 50 per cent off most mountain railways. Pays from four travel days; three consecutive days costs about 244 francs
- Half Fare Card: a year at half price on almost everything, around 170 francs. Worth it from about two weeks, or for several trips
- Regional passes (Bernese Oberland, Ticino, Grisons) are cheaper if you stay in one region
- Not worth a pass if you are spending three days in a single city
Postbus and boat
The yellow postbus carries on where the rails end — over passes, into side valleys, up to mountain villages. It has right of way on alpine roads, and its three-tone horn is protected by law. The scheduled boats on Lakes Lucerne, Geneva, Thun and Lugano are part of the timetable, not an excursion product; five historic paddle steamers run scheduled services on Lake Lucerne.
Mountain railways, the expensive part
- Jungfraujoch from Interlaken around 240 francs return — the country's most expensive ride
- Gornergrat from Zermatt around 130, Schilthorn around 108, Pilatus around 78
- Most are half price with the Travel Pass; a few lines are fully included
- Check the summit webcams before paying. In fog you pay 240 francs for a grey wall
- In April, May and November many railways stand idle for maintenance
Panoramic trains
Glacier Express Zermatt–St Moritz, eight and a half hours, reservation compulsory. Bernina Express Chur–Tirano over the World Heritage line. GoldenPass Lucerne–Interlaken–Montreux. All use regular lines that you can also ride with ordinary trains and no reservation surcharge — just without panoramic windows.
Car, bike, city
- The motorway vignette is compulsory: 40 francs for the calendar year, and enforcement is strict
- Car hire 80 to 140 francs a day; sensible only for remote valleys
- Some places are car-free — Zermatt, Mürren, Wengen, Saas-Fee, Braunwald; you park in the valley and take the train up
- Car-carrying trains through the Lötschberg and Furka for summer and winter routes
- Cities have trams, buses and bike share; PubliBike and Nextbike are widespread
Cost summary
- Swiss Travel Pass, 3 days: around 244 francs; 8 days: around 419
- Single ticket for a two-hour journey: 25 to 45 francs
- Mountain railway return: 50 to 240 francs
- City day ticket: 8 to 10 francs, often included in the hotel rate — ask for the guest card