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Two weeks in Switzerland

  • April 13, 2026
  • 9 replies
  • 50 views
E

Hey everyone,

I’m Elizabeth (19) and I am going to Switzerland for two weeks. And I would really appreciate some help. Maybe some general tips, fun places I must see, travel tips or ways to use my interrail/discoverEU pass as best as possible. I’m also trying to keep it a little budget friendly and see a lot of nature. These are the places I’m visiting: Geneva, Montreux, Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Flims (Caumasee), Schaffhausen, Neuchâtel and area, and some stops in between. So if you’re Swiss or you have been there often or are planning to go. Any advise or tips are welcome. Thank you!

-Elizabeth

9 replies

D
Full steam ahead
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  • Dagi
  • Full steam ahead
  • April 14, 2026

Not sure if Switzerland and budget friendly go together too well. 
If you want to go up some mountain, be on the lookout for places, where you get a guest card, that gives you free access for cable cars etc. For example lots of places in Graubünden do. There might be a post here that collected this info. 
If you stay in a younth hostel or campsite, the value of the cable car ride could easily exceed the price of your accommodation.
If you want to take a boat ride, look for the ones that are included in your pass, for example on lake Brienz or lake Lucerne. 

D
Full steam ahead
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  • Danhiel
  • Full steam ahead
  • April 14, 2026

​@ElizabethS 

I would choose only two accommodations, one in the eastern part of Switzerland and one in the western part. You can easily make day excursions and reach almost all destinations.

You can travel to Mürren from Lauterbrunnen via Grütschalp with your pass, a good alternative to the Jungfraujoch, which is prohibitively expensive.

You can find an area of validity map here:

https://www.interrail.eu/content/dam/_new-structure/doc/res/sbb_validity_map_2026.pdf

The information I provide may contain errors and are not official responses from Eurail/Interrail.
    M
    Railly clever
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    • Marvin Heer
    • Railly clever
    • April 14, 2026

    If you want to take a boat ride, look for the ones that are included in your pass, for example on lake Brienz or lake Lucerne. 

    Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstätter See) only offers a 50% Discount and is not included. But lake Brienz and lake Thun are fully included. 

    ​@ElizabethS Also you can get a Discount on the Swiss youth hostels with your interrail Pass. 

    I speak german 🇩🇪, english 🇬🇧, and i understand a bit of french
    E
    • ElizabethS
    • Author
    • Right on track
    • April 14, 2026

    Not sure if Switzerland and budget friendly go together too well. 
    If you want to go up some mountain, be on the lookout for places, where you get a guest card, that gives you free access for cable cars etc. For example lots of places in Graubünden do. There might be a post here that collected this info. 
    If you stay in a younth hostel or campsite, the value of the cable car ride could easily exceed the price of your accommodation.
    If you want to take a boat ride, look for the ones that are included in your pass, for example on lake Brienz or lake Lucerne. 

    Yeah I mostly want to hike in beautiful places and see views. The guest pass is a good tip, I will look into that. And i didn’t know that about cable cars how do I find out which ones are less expensive?

    And thank you for helping me.

    E
    • ElizabethS
    • Author
    • Right on track
    • April 14, 2026

    ​@Marvin Heer Ah okay how do I get a discount from Swiss youth hostels with the pass, I havent found that anywhere. Thank you!

    R
    Railmaster
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    • rvdborgt
    • Railmaster
    • April 14, 2026

    Ah okay how do I get a discount from Swiss youth hostels with the pass, I havent found that anywhere.

    On the Benefits portal:

    https://benefitsportal.eurail.com/?categories=a2840ccc-9b23-4c5d-a940-0e6e446d5d48

    The specific pages explain how to get the discounts.

    Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
    E
    • ElizabethS
    • Author
    • Right on track
    • April 14, 2026

    ​@rvdborgt Ah thank you so much. I will look into that!

    M
    Railly clever
    Forum|alt.badge.img+5
    • Marvin Heer
    • Railly clever
    • April 14, 2026

    I think you just enter the code RAIL if it has not changed. Also if you consider youth hostels getting a membership pays quickly for itself as the Discount is significant(7CHF per night) for the Swiss youth hostels. The nice thing about the youth hostels is the included breakfast.

    The one in Interlaken is located directly next to a train station.

     

    I speak german 🇩🇪, english 🇬🇧, and i understand a bit of french
    M
    Railly clever
    Forum|alt.badge.img+5
    • Marvin Heer
    • Railly clever
    • April 14, 2026

    Not sure if Switzerland and budget friendly go together too well. 
    If you want to go up some mountain, be on the lookout for places, where you get a guest card, that gives you free access for cable cars etc. For example lots of places in Graubünden do. There might be a post here that collected this info. 
    If you stay in a younth hostel or campsite, the value of the cable car ride could easily exceed the price of your accommodation.
    If you want to take a boat ride, look for the ones that are included in your pass, for example on lake Brienz or lake Lucerne. 

    Yeah I mostly want to hike in beautiful places and see views. The guest pass is a good tip, I will look into that. And i didn’t know that about cable cars how do I find out which ones are less expensive?

    And thank you for helping me.

    Some short hikes i did last year:

    https://community.eurail.com/routes-destinations-42/interesting-short-hikes-that-are-easy-to-reach-by-train-germany-and-switzerland-21392?tid=21392&fid=42

     

    I speak german 🇩🇪, english 🇬🇧, and i understand a bit of french
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