We all know that Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in the world. Therefore living and traveling must be expensive too, right? Usually, it is, but with a few tips you can travel and spend your vacation in Switzerland even with a smaller budget
1. Don’t go to restaurants every day
I think visiting restaurants in Switzerland is one of the most expensive things. A small meal can easily cost you more than you think. For a regular meal, you are paying easily 30 swiss francs. And with that, you did not eat fancy meals.
If you are on a budget in Switzerland it is a good reason to not go to visit restaurants all day. Cooking by yourself can save you a lot of money.
This does not mean that you should not visit restaurants at all, but you should reduce the number of restaurant visits to save money for other activities.
2. Don’t visit the most touristic spots
I understand that most people see amazing places in Switzerland on social media and you wish they can visit these places. But as soon as a place goes viral on the internet you can be sure you are paying a high price to visit the place. And in the end, most of the popular Spots or places are overcrowded and not as beautiful as it looks. Therefore a better option is to visit places that are not as popular as others in the same region. You will have almost the same panoramic as in the popular places and sometimes even better. And on top of that, you also save a lot of money. All the famous places are extremely expensive and when I say that as a swiss foreigner, it means really really expensive.
Research before you go to a place and you will be able to find for almost every place an alternative with the same characteristics and even a smaller budget.
3. Avoid Hotels bookings
We all know that the most expensive thing while traveling is accommodation. Hotels are the most expensive way to travel around the world. But there are other ways to sleep in a place for way less money than you think. Especially in Switzerland one of the safest countries in the world you don’t have to worry that much if you don’t stay in big Hotels.
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Hostels
Hostels are a great way for your accommodation if you don’t mind sleeping in a dorm. It is a lot cheaper than a hotel and meanwhile, a lot of hostels are also offering single rooms or double rooms. So even if you don’t like to sleep in dorms it can be a cheaper alternative to Hotels where you pay up to 100 dollars for a night.
Another positive thing about hostel accommodations is, that you will have the possibility to connect with other travelers all around the world. With a bit of luck, you’ll find someone for a day trip up to a great friendship over time.
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Airbnb
Meanwhile, the majority knows what Airbnb is. For those who don’t know what Airbnb is, you should check it out on your next vacation. On Airbnb, private People can rent you their apartment or a room. On Airbnb, you can find a lot of accommodation at every place. It is a great alternative to Hotels. Airbnb is most of the time cheaper because it is hosted by private people. And it is great, especially for a bigger group. You can find a complete apartment, single rooms, and even huge houses if you are traveling with a lot of people. Just keep in mind that not every Airbnb is the same and that the cleanness can be different for every Provider.
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Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing is the cheapest way for your accommodation. A lot of the time it is completely free. But you have to keep in mind that it is what it is called, you sleep on other people’s couches. And the service can be different from every Couchsurfing provider to another. Maybe you get a bed, maybe a room or only a couch. Couchsurfing is the best way if you want to dive deeper into the culture of your destination. You can see how they are living and you can get a lot of insights and tips from local people.
4. Transportation
It is stupid how expensive it is to travel around Switzerland. It doesn’t matter if you rent a car or if you travel around by public transportation. Transportation will be one of your highest expenses while traveling to Switzerland. Regarding the destinations you want to visit it can be different in what kind of transportation is better. In general, I would recommend traveling around by public transportation. Even if it is expensive it is the fastest way to travel around and the connections are insanely good compared to other countries and you don’t have to buy gas as you need to do with a car.
There are a lot of special offers for public transportation during the year and especially for Travellers, there are sometimes special offers to travel around Switzerland with a single ticket.
If you are looking for uber then I have to tell you that this is only a thing in bigger cities such as Zurich or Bern, but outside you will rarely find an Uber. And please make sure to avoid taxis. Taxis are the most expensive way to get around. So please do me a favor and avoid taking taxis in Switzerland. The prices are just ridiculous.
5. Free activities
At almost every place you can find a lot of activities for free. In Switzerland, you can also find some things to do for no money.
Hiking:
Yes there is potentially the transportation you have to pay for if you want to go to the mountains. But have you ever thought about hiking or walking at the place you stay? In Switzerland, you can find beautiful places around almost every corner. So before you travel through, the country check out what’s around the corner.
Take a free bike ride:
In some cities in Switzerland, it is possible to borrow a bike to discover the city for free. You have to leave a deposit and you are ready to go. This service is called Schweizrollt (It is maybe called different in the cities. In Zurich it is for example “Züri rollt”) and it is a great way to explore a city in a much cheaper way than you would usually do. And on top of that, you can cancel the workout for that day or surprise yourself with sweets in the evening.
Go for a free tour at the Swiss Parliament Building:
You can get a guided tour through the Swiss Parliament Building for free. If you are interested in how politics work in Switzerland this is a must-visit for you.
Visit Europe’s largest Waterfall:
Have you ever seen a waterfall before? Somehow Waterfalls brings something magical with it. And at the Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen the largest Waterfall in Europe you will not be able to stop marveling. It is free if you enter from the northern side. From the south side, it cost you 5 Swiss Francs (The fee includes all viewing platforms)
With all the information above you should be able to save a lot of money. Switzerland will still be a country in a very high price range compared to others. But if you care about how you spend your money and where you can save a little bit here and there it should be easy to travel to Switzerland on a lower budget than you might think.
Let me know if you already have been to Switzerland and what surprised you the most about my home country.