Visas & entry
Switzerland is in the Schengen Area. EU/EFTA citizens can generally enter visa-free with a valid travel document; many visitors from the US, Canada, UK, Australia and similar visa-exempt countries may stay up to 90 days in any 180-day Schengen period. Rules, passport-validity requirements and ETIAS timing can change, so verify before travel.
Getting in
- Geneva Airport: The most practical international gateway for Martigny, Verbier, Sion and western Valais. It is well connected by Swiss rail; Geneva–Martigny is roughly 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours, and Verbier is reached via Le Châble.
- Zurich Airport: Best for rail-based arrivals heading toward Brig, Aletsch, Goms, Zermatt or eastern Valais. Expect a longer cross-country train journey, but connections are frequent and reliable.
- Milan Malpensa Airport: Useful for some travelers combining northern Italy with Brig, Simplon or Upper Valais, though onward rail routing is less straightforward than from Swiss airports and should be checked carefully.
- Brig railway station: The key eastern-Valais rail hub for Aletsch, Goms, Simplon, Zermatt connections via Visp, and onward routes toward the Furka region.
- Martigny railway station: The key western-Valais hub for the Saint-Bernard corridor, Le Châble/Verbier, Champex-Lac and Great St Bernard country.
Getting around
Use trains on the Rhône valley axis and treat a car as optional rather than essential. Sion, Martigny, Visp and Brig make strong bases because rail is fast between them; Zermatt is car-free and reached by mountain railway, Saas-Fee requires a bus from Visp or Brig, and Aletsch villages require cable cars from valley stations. A car helps in Hérens, Anniviers and remote trailheads, but becomes a liability in car-free resorts and expensive flagship destinations; always check seasonal pass and road conditions.
Money
Switzerland uses Swiss francs (CHF). Cards are widely accepted, including contactless payments, but carry a small amount of cash for mountain huts, village purchases and contingencies. Service is included; rounding up or leaving roughly 5–10% for notably good table service is customary but not mandatory.
Daily budget · CHF
- Value
- CHF 170–270
- Mid-range
- CHF 330–550
- High-end
- CHF 700–1,300+
- Ranges exclude international flights and assume two people sharing a room; solo travelers should expect a substantial lodging premium.
- Zermatt and Verbier beds, ski passes, mountain railways/cable cars, guides and restaurant wine are the major budget breakers.
- A single flagship mountain outing can cost as much as a value-hotel night: Zermatt’s Peak2Peak sightseeing ticket starts around CHF 165.
- Swiss Travel Passes cover core rail travel and often discount mountain excursions, but do not make high mountain lifts free.
- Sleep in Le Châble, Bruson, valley towns or smaller side-valley villages rather than central Zermatt or Verbier when value matters.
Eating well
- Book dinner in Zermatt, Verbier and resort villages during ski peak weeks, July–August and festival periods; casual-looking places can be full.
- For serious wine tasting, arrange cellar visits rather than assuming walk-ins, especially with small producers.
- Use lunch for bakery food, cheese, charcuterie and picnic supplies; save restaurant spending for one deliberate local-wine dinner.
- Open-cellar events are not a driving itinerary unless one person is abstaining; use public transport or a taxi.
- Mountain restaurants may keep narrower hours than valley-town restaurants, especially between seasons.
Book before you land
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise/Peak2Peak excursions in Zermatt during peak summer and ski-holiday periods, especially if you need a specific departure time · Gornergrat railway seats or packages at peak times if you want a particular departure rather than flexible travel · Verbier Mont-Fort Zipline, which operates on a limited seasonal schedule and is not guaranteed without a booking · Popular mountain huts and high-season mountain hotels for overnight hiking routes
- Check lift, mountain-railway, trail and pass status immediately before committing to an itinerary; shoulder-season closures are routine, not exceptional.
- Build a weather-flex day into Zermatt, Aletsch, Saas-Fee or Verbier stays. Do not spend your only clear day in a valley museum if a major summit view is the priority.
- The main valley is French-speaking in the west and centre; German becomes more useful east of Brig, though English is common in major resorts.
- For Aletsch, confirm which cable car serves your hotel and the last lift down before arrival; Riederalp, Bettmeralp and Fiescheralp are not one walkable village.
- At altitude, sun exposure is intense even in cool weather: carry water, layers, sun protection and rain gear, and start high walks early to avoid afternoon storms.
- Swiss punctuality does not remove the need to check final bus and cable-car connections; side-valley services can be infrequent, particularly outside peak season.
Entry rules change — verify visa requirements for your passport before booking this region.