Here are 13 mistakes tourists continue to make in Switzerland — that you don’t have to. After years of experience living here and helping tens of thousands of people travel Switzerland with confidence, we’ve seen them all…and even done a few of them ourselves.
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Mistake #1 | Ignoring (or stressing over) the weather
When you’re on your honeymoon, you’re supposed to be madly in love and constantly making puppy dog eyes and holding hands. But on our Swiss honeymoon, Brett was obsessing over the weather every morning and every evening.
Thankfully that was before the days of smart phones with infinite wifi so we made the most of our days no matter the forecast. But the reality is that sometimes the weather just doesn’t cooperate. You might not see the Matterhorn, you might have rain on the Swiss Riviera, you might freeze your butt off at a Christmas Market.
But do yourself a favor right now by downloading the MeteoSwiss app.
Use it to see the temperatures and forecast for each destination, and don’t overlook the feature that shows how much rain or sun is expected throughout the day.
Combine that with mountain webcams, and you’re equipped to make the best plans based on the weather.
And by the way, have a backup list of rainy day plans. If you’re one of the 10k travelers who have trusted our Swiss Travel Guides, then you already have access to the rainy day options included in each of our itineraries.
Mistake #2 | Overlooking seasonality and opening times
Switzerland will welcome you with things to see and do 365 days a year. Public transport to cities, towns, and villages where people live year-round is always running, and tourist destinations are nearly always open. But don’t overlook the impact of seasonality.
Because almost all of the mountain trains and cable cars close for significant periods of time in Spring and Fall for annual maintenance. Some hiking trails are snow-covered from September to June. And closures and crowds from annual events like the Montreux Jazz Fest or holidays like Swiss National Day can impact your trip too.
Beyond that, opening times might also surprise you.
- Shops may close earlier than you think.
- Museums are often not open on Mondays.
- And restaurants are all over the map — okay, not just in that way but with their opening hours too.
The takeaway here is to spend 5 minutes double checking opening times and seasonal dates and events calendars before you trip.
And don’t simply rely on the info on Google Maps. We always recommend checking the official websites!
Mistake #3 | Sticking to the most-marketed destinations
Now this next one is where people focus the bulk of their precious vacation time…
- Jungfraujoch
- Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
- Mt. Pilatus
- Lindt Home of Chocolate
- The Lucerne Lion Monument
- Château de Chillon
If you’ve Googled “Switzerland,” then you’ve seen these spots. But just because something is on the front of a tourism brochure doesn’t mean it’s the best fit for you. Here’s your permission to branch out beyond just the most-marketed and well-known destinations.
For example, Gornergrat is pretty popular but it’s still my absolute favorite peak in the entire country. But you’ve probably never heard of Aeschbach Chocolatier, which is our favorite Swiss chocolatier on the outskirts of Lucerne.
And trust us when we say there are endless places in Switzerland that hardly anyone is talking about, but totally should be…
Mistake #4 | Forcing Switzerland to be a budget destination
Okay, this next mistake might be the most painful to watch!
If you’re traveling from outside of Europe to reach Switzerland, then you’re already spending a pretty penny to get here.
And unless you’re backpacking or staying with friends, lodging might be the tipping point for your budget.
Now that doesn’t even factor in the cost of food and public transportation, or those expensive scenic train rides and adventure activities like paragliding.
Switzerland isn’t cheap — your bank account will surely notice that. And trying to force it to be cheap usually backfires.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t stretch your budget. We have a lot of opinions and money-saving tips, and we explained many of them in our other videos. Because Switzerland can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.
Mistake #5 | Coming to Switzerland without a plan
You might be tempted to just book your flights and lodging in advance, and then wing the rest once you get here. But that’s a foolproof way to waste your time and money (or both at the same time) — 2 things that you don’t want slipping through your fingers on your vacation.
Instead, gather a list of your must-do activities before your trip. You don’t necessarily need a rigid itinerary, but assembling ideas will help you make the best plan once you’re here based on the weather, your energy levels, and how much time you have.
Speaking of time, give Switzerland more than you think. Because there’s a lot to see. You don’t need to cram more stuff into your trip, just slow down your pace and savor those can’t-miss activities.
For example, for a 10-day trip, pick 2 or 3 places to explore. With 2 weeks, maybe you can enjoy up to 4 destinations.
As someone with boots on the ground, we don’t want to see you make the mistake of doing too much in too little time. We live here and we still have to remind ourselves of this! That’s exactly why we create videos and guides — to help you decide what’s actually worth it!
Start planning your Swiss vacation with our FREE Trip-Planning Checklist!
Mistake #6 | Booking everything (or nothing) in advance
Here’s another way to make sure the weather doesn’t rain on your Swiss parade: don’t book everything in advance. Your future self will thank you.
Without a doubt, reserve your lodging ahead of time. Then just pre-book the things that you most want to prioritize, such as scenic trains like the Glacier Express, some museums such as the Lindt Home of Chocolate, or some ultra popular experiences like paragliding.
For the rest, wait until you’re here to make sure you can maximize your time. This goes for most cable cars and gondolas, restaurants, and sightseeing activities.
Mistake #7 | Only exploring 1 language region
Everyone in Switzerland speaks German…right? Not quite. We personally live in the German-speaking region, but there are actually 4 national languages and therefore 4 language regions.
We recommend visiting at least 2 of them during your trip to really enrich your experience. Not only will your ears hear different sounds, but you’ll also see different architecture, taste different foods, enjoy different tourist experiences, and feel like you’re crossing into another country — without ever leaving Switzerland!
But don’t worry, all 4 of these diverse areas serve up world-class cheese and chocolate.
And it’s helpful to know that the language is even more diverse than it appears. You’ll find different dialects of Swiss German from Zermatt to Zürich, and even between Interlaken and Brienz!
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Mistake #8 | Only staying in the middle of town
Old Town Zürich or the main street of Interlaken can be great places to stay…but they’re not your only options!
Instead, you can usually find lodging just a 5–10 minute walk or ride away that’s more affordable and more authentic. But don’t just pick a random spot on the map. Make sure your lodging is close to a train station or bus stop that has frequent connections and runs early enough or late enough based on your travel plans.
For example, try the Enge or Wollishofen neighborhoods just a 10-minute tram ride from the Zürich main station, or Wilderswil which is just a 10-minute bus ride from Interlaken.
And this tip is not just about practicality. The more local neighborhoods also have better cafes and restaurants, and you’ll get a glimpse of what real life in Switzerland is actually like.
Mistake #9 | Buying the wrong train pass (or no train pass at all)
Alright stick with us because avoiding this next mistake might save you hundreds of Swiss Francs!
For 95% of travelers to Switzerland, not buying a train pass is like throwing your money in the garbage. But it’s really important that you choose your train pass based on what you value most — cost savings, convenience, or simplicity.
There are more than 20 transportation passes that work in different areas of the country for different lengths of time. And the one that’s best for your budget might not at all be the most convenient to use. But don’t worry, we break this down in our free checklist to help you figure it out in minutes.
Mistake #10 | Driving in the mountains
Maybe you’d rather avoid the confusing world of Swiss train passes and just rent a car. That could be awesome for the right kind of traveler and trip, to more remote destinations, or maybe even groups of 4 or 5 adults.
But do not underestimate the difficulty of driving in the mountains. Mountain pass roads can be very narrow and winding, and we’ve seen too many inexperienced drivers squeezing their steering wheel with a death grip.
And don’t expect to simply drive up to Harder Kulm or Mt Rigi, or even to mountain villages like Zermatt or Wengen. Because all of those places are only accessible by public transportation. No cars allowed.
Well, no tourist cars allowed. Some of those car-free villages have a non-stop flow of e-taxis or construction trucks or farm vehicles. So when you are standing in the middle of the road to snap a photo in a car-free village, try not to get run over by a car!
Mistake #11 | Thinking Switzerland is just mountains
When you think of traveling through Switzerland, you can’t help but picture Heidi in the hills or the VonTrapps in the mountains. (Although yes, we know The Sound of Music was actually filmed in Austria!) But while 70% of the country is mountainous, there’s more to Switzerland than just the Alps!
The countryside is stunning, which you can admire from one of the many panoramic trains, such as the GoldenPass Express or Glacier Express.
And don’t overlook one of the 1500 sparkling lakes. Our favorites are Lungernsee, Oeschinensee, and Engstlensee. And we love cruising on Lake Luzern and Lake Geneva.
Then there are the cities. Lucerne is easily our favorite, with those wooden bridges and stone walls. But Bern is super pedestrian-friendly, we think Basel has the best Swiss Christmas markets, and Zürich is loaded with history.
So Switzerland isn’t just mountains. It’s lakes, cities, trains, food, and a whole lot more variety than most people expect.
Mistake #12 | Not packing appropriately
If you’re like most travelers to Switzerland, you’ll visit cities and mountains, hike some trails, and enjoy a nice dinner. And obviously you’ll need a variety of clothing for these activities. But avoid the mistake of overpacking.
No one wants to lug around giant bags, especially on trains and buses. And I know you probably don’t want to do laundry on your trip, but fewer, more functional layers are truly the way to go.
We have a FREE 4-season packing list for you, but I did want to mention one more mistake to avoid. There’s no need to pay 30 CHF at your hotel for a small load of laundry. Invest in some foam laundry detergent sheets and either handwash in the sink or toss them in at a laundromat.
And if you need to bring more luggage but don’t want to haul it around, SBB — the national rail company of Switzerland — has various luggage shipment options available.
Mistake #13 | Riding Swiss transportation like a newbie
This next one might seem super obvious, but almost every traveler makes this mistake.
For all of our European viewers, you’re probably experienced at riding public transportation, and often wonder with bewilderment why we have so many posts about riding Swiss transportation. But for our non-European audience, the idea of riding dozens of trains, buses, and cable cars during your trip feels really overwhelming — until you realize it’s one of the best systems in the world.
If Swiss transportation still feels confusing, we break it all down step-by-step in this post right here. Or watch our entire entertaining Tourist Mistakes playlist, and we’ll see you in Switzerland!
