Malpensa in Italy are also close enough and with good transport links, to offer alternative options.
The majority of scheduled flights from a variety of UK airports are operated by British Airways (www.ba.com) and the Swiss national carrier, Swiss International Airlines – known simply as Swiss (www.swiss.com) – with BMI (www.bmi.com), and EasyJet (www.easyjet.com) following behind. Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus.com), Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) and Swiss all have flights from Dublin. Flight time from London to Basel, Geneva or Zürich is around 1½hrs, but 2–3hrs from the north of England, Scotland and Ireland.
Visitors flying to Geneva or Zürich can take advantage of a Fly-Rail Baggage Transfer Scheme which enables ‘nothing to declare’ baggage with a green customs label attached to be checked in at the departure airport, and delivered directly to the railway station of a nominated Swiss resort. There’s no waiting at the arrival airport’s carousel, nor the hassle of manhandling baggage from carousel to train. The scheme is straightforward and convenient, is also available for the homeward journey, and currently costs CHF20. For full details see www.rail.ch/baggage.
Online booking agents
Useful websites to consult are:
Flight tickets can also be arranged through the Switzerland Travel Centre, the commercial arm of the national tourist office. Go to www.stc.co.uk.
Getting Around
Switzerland’s integrated public transport network is legendary. The term ‘user-friendly’ could have been coined with Swiss railways in mind, for trains are almost religiously punctual, clean and comfortable. Timetables are devised in conjunction with those of the postbus service which operates on routes not covered by trains. In some areas private or regional bus operators have taken over former postbus routes, but virtually every valley in the country can be reached by some form of public transport. At the end of each chapter in this guide, outline details of access by bus or train are given.
The Saint Bernard Express, a good example of local transport
A number of different travel passes are available, each of which offers value for money when travelling around the country (see www.swisstravelsystem.com). The most popular is the Swiss Pass which gives free unlimited travel on 4, 8, 15, 22 or 30 consecutive days on virtually every train, boat and bus in Switzerland. It can also be used to gain discounts of at least 25% on most cable cars and funiculars. The Swiss Flexi Pass gives the same advantages as the Swiss Pass, but on 3, 4, 5 or 6 days within a month. These two passes can be purchased from major railway stations within the country on production of a foreign passport, or from the Switzerland Travel Centre in London (www.stc.co.uk). Two or more people travelling together (up to a maximum of five) qualify for a 15% discount on the cost of the Swiss Pass and Swiss Flexi Pass.
If you plan to use a single valley base from which to go walking, climbing or skiing and do not anticipate any intermediate journeys by public transport, the Swiss Transfer Ticket could be worth having. It can only be purchased outside Switzerland (see www.swisstravelsystem.com), and gives one free journey from the airport of arrival to anywhere in the country and back again within one month. The Swiss Card has similar validity to the Transfer Ticket, but it also allows the holder to buy ordinary train and bus tickets at a 50% discount.
A regional pass is another option for moving within one specific area, providing five days of free travel in a 15-day period. And finally, the local guest card given to visitors staying in a resort for a few days will often grant free travel on local buses, and sometimes reduced fares on cable cars and funiculars.
Accommodation
Finding accommodation should not be a problem except perhaps during the high season (Christmas/New Year; February; July and August). The range and quality of hotels, mountain inns and hostels is uniformly high and not as expensive as reputation might suggest. (Mountain huts are dealt with in a separate section below.) Of course, opulent 4 or 5-star hotels are not cheap, but it’s not unusual to find a good quality en-suite room in a 2-star establishment costing no more than a b&b in the UK. And the standard of service will be high. Apart from hotels at the two extreme ends of the pricing scale breakfast is usually included in the cost of a room, and half-board (which includes an evening meal) is often available.
The Suls-Lobhorn Hut; simple accommodation in a matchless setting
Berghaus Obersteinberg, a typical mountain inn rich with atmosphere. Both huts are high above the Lauterbrunnen valley
The umbrella term mountain inn, covers a range of low-key, sometimes simple or rustic establishments, variously described as a berghaus, berggasthaus, berggasthof or berghotel. Invariably situated in a spectacular location, and often accessible only on foot, some of these are converted farmhouses, many have no en-suite facilities and a few do not even have electricity in the guest rooms. What most of them do have in abundance is atmosphere – creaking floors, pine panelled walls, and a history.
For those on a very tight budget, note that in many resorts low-cost dormitory accommodation is available; some hotels and mountain inns have a touristenlager set aside, while it’s not unusual to find a cable car station having a dormitory or two within or close to the main building. Such facilities may not be immediately obvious or advertised. Enquire at the local tourist office for details. Dormitories may be listed under touristenlager, massenlager, matratzenlager, dortoir or dormitorio. Communal washrooms with showers are the norm, and meals are usually available.
Switzerland has 70-odd youth hostels affiliated to Hostelling International (see www.youthhostel.ch) that also provide budget accommodation. Despite the name there is no upper age limit for users, and although it is a membership-based organisation, non-members can stay by paying an extra CHF6 on top of the normal overnight fee. Small dormitory rooms are standard.
A group of independent, less formal hostels has spread across Switzerland under the heading of Swiss Backpackers (www.swissbackpackers.ch). A number of these are located in cities and large towns, but as many exist in mountain resorts. No membership is required, and facilities on offer are similar to those of youth hostels, with self-catering kitchens and/or low-cost restaurants.
The Naturfreunde organisation also has a chain of traditional buildings in alpine regions that are a cross between backpackers’ hostels and mountain inns, offering a warm welcome to all.
