Switzerland Trip Cost: What We Spent in 7 Days

My 7 day Switzerland itinerary has been one of the most-visited posts on this blog, and the question I get the most in DMs is simple: okay, but what was the actual Switzerland trip cost? 

So here it is, a number-by-number breakdown of everything we spent, plus the tips that helped us make the most of it.

For reference, this was a family vacation with 6 people total, plus my dog Mochi. Since most travelers probably will not be traveling Switzerland with a pet, I’m leaving Mochi’s expenses out of this breakdown to keep things more realistic and helpful.

We paid in Swiss Francs (CHF), but all prices below are in USD. 

This trip took place in summer (August) of 2025. Prices may have shifted slightly since then and the exchange rates may differ, but overall this should be a reliable reference point for planning your own Switzerland trip cost.

Save

Save

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, I may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my business so I can create content like this for you.

Total Switzerland Trip Cost for 2 People

Our total Switzerland trip cost for 2 people for 7 days came to $5,813 USD.

This included:

• Flights
• Hotels
• Transportation
• Activities
• Food

This was not a strict budget trip, but it also was not ultra luxury either. I would describe it as a comfortable mid range trip with scenic hotels, mountain excursions, train travel, and eating out fairly regularly throughout the trip.

Flights

We flew direct on a multi city itinerary:

• Washington D.C. (IAD) → Zurich (ZRH)
• Geneva (GVA) → Washington D.C. (IAD)

Flying direct was a non-negotiable for us on this trip. Traveling with Mochi meant we needed to minimize stress and layovers, so we prioritized non-stop flights throughout the planning process.

We also booked as a multi-city itinerary, flying into Zurich (ZRH) and out of Geneva (GVA), which let us follow our route naturally without backtracking to the same city at the end.

The two airlines that offered these direct routes were United and Swiss Airlines. We booked directly through United, since we hold a United Explorer Credit Card. The card comes with perks like boarding group 2 and a free checked bag, which we always appreciate on longer trips.

Since Swiss Airlines and United are partners through Star Alliance, we were able to book one way on United and Swiss Airline on the way back through United. 

For the flight that was operated by Swiss Airlines, the free bag benefit didn’t apply so we paid $75 for it (we only had one checked bag between us two). 

Considering the busy summer season, I think we got a pretty good deal on the flights. 

Flights (2 tickets): $1,332
Checked bag fee: $75

Total for 2 people: $1407

✦ ✦ ✦

Accommodation

Accommodation costs are not cheap in Switzerland. We stayed in three different places across the trip and these were not luxury hotels by any means, but I also value safety, cleanliness and convenience so the prices reflect that for each place. 

Lucerne

We spent our first night in Lucerne at the Ameron, which had just been refreshed so everything felt clean, bright, and thoughtfully designed. The decor had a modern European feel without being cold, and the location was ideal: walkable to the old town, the Chapel Bridge, and Lake Lucerne. For one night it was the perfect landing spot after a long flight.

Ameron Luzern (1 night): $424

Grindelwald 

Second base was Grindelwald for 3 nights. 

For the Grindelwald leg, we rented a large chalet-style 3 bedroom accommodation as a group of six, which came to $3,324 total for three nights. Split three ways between couples, our share was $1,108. The property had Swiss Alps views from the balconies and windows, which was stunning to wake up to every morning.

The big kitchen was a major bonus. We cooked together as a family most evenings, which saved us a lot on dining out in a region where restaurant prices are particularly steep. If you’re traveling in a group, I can’t recommend this approach enough. Although I typically prefer hotels over vacation rentals or Airbnbs, when traveling as a family I do prefer a place with a shared living area rather than being multiple hotel doors or floors away from each other. And if you’re wondering why we chose Grindelwald over Interlaken, I wrote a whole post on that comparison that might help you decide.

Grindelwald chalet for 3 nights: $1,108

Montreux

We ended the trip in Montreux, staying for two nights. It was in a great location and made a solid, comfortable base for the last leg of the trip.

Hotel Mona (2 nights): $636

Total cost for accommodations for 6 nights: $2,168

Save

✦ ✦ ✦

Transportation

We did not have a rental car for this trip, and relied 100% on public transportation systems. 

Transportation is one of the biggest costs when traveling Switzerland, but the rail system is honestly part of the experience itself.

The trains were incredibly efficient, scenic, and easy to use throughout the country.

Switzerland’s train system is one of the best in the world, and getting the right passes before you go makes a huge difference on your overall Switzerland trip cost. 

The best pass depends on your entire itinerary, but for this trip we went with the Swiss Half Fare Card combined with the 3 day Berner Oberland Pass, rather than the full Swiss Travel Pass, and it worked out really well for our itinerary.

The Half Fare Card gives you 50% off almost all trains, buses, boats, and cable cars across Switzerland. The Bernese Oberland Pass (BOP) covers unlimited travel within the Jungfrau region, which is where we spent the bulk of our time. Together they covered most of what we needed and not having to worry about prices for train rides and other local transport made it more enjoyable. 

We booked our Swiss Travel Passes through Klook, and the passes were delivered by email. On the trains, we simply showed the digital passes to the ticket inspectors when asked.

New Klook users get 10% off (up to $50) and returning users get 3% off using my code MINYWANDER. To maximize the new user discount, fill your cart to $500 before applying the code. 

Here’s our total transportation costs per person:

Swiss Half Fare Card + Bernese Oberland Pass	$361
Train: Zurich Airport to Lucerne (with half fare card)	$20
Train Lucerne to Interlaken, and then to Grindelwald	Covered by BOP
Train/bus/gondolas/mountain railways for day trips to Lauterbrunnen, Mürren, Gimmelwald	Covered by BOP
Brienz Rothorn Bahn train	Covered by BOP
Interlaken Boat Cruise	Covered by BOP
Gondolas to Grindelwald First	$46
Train Grindelwald to Montreux (GoldenPass)	Covered by BOP
Train Montreux to Gruyères	$15
Train Gruyères to Montreux (including Belle Epoque)	$20
Belle Epoque train upgrade fee to First Class	$7
Train Montreux to Geneva Airport	$27

Total per person: $496
Total $992 for 2 people 

✦ ✦ ✦

Activities:

Toboggan ride on Mt. Pilatus: $9.50
Mt. Pilatus Silver Round Trip: $65 

If you’re curious about the trip to Mount Pilatus from Lucerne, read my guide here which explains how to get there, things to do, and the differences between the Silver and Golden Round Trip tickets. 

Total per person: $74.5
Total for 2 people: $149

Save

Save

Our main paid activity was the trip to Mount Pilatus from Lucerne. We did the Silver Round Trip, which takes you up by gondola and down by cogwheel train (or vice versa). Both were absolutely worth it despite the cloudy weather we had. If you’re deciding between the Silver and Golden Round Trip tickets or want to know exactly how to get there and what to do once you’re up there, I have a full guide on Mount Pilatus below that covers all of it.

Beyond Pilatus, our paid activity list was shorter than it might have been, and that was mostly down to Mochi. Many of the classic Switzerland experiences like paragliding, ziplines, and mountain carts don’t allow dogs, which is completely understandable. We made peace with it and leaned into what we could do together.

The good news: so much of what makes Switzerland extraordinary is completely free. The alpine scenery, the lake walks, wandering through village streets. Dogs are welcome on most trains, buses, and gondolas, so we were still able to get up into the mountains and take in stunning views without any restrictions.

We also took the gondola up to Grindelwald First with Mochi and did the one-hour hike to Lake Bachalpsee, which was one of the most beautiful walks of the whole trip.

There’s so much more to do up at Grindelwald First, the cliff walk, the flyer, the trottibike, that we missed out on because of Mochi, but I’ve covered all of it in my Grindelwald First Guide if you want the full picture.

Activities are quite expensive in Switzerland, but If I had not been traveling with a pet, I honestly would have been willing to spend much more on experiences throughout Switzerland because many of them looked absolutely incredible.

✦ ✦ ✦

Food:

Food (7 days, 2 people): $1,097

​Food is where Switzerland will humble you. It is genuinely one of the most expensive countries in the world to eat out in, and the quality doesn’t always match the price. We went in knowing this and made strategic choices throughout the trip to keep costs from spiraling.

That said, we did eat out for some restaurant meals and they were memorable. 

In Lucerne, we had traditional Swiss dishes and beers at Rathaus Brauerei, the brewery right on the river, which came out to about $57 per person. It’s touristy but the food was solid and the setting is iconic. In Gruyères we had Gruyère cheese fondue, in the charming old town where the cheese has originated from. 

Our most expensive meal of the trip was an Italian dinner in Montreux that came out to $85 per person. 

To balance it out, we leaned heavily on Coop grocery stores, a Swiss grocery chain that’s basically everywhere. We’d grab breakfast there most mornings, sandwiches and juices for quick lunches, and snacks for the day. In Grindelwald, having the kitchen in our accommodation meant we grocery shopped at Coop and cooked dinner together on some nights, which saved us significantly. Trust me, Coop will become your best friend and this is the best way to save some money compared to eating every meal at sit-down restaurants. 

We also came prepared from home with ramen noodles and microwaveable rice packets. Traveling with parents who cannot function without Asian food means you plan accordingly!

Normally, John and I almost never cook our own meals while traveling. Eating out and trying local restaurants is usually one of the things we look forward to most on vacation. However, food costs in Switzerland can add up very quickly, and having a quiet, private space to cook and dine with our family actually ended up being one of the nicest parts of the trip. It felt cozy, relaxing, and almost like being at home. 

Save

Save

Total Cost for The 7 Day Trip For 2 People

Flights	$1,407
Accommodations	$2,168
Transportation	$992
Activities	$149
Food	$1097
Total Cost (For 2)	$5,813

Ways to save on Switzerland trip cost

Choose the right train pass for your itinerary

The Swiss Travel Pass gets a lot of attention, but it isn’t always the best value depending on your route. For us, the combination of the Swiss Half Fare Card in second class and the Bernese Oberland Pass made more sense given how we were moving around.

Do the math before you buy: add up what your individual journeys would cost at full ticket price, then at half price with the Half Fare Card, and compare it to the all-inclusive pass. The right answer depends entirely on your itinerary.

Book through Klook with a discount code

We booked our train passes through Klook and saved money using a discount code. New Klook users get 10% off up to $50, and returning users get 3% off. The key to maximizing the new user discount: fill your cart to $500 before applying the code so you hit the cap. Use my code MINYWANDER at checkout to save transportation costs! 

Rent a group Airbnb or vacation rental and split the cost

This was one of our smartest decisions. A large chalet-style Airbnb split three ways in Grindelwald came out significantly cheaper per couple than booking individual hotel rooms in Grindelwald, and the shared kitchen meant we could cook instead of eating out every night. If you’re traveling with family or another couple, this is one of the most effective ways to reduce your Switzerland trip cost for better value, without giving up comfort.

Eat from Coop

Coop grocery stores are your best friends in Switzerland. The grocery stores are clean, well-stocked, and have great ready-to-eat options like sandwiches, salads, pastries, and fresh juices. Making Coop your go-to for breakfasts and lunches can save you $30 to $50 a day per person compared to eating every meal at a restaurant.

Fly direct and multi-city if you can

This won’t always save money, but it saves time and sanity. Flying into one city and out of another let us follow our route without backtracking, and booking direct through our credit card airline meant we kept all our card perks. If you’re traveling with kids, elderly parents, or pets, direct flights are worth every extra dollar.

Do you need cash in Switzerland?

We never needed cash during our trip. The only place that we could have used cash at was in Gimmelwald, a tiny mountain village that has honesty shops where you can leave cash to pay for items you decide to take. Credit cards are widely accepted. 

✦ ✦ ✦

Was Switzerland worth the cost?

Without a doubt, yes. Switzerland is probably the most expensive country we’ve ever traveled to, but it earns every franc. It is hands down one of the most beautiful places we’ve visited. 

The scenic views and the nature are just incredible, and what surprised me most is how accessible all of it is. You don’t have to be an avid hiker or an outdoors person to reach stunning alpine scenery. The gondolas and trains are so well-connected that you can step onto a cable car and be standing in the middle of the Alps within minutes, with zero hiking required. That kind of effortless, spectacular beauty is rare anywhere in the world.

The paid activities we did, Pilatus, the gondola up to Grindelwald First, were all worth every dollar. And the free moments: wandering Lucerne’s old town, sitting by Lake Geneva in Montreux, the views from our Grindelwald chalet balcony every morning, those were priceless in the truest sense.

I hope this complete Switzerland trip cost breakdown has been helpful. Depending on your travel style and preferences for accommodations, the total price of your trip may vary.

If you’re planning your own Swiss adventure, take a look at my 7-Day Switzerland Itinerary for the full day-by-day breakdown of where we went and what we did with the trip cost in this post.