I know you have, like me, been lusting after the dream that is Switzerland. Rolling green fields, uniform chalet-style houses, perfect snow-laden majestic mountains, sparkly massive lakes… its attributes are many.
How can I see Switzerland for cheap, you ask? I give you a 3-day itinerary with Bern as a base to see the best of Switzerland as cheaply as you can. I was very happy to make Bern my base for a short Switzerland trip this July. So no, not boring at all.
In fact, Bern is not only cheaper than Geneva, Zurich, Interlaken, and Zermatt but also superbly connected to any place you want to go to Switzerland. Also, I rarely got lost, and had the best fondue! Most establishments accept Euro but will return CHF.
From the airport: The airport bus bus line , which runs once every fifteen minutes or so, takes passengers from the airport to the Belp train station. The journey takes ten minutes. The distance from the airport to the centre of Bern Bundesplatz is 10 kilometres. By bus: If you are landing or exiting from Frankfurt or Zurich, then swinging by Bern is a good option. After a 3 min walk downhill, take bus 11 from Neufield stop next to Cafe Neufield to go into the city.
If you are staying in Bern, you are eligible for free transport within the city. Until you get that, you can show a copy of the hotel reservation to get a free ride. In any case, no one asks for your ticket. But we are honest, no? Hotels are expensive, so I stayed in a hostel: Bern Youth Hostel. Five stars for its location, right by the gorgeous Aare River.
