If you have booked your airtickets to Switzerland on an impulse and have time only to whizz past the country, here are our tips to get the best of Switzerland in 2 days with a low budget. Whereas that you have very little time on your hands to see Switzerland in detail, the fact that you want to do this on a low budget can be a preposterous thought. Approaching this issue with the right mind-set may allow you to stretch your budget during your brief Switzerland tour.
Leaving out Switzerland from your European tour itinerary would surely be a mistake. We will first cover an itinerary that will give you a fair view of Switzerland in just two days’ time and give you some tips on how you can keep the costs low.
The Rhine Falls
Assuming you have opted for a 6-day Europe tour package from USA and are entering Switzerland from the German side, the place you should visit as soon as you are into the Swiss country is the Rhine Falls. As the largest plain waterfall in Europe, they are indeed majestic. The natural beauty of the waterfall is overwhelming and the visit is surely worth it. The Rhine Falls are located in the northern part of Switzerland. The amount of water in the falls peaks during May/June. This probably is a great time to visit the place.
You can cover the area around by foot or by boat if you have less time. You can even opt for the little tourist train. There are fireworks and illumination shows that the tourist can enjoy. There is also a museum that visitors can take a look at.
Zurich – Financial Capital of Switzerland
Zurich is about 45 to 60 minutes from the Rhine Falls. The easiest way to reach there is to take the trains. Alternately, you can use the bus or a car to reach there. Whereas the boats operate only on some months of the year, the trains operate all around the year.
A short panoramic tour of Zurich is all you can do in the post afternoon session of the day. You can take a look at the quaint Old Town in the central portion of Zurich that has not changed much over the centuries. Walking around the Lake of Zurich, see the St. Peter Church, stroll around Paradeplatz and take a walk at Lindenhof.
Zurich has a great public transportation system and is among the best in the world. It is also walkable and any tourist has the chance to cover the city on foot. This would also keep the cost low. Several tourist attractions in the city lie close together. You can choose to stay at a place that offers accommodation and food at a fair price. You can choose to camp out if you have made prior arrangements for that.
Lucerne
You can start the second day by visiting the city of Lucerne. You can take a boat tour on the Lake of Lucerne and can do a quick walk to the Chapel Bridge. Then drive through the Alpine region on a bus or a car and reach the valley of Engelberg. You can also take the Lucerne Engelberg Express to reach here.
The next exciting trip is to the top of Mount Titlis which is about 3200 meters above the sea level and provides a stunning overview of many glaciers close by. It is a skiers’ destination and during the summer many take to hiking to explore the mountains.
From Engelberg, you can take the 8-seater gondola cable car to carry you up to the station in the middle named Stand and thereafter the Titlis revolving cable car carries you up to 3020 meters on the top of Titlis. There is a restaurant, a cave made of ice and Europe’s highest suspension bridge – ‘Cliffwalk’, on which you can take a walk. These are in addition to the mesmerizing and stunning scenery. You can visit the Glacier Grotto from where you can digest the panoramic views from the Sun Terrace.
It takes about 45 minutes to travel from Lucerne to Titlis by hopping on the free station. The facilities at Titlis are closed during the first week of November for maintenance.
You can descend back to Lucerne and you can perhaps visit the Lion Monument there. The shape of a dying lion carved out of sandstone wall standing out of a pond at the end of the medieval village at Lucerne. Though carved in stone, it looks very real and this can signal the end your Switzerland tour the day on a satisfying note.
You can return to the hotel and proceed out the next day. Your next leg of the Europe tour can take you to France where you will be driving past vineyards, mustard fields, and super-fast highways.
Switzerland tour package from USA – Tips to keep your costs low
#1: Getting yourself a Eurail pass is a cheap way to get around in Switzerland. The train would take you through picture-postcard views and would get you the worth of the ticket cost. It is a good idea to book in advance to avoid point-to-point full fares.
#2: You can camp out for all round the year in Switzerland in different locations. This activity is all the more pleasant during the summer months. You can camp at the most scenic spot that you want. You can even find common rooms with Wi-Fi at reasonable rates. Low-cost homes in the form of caravans, mobile homes and bungalows are available. Airbnb and hostels are yet another option that you can think of.
#3: Cooking for yourself is the best way to save some money. You can even pick up delicious local ingredients at cheap rates to make your food tasty.
#4: Skip the drinks. Alcohol is not cheap in Switzerland. A pint of beer can cost you more than 6 euros. This can also save you the hangovers during a short holiday.
#5: Avoid boutique chocolate shops, not chocolate. The supermarket brands are just as good.
#6: Opt for the high-quality drinking water you find in the fountains all over Switzerland. The packed ones are expensive.
These are some travel tips to get the best of Switzerland with a low budget. Never, cut out Switzerland for want of funds during your Europe tour package from USA. It is surely a costly miss.
