Airplane: Swiss International Air Lines offers domestic flights between all major Swiss Airports, such as EuroAirport and Zurich and Geneva airports. In the winter months, helicopter operators also offer flights around the Alps. There is also the possibility to fly with the Zeppelin over the lakes of Lucerne and Constance.
Ship: all larger lakes in Switzerland are used by steamers of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB / CFF / FFS). The waters in question include the lakes near Geneva, Brienz, Lugano, Thun, Constance, Zug, Biel, Lucerne, Neuchâtel and Murten, but not Lake Maggiore.
The normal tickets are valid. However, train passes are not accepted by smaller boat companies. Holders of the Swiss Boat Pass receive a 50 percent discount on trips on the 14 largest lakes in Switzerland for one year.
Train: the Swiss rail network is used by both state and private providers. The state operator is the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB). Trains usually run every hour between all major train stations from 6 a.m. to midnight. Long-distance trains usually have a dining car. Smoking is prohibited in all trains and stations.
The ticket prices are very high. You can save money with a national ticket. Single tickets for distances of more than 80 kilometers are valid for two days. Round-trip tickets for routes of more than 160 kilometers are valid for one month.
Timetable information is available in all train stations. They are updated every December. Luggage storage facilities are available at all train stations. Announcements are mostly made in German, French, English and sometimes also in Italian. Seat reservations are chargeable and are particularly recommended in the high season and for longer trips.
Car and rental car: Rental cars in Switzerland are expensive, especially if they are rented from international rental companies. It is cheaper to rent a car before you start your journey. If you want to rent a car, you should be 25 years old and have a credit card. Swiss rental cars may not be exported to all European countries.
Bus: Post buses complement the Swiss rail network and connect the cities with inaccessible mountain regions. They run very regularly. Stops are often located at the train stations.
There are also night buses in some cities.
Local transport: all urban transport systems are linked by the same ticket system. Tickets are available at the respective stops. Single tickets, multi-trip tickets or day tickets are available.
Bike / rental: There is free bike rental in Geneva, Zurich, Bern and Zug.
Rent A Bike rents bicycles at numerous train stations. If you have a Swiss Travel Pass, you can save money. The rental stations are usually open from early to late every day. By prior arrangement, the borrowed bikes can also be returned to another station. Since rental bikes are very popular, it is advisable to reserve one or two days in advance.
Many SYHA hostels also rent bicycles, also to day visitors. Here, too, it is advisable to book in advance.
Bicycles can be transported in the baggage department on most regional trains and in some cases also on InterCity (IC) and EurCity (EC) trains. Trains that are not permitted to be taken along are marked with a corresponding pictogram in the timetable.
