Euro Trip : Part - 3: Switzerland

Arrival: Iceland to Switzerland

On October 8, 2024, we flew from Iceland to Zurich on SWISS Air, landing around 9:30 p.m. We had pre-booked a taxi through Klook, and by midnight we reached Spiez, our airbnb booked stay.

Our stay overlooked Lake Thun. After Iceland’s isolation, this felt composed rather than empty. We rested for the night.

Day One: Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe

Day one was reserved for what Switzerland does best: engineering nature into reach.

We had booked the Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe ticket in advance. The journey itself is part of the experience — a carefully sequenced combination of train → cable car → train, and the same route in reverse on return. The mountain views from the train are breathtaking. My family loved them, i am still in Iceland hangover and still feel Iceland is equally comparable to Swiss.

I also took the Swiss Half Fare Card. It reduced ticket prices, but in hindsight, it makes more sense if you’re staying a week or longer, since the card is valid for a month. For shorter stays, it’s optional.

I prefer printed tickets over QR codes on mobile — a personal choice. In cold, crowded places, paper is reliable.

At the top — over 3,500 meters above sea level — the environment changes quickly. There are queues, controlled access, and carefully marked paths. We visited the Ice Cave and open snow areas like the Ice Plateau.

The wind was strong, and the cold was real. My kids were hesitant to step onto the ice. My wife and I did, briefly. At that altitude, comfort is less important than awareness.

We had lunch at the Indian restaurant at the top. It was expensive, but warm, familiar food felt worth it in that setting.

My younger daughter experienced mild altitude discomfort, manageable but noticeable. We didn’t linger longer than necessary.

By evening, we returned to Spiez. The railway station was about a 15-minute walk from our stay.

Day Two: Zurich

On Day Two, we took a train to Zurich to meet my younger brother, who lives in Austria. He picked us up from the station, and we reached our Airbnb around noon.

After some rest, my wife cooked lunch — a small but grounding pause in the middle of constant movement.

Later, we visited the Lindt Home of Chocolate. We spent about an hour there. It’s well-designed, interactive, and especially enjoyable for kids. We bought chocolates — expected, but still satisfying.

We returned to the room, had dinner at a restaurant, and kept the evening simple.

The next morning, my brother left for Austria, and we prepared for the next and last leg of the journey — Italy.

Switzerland tips: small details that matter

A few practical things stood out clearly during our time in Switzerland:

Currency & payments

• Switzerland uses Swiss Francs (CHF), not the Euro.
• Cards work almost everywhere, but it’s still good to be aware of the currency difference when budgeting.

Power sockets (important)

• Electrical sockets are different from rest of Europe.
• We hadn’t carried adapters specific to swiss electric sockets and ended up charging phones using USB cables connected to the television.
• The next day, my brother brought proper plug converters, which solved the issue.
• Lesson learned: always carry universal adapters.

Trains & stations

• Train systems are efficient, but platform numbers can be slightly confusing at first.
• Display boards are fewer than expected, so it helps to arrive a little early and double-check platform information.
• Ticket checks happen frequently, sometimes mid-journey. Always keep your QR codes or printed tickets ready.

Crowds (a surprise)

• Contrary to popular belief, trains were quite packed, especially on popular routes.
• I had always read that Swiss trains are mostly empty — that wasn’t our experience, at least during October.

Switzerland runs smoothly, but it assumes you’re attentive. Once you adjust, everything falls into place.

Expenses

Here’s a realistic breakdown for the Switzerland leg of our trip, for 4 members:

• Flight (Iceland → Zurich): ~₹75,000
• Stay in Spiez: ~₹60,000
• Stay in Zurich: ~₹28,000
• Tours, trains, taxis: ~₹1.4 lakh
• Other expenses: ~₹30,000

Total (approx.): ₹3.3 lakh INR

Switzerland is undoubtedly costly, but the experience — the precision, accessibility, and scenery — made it feel worth it.