a Central European climate with temperatures ranging from 20° to 30°C in summer, and around –2° to 6°C in winter.
Weather reports
Hut wardens and local tourist offices often display a daily weather forecast, with an outlook for up to five days. Daily forecasts in German, French or Italian are also obtained by calling 162 (premium rates apply), or checking www.meteoschweiz.ch, where once again information is in German, French or Italian only. Weather reports, forecasts and satellite images can be seen on the Switzerland Tourism website: www.myswitzerland.com.
Getting There
Switzerland is easy to reach from the UK by road, rail and air. The French motorway system enables drivers to reach the Swiss border within a day’s journey from southern England. By rail, high-speed trains link London with Paris, and Paris with Geneva, Lausanne and Bern, while more than 50 flights a day operate between UK airports and Geneva, Basel and Zürich. When reading the following section please note that travel information is notoriously susceptible to change; ferry services, and train and air schedules may be abandoned or altered overnight, and airlines go out of business with little advance warning. When planning a trip it is advisable to check carefully the current situation either with your local travel agent, or on the internet.
By road
This is probably the most expensive way to reach the Swiss Alps, but is the obvious choice of walkers and climbers who fill their car with camping equipment, climbing gear and food, and for those who plan to visit several different regions.
Walkers below Cabane d’Arpitetta with the Moming glacier ahead in the Val d’Anniviers (Chapter 2:8)
Cross-Channel car ferries currently operated by P&O (www.poferries.com) and Sea France (www.seafrance.com) sail many times daily between Dover and Calais, while Eurotunnel (www.eurotunnel.com) runs frequent car-carrying trains through the Channel Tunnel from Folkestone to Calais in 40–45 minutes.
The distance from Calais to the Swiss border is about 850km, with fast toll-paying motorways (autoroutes) for much of that distance. However, on reaching the Jura mountains the motorways run out and slower roads continue through bottleneck towns and villages. On arrival at the Swiss border it is advisable to purchase a vignette (current cost CHF40) which enables you to drive on Swiss motorways. (Be caught driving on a motorway without one and you’ll face a hefty fine.) Note that the minimum driving age in Switzerland is 18, third-party insurance is compulsory, seat belts must be used, and it is a legal requirement to carry a warning triangle and the vehicle’s registration documents.
The national speed limit is 120kph (75mph) on motorways, 80kph (50mph) on main roads, 50kph (30mph) in urban areas, and 30kph (18mph) in residential streets. Numerous speed cameras and radar traps are ready to catch speeding motorists, with on-the-spot fines for the guilty driver. Note also that parking can be prohibitively expensive in both town and country.
By train
Taking the train is perhaps the most relaxing way to go, as well as being the most environmentally friendly. It also compares well with air travel, for the journey time of high-speed trains between London and Bern is not all that different from the actual door-to-door time taken by air passengers.
Eurostar (www.eurostar.com) operates a high-speed rail service from London St Pancras through the Channel Tunnel direct to the Gare du Nord in Paris in 2½hrs. Eurostar trains also depart from Ebbsfleet (near the M25/M2) and Ashford (by the M20) in Kent; both stations have plenty of long-term parking available.
The rail journey from Paris to Switzerland continues via TGV from the Gare de l’Est (next to Gare du Nord) to Basel and Zürich (4hrs 25mins); or from the Gare de Lyon to Geneva (3hrs 25mins), Lausanne (3hrs 50mins) and Bern (4hrs 35mins).
Timetable information for rail journeys between London and any station in Switzerland is available from www.rail.ch.
By air
Major Swiss airports are located at Basel, Geneva and Zürich, with smaller regional airports at Bern, Lugano and Sion. Friedrichshafen (Germany) and Milan Malpensa in Italy are also close enough and with good transport links, to offer alternative options.
The majority of scheduled flights from a variety of UK airports are operated by British Airways (www.ba.com) and the Swiss national carrier, Swiss International Airlines – known simply as Swiss (www.swiss.com) – with BMI (www.bmi.com), and EasyJet (www.easyjet.com) following behind. Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus.com), Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) and Swiss all have flights from Dublin. Flight time from London to Basel, Geneva or Zürich is around 1½hrs, but 2–3hrs from the north of England, Scotland and Ireland.
Visitors flying to Geneva or Zürich can take advantage of a Fly-Rail Baggage Transfer Scheme which enables ‘nothing to declare’ baggage with a green customs label attached to be checked in at the departure airport, and delivered directly to the railway station of a nominated Swiss resort. There’s no waiting at the arrival airport’s carousel, nor the hassle of manhandling baggage from carousel to train. The scheme is straightforward and convenient, is also available for the homeward journey, and currently costs CHF20. For full details see www.rail.ch/baggage.
Online booking agents
Useful websites to consult are:
Flight tickets can also be arranged through the Switzerland Travel Centre, the commercial arm of the national tourist office. Go to www.stc.co.uk.
Getting Around
Switzerland’s integrated public transport network is legendary. The term ‘user-friendly’ could have been coined with Swiss railways in mind, for trains are almost religiously punctual, clean and comfortable. Timetables are devised in conjunction with those of the postbus service which operates on routes not covered by trains. In some areas private or regional bus operators have taken over former postbus routes, but virtually every valley in the country can be reached by some form of public transport. At the end of each chapter in this guide, outline details of access by bus or train are given.
The Saint Bernard Express, a good example of local transport
A number of different travel passes are available, each of which offers value for money when travelling around the country (see www.swisstravelsystem.com). The most popular is the Swiss Pass which gives free unlimited travel on 4, 8, 15, 22 or 30 consecutive days on virtually every train, boat and bus in Switzerland. It can also be used to gain discounts of at least 25% on most cable cars and funiculars. The Swiss Flexi Pass gives the same advantages as the Swiss Pass, but on 3, 4, 5 or 6 days within a month. These two passes can be purchased from major railway stations within the country