Switzerland in 7 days

This 7-day Switzerland itinerary is for two first-time visitors traveling by train with no car, flying into Zurich and out of Geneva. It spends two nights each in Lucerne, the Lauterbrunnen valley and Zermatt, and is built around Mount Pilatus by cogwheel railway, the Jungfraujoch via the Eiger Express, the Matterhorn from the Gornergrat railway, and Chillon Castle on Lake Geneva.

How the 7 days fit together

• Day 1, Zurich, then Lucerne: the Lindenhof view, the Grossmünster's Karlsturm tower at 11 AM, Zurich-style sliced veal at Zeughauskeller, Bahnhofstrasse down to the lake, then the 4 PM train to Lucerne.
• Day 2, Lucerne: the cogwheel railway up Mount Pilatus, then the Chapel Bridge, the Lion Monument and dinner at Restaurant Fritschi on the Old Town square.
• Day 3, the Luzern-Interlaken Express, then Trümmelbach's falls inside the mountain and Staubbach Falls in Lauterbrunnen.
• Day 4, the Eiger Express to the Jungfraujoch, lunch in Grindelwald and the Gletscherschlucht glacier gorge.
• Day 5, the train to Zermatt via Spiez and Visp.
• Day 6, the early cogwheel to Rotenboden, the Riffelsee, the Gornergrat platform and the Matterhorn Museum.
• Day 7, the train to Montreux, the Quai des Fleurs, Chillon Castle and the train to Geneva Airport.

Switzerland by train, with no car

Zurich to Lucerne is a direct, frequent train of about 45 minutes, and the plan sends big bags ahead to Zermatt from Lucerne. On the Luzern-Interlaken Express, sit on the lake side. The Zermatt line runs via Spiez and Visp into the Matter valley, and Zermatt is car-free: electric taxis meet trains. The last day runs via Visp and the Lavaux vineyards to Montreux, where the station has lockers, then direct trains follow the lake to Geneva Airport.

Weather and clear mornings on the mountains

Each mountain day starts in the morning, with a fallback. If Pilatus is clouded in, swap to Rigi. The Jungfraujoch, at 3,454 m, is best before clouds build, so the Eiger Express leaves at 7:45 AM; if it is cloudy, do Grindelwald First instead. The first Gornergrat trains give the clearest Matterhorn views, and the Riffelsee reflection is best before the breeze ripples the water.

June is typically 15-22°C (59-72°F) in the valleys and near freezing on the high peaks, so pack layers, a rain shell and sun protection.

What it costs

The plan gives no franc price for Pilatus or the Gornergrat railway, only that both sit in its top cost band. For more around the Matterhorn, see Zermatt guides and places; to carry on south, ten days in Italy covers Rome, Florence and Venice.