Switzerland Itinerary

Find the itenary here . Note that the itenary was designed to be a no hush-hush, leisure, driving trip.

Swiss is beautiful. There are a few things you need to consider before you start your bookings and begin your travel.

1. Transport –
   1. Public Transport-
      1. Intra city – Swiss is well connected by public transport. Travelling within the city is easy but can be time consuming. Day passes are recommended. Busses and trains are stroller/wheelchair friendly and are very similar to California busses and light rails.
      2. Intercity – Expensive. Consider buying a Swiss Pass or a Euro Rail Pass or similar; which will be less expensive; if your trip is short (4-5 days). A lot of trips will require you to reserve your seats prior to your travel. The cost of reservation is additional. Euro rail pass does not cover local transport cost. This is not mentioned anywhere on their websites.  You will receive additional discounts for scenic trains and other attractions depending on the type of pass you choose.
   2. Rental Car – Another less expensive (not cheaper) option. Driving is a breeze is Swiss.
      1. Transmission Type – Make sure you choose the right transmission type when book your car, else you will get a manual.
      2. Toll – Driving on highways requires you to pay tolls but there are no toll booths. All the cars are required to stick a toll vignette on the windshield. Make sure the car you pick has that. If not buy one at any post office before heading to the freeway. Fines are very steep if you don’t have a vignette.
      3. Gas type – Get diesel cars. It’s cost effective. Regardless, fuel is almost double as that of US.
      4. Traffic Rules – Learn traffic rules, signs. Fines are steep. Honking is illegal unless it’s an emergency. The text on the signs in German. Memorize a few words like Entry, Exit, hours, parking, etc.
      5. Parking – Same as SFO. Street parking is scarce. Garage parking and hotel parking is expensive.
      6. Garage Parking payments – Pay the ticket before you return to your car. This is very similar to the SFO terminal parking. You may not be able to backup at the exit.
      7. Street Parking – if the meter does not accept credit cards, it will accept only coins. Be prepared to use exact change.
      8. Maps – Google maps work just fine. Load the maps before you start your journey. Don’t even bother trying to find/read the street names on the road. The names are so long you will miss the turn. Trust google maps.

2. Lodging – A lot of options including hotels, hostels, guest houses, apartments. Try Trivago, Hotels and AirBnB. Consider the following when booking your stay
   1. Transport –
      1. Renting – driving 30 mins to your destination should not matter. Most hotels will charge you for parking. If the hotels don’t have parking, consider the distance to a nearby garage. Finding street parking is next to impossible. Contact the hotel and book a parking spot.
      2. Public transport – If you are using public transport and time is short, book near a Euro rail (preferably) or public transport station.
   2. Weather – When we went (June), the weather was hot. Most hotels do not have AC or fans. If they do have AC, its namesake. We barely experienced any breeze through the windows. It is better to call the hotel and ask your requirement. Most will provide you with a table fan if you ask them.
   3. Kitchenette – Veg and Indian restaurants options are plenty. For Jain restrictions, hotels with kitchenette are a good option. Make sure the kitchenette is equipped with needed utensils. Otherwise, rely on homemade theplas and Dominos.
   4. Elevator – A lot of hotels dont have elevators.
3. Cash/Credit cards –
   1. Cash – Do not carry a whole lot of cash before your travel. Carry just enough to get by first 2 days. Get Swiss Francs instead of Euros. Swiss Francs are cheaper than Euros, but the locals consider them equal. When you are out of cash, use local ATMs.
   2. Credit card – Swiss accepts cards with a Chip and Pin technology. In USA you get only Chip and Sign credit cards. Get whichever card you get with No foreign transaction fee. The chip and sign will work almost everywhere. I got Chase Sapphire Preferred and had no problems using it.
4. Accessories –
   1. Cell phones – Compare between international data plans (International calling not required) and getting a local SIM card. Trust me; you will need a data plan. For calling, use Hangout Dialer app. Preload it with 10 euros
   2. Converters – Most phones are equipped to work on dual voltage. However, don’t risk burning the most important item you have on the trip. Get a step-down converter.
   3. USB splitters – Get a USB splitter. Connect the splitter to the converter and charge multiple devices at same time. If you are out of USB outputs, remember newer TVs have a bunch of them.
   4. Power banks – Carry one or more power banks. One 25A power bank was enough for us for a day
   5. Bag Pack – Invest in a good bag pack. You will not regret it.
   6. Photo enthusiasts – if you can invest, invest in full frame cameras, wide angel lenses, additional battery packs and memory cards.
5. Apps – Download and learn to use the following apps.
   1. Hangout Dialer – to call anywhere in the world for a few cents.
   2. Camera translator – Use your phone camera to read foreign language and translate it any other language live. Preload the language packs
   3. Google Translate
   4. Apps to access your reservations – Hotels.com, etc.
   5. Via Michelin – Calculates your trip cost, including fuel and tolls.