Day Trips to Swiss Alps from Zurich

The villages of Bern and the top of Europe are some of the places in the Alps that you can enjoy in these experiences. A visit to the Alps is a must-do activity among the best things to see and do in Zurich.

One of the most spectacular experiences on this type of tour is to take a cogwheel train ride through the glaciers and snow-capped Alps to the highest mountains in Europe and see some of Switzerland's most incredible scenery.

The recommended option

Jungfraujoch and Oberland Day Trip from Zurich

Explore the Swiss Alps, visit dream villages and ride the Eiger Express cable car.

Enjoy these wonderful landscapes on a guided tour. Travel in luxury transport and take postcard pictures.

From £260 at Hellotickets

This full day excursion will take you from Zurich into the Swiss Alps along breathtaking trails. You will ride the famous Eiger Express cable car to Jungfraujoch, a World Heritage listed mountain pass. There you can also visit the Sphinx observatory and then take a trip to the Ice Palace, where you can admire sculptures and works of art.

Recommended if... you are in Zurich and don't want to miss this pure nature experience only 130km away.

On this full day experience you will get to see the highest peak in Europe, also known as Jungfraujoch. You will visit the Jungfrau region, and the towns of Interlaken and Grindelwald, as well as the Bernese Oberland, a high alpine region noted for its colourful landscapes, lakes and green hills.

An expert tour guide will accompany you throughout the trip and will be giving you commentary in English on each of the places you stop at. You'll be able to take the cable car and one of the best scenic trains from Zurich to appreciate the scenery, as well as have the opportunity to enter an ice palace and climb up to the Sphinx observatory to take stunning photographs of the scenery.

Interesting details

• Price: from 298 euros per person.
• Duration: 12 hours from the time you leave the hotel until you return.
• Means of Transport: you will have to arrive on your own at the meeting point in the city of Zurich, right at the bus terminal. From there you will board an air-conditioned and fully equipped vehicle that will take you to the station to board the rack railway. The next ride will be by train to the cable car station where you will board the funicular railway.
• Advantages of this tour: The cost of the rack railway and cable car transfer is included. An expert tour guide is included. You can choose to do this tour in English, Spanish or German. Public transport is available near the starting point of the experience. Pets are allowed and it is pram accessible, as well as child seats are available.

On this tour you can go to the Gornergrat as well as see the snow-capped peaks of the Matterhorn. On this trip you will have the opportunity to depart from Zurich to Bern and then on to these impressive Swiss landscapes. To get to the Gornergrat you will board a cogwheel train which will take you through beautiful scenery on the way.

With this combined excursion, you will get to know the historical and cultural centre of the Zermatt area. The tour guide will help you to know a bit more about the geography of this area, while telling you about the different cultural characteristics of Switzerland and its traditions.

Interesting details

• Price: from 500 euros per person.
• Duration: it lasts approximately 11-12 hours.
• Means of Transport: bus ride to the train station. Train ride up to Zermatt and up to Gornergrat. Part of the tour is on foot.
• Advantages of this tour: Entrance fees to all attractions are included as well as all taxes, fees and handling charges. A tour guide is included for the entire trip. A priority pass for the Matterhorn train ride is also included.

Almost every Alpine sightseeing experience includes a train journey that will leave you with beautiful postcards, especially if you choose to visit Zurich in winter.

On this 12-hour combination tour, you'll start your journey from Zurich by air-conditioned vehicle to Interlaken where you'll board the train. From there you will continue your journey to the next stop at the Grindelwald terminus. There you can change transport again and take the cable car to the top of Europe.

Accompanied by an expert guide, you will be able to enjoy incredible panoramic views of the mountains and take home an unforgettable souvenir.

Interesting details

• Price: from 178 euros per person.
• Duration: it lasts approximately 12 hours.
• Means of transport: equipped vehicle to the train station. Then intercity train, cable car and if you wish, you can go zip-lining or ride a mountain bike.
• Advantages of this excursion: a tour guide is included during the whole trip. Entrance fees to the various attractions are included. All taxes, fees and charges are covered. Including entrance fees to the Grindelwald terminal at the top of Europe.

If visiting the Jungfraujoch area by cog railway and cable car, as well as having the opportunity to walk in the snow, is already a unique experience, imagine getting into a helicopter and flying over the Alps. One of the biggest advantages of this flight is that you can do it alone with your group.

This tour includes a limousine transfer to the heliport where you will board the helicopter with your group to climb to the top of Europe and see the incredible scenery up close.

It is important to note that the flight may be cancelled due to weather conditions, often due to wind or snow, regardless of the time of year. In this case, the experience can be exchanged for a train ride to the top of the Jungfraujoch.

Interesting details

• Price: Approximately €8,980 per adult, although this may vary according to the size of the group.
• Duration: a full day experience of between 8 and 10 hours.
• Means of transport: private transport from your hotel in Zurich.
• Advantages of this flight: all taxes and fees are included in the price. Private transport is also included, as well as return transport from your hotel in Zurich. You will have a private guide who will explain the entire tour. This is a private tour so only your group will participate.
• Disadvantages of this flight: This plan is not suitable for people with heart problems, back problems or pregnant women. It is not a wheelchair accessible experience. The weather must be good for this activity to take place, otherwise you will have to cancel and find another way to go up. Food and drinks are not included.

This full day tour is one of the best excursions in Zurich because it takes you to some of the most beautiful places in Switzerland such as Mount Titlis and the city of Lucerne.

The tour starts with a short city tour of Lucerne, where you will be guided by a guide who will give you an orientation of each place you will see on the tour.

After leaving Lucerne behind, you will continue your way to the town of Engelberg, which is located at the foot of Mount Titlis, which you will also have the opportunity to climb during the tour. Once at the top, I invite you to take lots of photos of the spectacular views of the Alps that you will only be able to see from this special place. You will also take a chairlift, weather permitting.

Interesting details

• Price: from 179 euros per person.
• Duration: approximately 9.5 hours from the time you leave your hotel to the time you return.
• Means of transport: you will have to get to the meeting point in Zurich by your own means, where you will get on the bus with all the comforts. You will also take the cable car.
• Advantages of this trip: you will be accompanied by a tour guide at all times. The vehicle that will take you there and back is equipped with everything you need. Includes the cable car ride and snow tubing in Glacier Park. It also includes a visit to the glacier cave, weather permitting.

On this scenic ride you will have the opportunity to see spectacular scenery while on board the Glacier Express. Included in this experience is a walking tour of the entire town of Chur, one of the most beautiful towns in the Swiss Alps. You'll also get to visit the Grand Canyon and the highest snow-capped peaks in the country.

On this trip, which I would include in my complete guide of things to do in Zurich in 3 days, you have the possibility to board a luxury bus in Zurich and then travel in comfort to the train boarding site. On the private tour you will have the opportunity to take multiple photos to remember the trip.

Interesting details

• Price: approximately 530 euros per person.
• Duration: it lasts approximately 10 hours, so it is a full day trip.
• Means of Transport: this trip is by train, but to get to the station you will have to take a bus with all amenities in Zurich.
• Advantages of this tour: all handling fees, taxes and additional fees that may arise are included. It also includes the attention of an expert guide who will guide you throughout the tour. You will have access to an information booklet during the trip. Your seat on the Glacier Express train is included. Pick up and drop off at the hotel is included. This is a private experience, so only your group can participate. It is wheelchair accessible.

On this self-guided tour you are offered a complete step-by-step guide on how to have an amazing experience through Mount Gornergrat and the alpine village of Zermatt. This is one of the best experiences for independent travellers who want to have time to see each place on their own.

One of the most interesting things to see in the village of Zermatt is that this is a completely car-free alpine area. In addition, you will always have the Matterhorn in front of you, which will give you postcard-perfect views to take all the pictures you want. Emergency communication with the travel agency is guaranteed throughout the tour.

Interesting details

• Price: this experience costs approximately 378 euros per person.
• Duration: you can do this tour in approximately 8 hours from the time you leave the train station in Zurich until you return home.
• Means of transport: you will board a cogwheel train, but to get to the train station, you will have to make your own way by public transport.
• Advantages of this guided tour: all taxes, handling fees and fares required during the trip are included. Also included are tickets to board the train, and brochures with timetables and alternatives.

• Wear closed-toe shoes suitable for winter, so that you can cope with the cold temperatures and snow.
• Wear warm enough clothing, as these tours regularly take place in winter, so it's important to keep your body warm.
• Check the weather before venturing on such an experience, as in some cases experiences are cancelled due to bad weather.
• If you have any food restrictions, you should tell your guide beforehand, in case the tour includes cheese or other food tastings.

The Bernese villages in particular are not to be missed, and places like Interlaken and Grindelwald are the most special in the whole Alpine region. During your tour through the Alps you will pass through some villages in the Swiss countryside, at least just passing through, so I recommend that you take lots of photos here.

Of course you will visit the Jungfraujoch area, a cosy village that you will have the opportunity to photograph from the heights and among its streets. You will also be able to visit or perhaps see some other villages on the way, such as Coira and Lauterbrunnen.