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Jaaci Suiza
A still alpine lake at dawn reflecting jagged snowy peaks, a small town and a red train on the shore

A plain guide to Switzerland

JaaciSuiza

Switzerland, explained one valley, train and table at a time.

How the trains fit together, what each region feels like in each season, and what to eat when you get there. Written for curious first-time visitors.

Start with Swiss Rail Days

The route

One line, three stops

  1. Swiss Rail DaysPasses, timetables, scenic lines
  2. Lakes & Mountain TownsRegions, seasons, lake towns
  3. The Swiss TableFondue, raclette, markets

Six landscapes

A small country with many moods

Within a few hours by train you can go from arcaded old towns on fast green rivers to palm-lined southern lakes, terraced vineyards and car-free mountain villages.

Read Lakes & Mountain Towns
  • Sandstone arcades beside a fast river in an old town
    Old towns on riversArcades, fountains and bridges
  • A tall waterfall dropping into a green valley with chalets
    Waterfall valleysCliffs, meadows and spray
  • A palm-lined lakeside promenade with a grand villa
    Southern lakesPalms, piazzas and Italian
  • Autumn vineyard terraces above a wide lake
    Vineyard terracesStone walls above the water
  • A road of hairpin bends climbing a snowy pass
    High passesOpen in summer, snow in winter
  • Dark timber houses in a mountain village below a pointed peak
    Car-free villagesArrive by train, walk everywhere
A pot of melted cheese with long forks, a golden rösti, potatoes with pickles and squares of dark chocolate on a wooden table

At the table

Fondue, the unhurried way

  1. Rub the pot. A cut clove of garlic around the inside of the caquelon.
  2. Melt slowly. Grated cheese with a splash of dry white wine, stirred over low heat.
  3. Stir in figures of eight. Each dip of bread keeps the cheese moving and smooth.
  4. Save the crust. The toasted layer at the bottom is a treat to share at the end.
Read The Swiss Table

Altitude profile

From lake shore to glacier in a day

  • 193 mLake Maggiore, the lowest point in the country
  • 372 mLake Geneva at the water's edge
  • 3,454 mJungfraujoch, Europe's highest railway station
  • 4,634 mDufourspitze, the highest summit

Four ways to say good day

  • GrüeziSwiss German, in Zurich, Lucerne and Bern
  • BonjourFrench, around Geneva, Lausanne and the Jura
  • BuongiornoItalian, in Ticino and some southern valleys
  • AllegraRomansh, heard in parts of Graubünden
A deep green valley with waterfalls and a red train crossing a stone viaduct

Choose your first stop

Swiss Rail Days Lakes & Mountain Towns The Swiss Table