Things to do in the Swiss Alps
If you ask what to do in the Swiss Alps, the answer usually has three parts. You ride a train or a cable car to a viewpoint, you look at a glacier or a waterfall, and you add one local experience on the way. The sights are spread over several regions, so choose a base and then pick one or two highlights per day instead of trying to cover everything.
The altitudes range from the Harder Kulm above Interlaken at 1,322 m to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at 3,883 m, so what you wear and how you feel will differ between them. The pages on Interlaken and the Bernese Oberland add more detail for the area where most of these sights lie.
Our picks: viewpoints, glaciers and tastings
The Mount First excursion from Lucerne suits you for the Cliff Walk and the viewing platform, and the Titlis tour for glacier attractions. If you would rather taste local chocolate, cheese and beer, the e-bike ride around Interlaken is the match.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in Swiss francs (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Grindelwald First day trip from Lucerne
- Cable car to Mt First
- Vantage platform and First Cliff Walk
- Fully guided by multilingual guide
A guided coach day from Lucerne to Mount First. Adventure activities at the top are not part of the booking.
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Titlis half-day tour from Lucerne with glacier attractions
- Cable cars to Titlis summit
- Ice Flyer chairlift
- Cliff Walk, Glacier Cave, Glacier Park
Ice Flyer and the glacier attractions depend on the weather. The non-revolving Titlis Connect cable car replaces the revolving Rotair. From 17 August to 12 December 2026, wheelchairs and pushchairs can travel only as far as Trübsee.
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Scenic e-bike tour with local tastings
- Use of bicycle
- Chocolate, cheese and beer samples
A relaxed ride in the Interlaken area with local tastings. Be ready ten minutes before the trip time.
Check availability →Things to do in the Swiss Alps
Day trips, scenic train journeys and activities in the Swiss Alps, with live prices and availability.
Mountains by train and cable car
Six viewpoints, from the lowest to the highest.
| Viewpoint | Altitude | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Harder Kulm | 1,322 m | About 10 minutes by railway from Interlaken, season 3 April to 29 November 2026 |
| First Cliff Walk | 2,166 m | Platform reaches 45 m out, the walk takes about 20 minutes |
| Schilthorn | 2,970 m | Change at Mürren and Birg, the revolving restaurant is a separate service |
| Titlis | 3,020 m | About 30 minutes from Engelberg |
| Jungfraujoch | 3,454 m | Highest railway station in Europe, view of the Aletsch Glacier |
| Matterhorn Glacier Paradise | 3,883 m | About 40 minutes from Zermatt including a change |
The Harder Kulm has a special offer in November 2026: from 1 to 29 November a return ticket with a CHF 25 consumption voucher costs CHF 44, or CHF 34 with Half Fare, GA, the Swiss Travel Pass or a child discount. It is a combined offer rather than a year-round fare, and the Harder Kulm is not an easy walk, so treat the railway and a hike as different plans.
The Schilthorn return fare from Stechelberg is CHF 115 for adults and CHF 45.70 with the Swiss Travel Pass, valid until 12 December 2026. Storms can limit or stop operation. The Titlis is reached from Engelberg, and the Rotair cable car is out of service from 17 August to 11 December 2026 for modernisation. A daily replacement, Titlis Connect, runs instead, so the summit itself is not closed. From 17 August to 12 December 2026, wheelchairs and pushchairs can travel only as far as Trübsee. The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is not a trip to the summit of the Matterhorn but to a glacier station with a glacier palace, a cinema lounge and a viewing platform.
Two day tours from Lucerne reach mountains without any planning on your side. One goes to the Titlis and includes a guide, a coach and the cable cars to the summit, with the Ice Flyer chairlift, Cliff Walk and Glacier Cave depending on the weather. The other goes to Grindelwald First and includes the cable car, the viewing platform and the First Cliff Walk. Adventure activities at the top are not included.
Glaciers
Where you see them and how to stay safe.
The glacier area around the Jungfrau and Aletsch is a World Heritage site since 2001 and extended in 2007 to cover 82,400 ha. The listing also reflects the retreat of the glaciers and the high mountain ecosystems around them. From the Jungfraujoch you can look at the Aletsch Glacier. The Aletsch Arena in Valais sells a discovery pass from CHF 27.50, which is a starting price and not a full adult day fare.
Standing near a glacier station does not mean the ice is safe to walk on. Alpine routes can cross firn, glaciers and trackless ground, and rope, ice axe and experience may be required. Treat the glacier as a place to look at from marked viewpoints unless you go with a mountain guide. Our hiking page explains the trail grades.
Swiss chocolate and cheese tasting
A gentle outing for the day after a mountain.
A tasting is easy to combine with a relaxed outing around Interlaken. The scenic e-bike tour from Interlaken includes the use of a bicycle and samples of local chocolate, cheese and beer. It lasts about two and a half hours, and you should be at the shop on Höheweg 10 minutes before the start. It is a quiet way to see the area between the lakes before or after a day at altitude.
Zermatt and the Matterhorn
A short overview of the Valais highlight.
Zermatt is car free beyond Täsch, so you arrive by train or by shuttle. For the Gornergrat railway, the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and the village, see the separate guide to things to do in Zermatt. Valais is a different region from the Bernese Oberland, so allow a separate day or more.
Lauterbrunnen waterfalls
Water in the valley and inside the mountain.
The Lauterbrunnen valley is known for its waterfalls, among them the Staubbach Falls. The Trümmelbach Falls are ten glacier water falls inside the mountain, reached by a tunnel lift. They are open daily from early April to November, usually from 09:00 to 17:00, and in July and August from 08:30 to 18:00. The start and end of the season depend on the weather, so check with the operator before you travel. Dogs are not allowed, and neither are babies and small children up to an age of 4 years. More valley stops are described in our Bernese Oberland guide.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do in the Swiss Alps on a first visit?
Most first visits combine one mountain by train or cable car, one lake or waterfall and one easy local experience. The table above shows the altitudes so you can match them to your plan.
Is there one ticket for all mountain railways?
The Swiss Travel Pass gives free or reduced rides on some of them, so check each one.
Is the Titlis closed this autumn?
No. Only the Rotair cable car is out of service from 17 August to 11 December 2026, and a replacement runs daily. From 17 August to 12 December 2026, wheelchairs and pushchairs can travel only as far as Trübsee.
Can I walk onto a glacier?
Not on your own. Glacier routes can need rope, ice axe and experience, and a nearby station does not make the ice safe.