50+ day trips under 20 francs: Switzerland gives away its greatest treasures

Switzerland is the most expensive country in Europe – and yet there are hundreds of experiences that don't cost a single franc. From the SBB saver day pass from CHF 29 to 500 free museums to 65,000 kilometres of hiking trails with no admission fee. Here are the day trips that even locals don't all know about.

Switzerland has more free day trip destinations than any other country in Europe. The problem: hardly anyone knows them all.

ConvivaPlus Research, 2026

🚂 The CHF 29 trick: travel across Switzerland with the saver day pass

The SBB saver day pass is the best-kept secret of Swiss public transport. From CHF 29 with half-fare card (from CHF 52 without), you travel all day on all GA routes across Switzerland – from Geneva to Chur, from Basel to Chiasso.

The trick: the earlier you book, the cheaper it gets. Bookable up to 6 months in advance via sbb.ch or the SBB Mobile app. Tuesdays and Wednesdays outside school holidays are cheapest – that's where you'll find the most CHF 29 tickets. Passes are limited: when the cheapest ones are gone, the price rises to CHF 39, then CHF 49. If you're flexible and book early, you'll travel for the price of a lunch across all of Switzerland.

🏊 Swimming lakes: nearly all free, some with a small fee

In Switzerland, all natural lakes and rivers are freely accessible – it's enshrined in law. No admission, no reservation, no ticket.

What many don't know: Switzerland has over 1,500 lakes. Most of them are freely accessible. Some have water quality reminiscent of the Caribbean – the Caumasee in Graubünden has even been ranked among the most beautiful lakes in Europe. And the admission? CHF 0. Here are the 10 best free swimming experiences in Switzerland:

🏛️ 500 museums for CHF 0: the museum pass trick

Switzerland has according to the FSO over 1,100 museums – more per capita than any other country in the world. The Swiss Museum Pass costs CHF 166 per year and opens the doors to over 500 of them. Do the math: 33 centimes per museum.

Anyone visiting just 3 museums a year has already paid off the pass. By the way: the Federal Palace in Bern also offers free guided tours – where the 7 Federal Council members with their CHF 478,000 salary work. But it gets even cheaper – many museums have permanent free entry or regular free days:

CHF 166 for 500 museums = 33 centimes per museum. Anyone visiting more than 3 museums a year already saves.

🥾 65,000 kilometres of hiking happiness – completely free

Switzerland has the densest hiking trail network in the world: 65,000 kilometres of marked trails – that's one and a half times the Earth's circumference. Maintained by cantonal hiking associations in all 26 cantons and funded by tax money. Admission: CHF 0.

What makes the Swiss hiking network unique: the yellow signposts are a national system. Each one shows exact walking times, each trail is marked by difficulty (yellow = easy, white-red-white = mountain trail, white-blue-white = alpine trail). The digital map on schweizmobil.ch shows all 65,000 km for free. Here are 10 must-do hikes:

🎪 Free events: partying without a wallet

Switzerland loves to celebrate – and often for free. What many forget: some of the biggest and most famous events in the country are free. The Street Parade in Zurich for example attracts over a million people annually – free. The Basel Carnival is a UNESCO heritage – free.

The trick: many of these events happen on fixed dates. Plan your calendar strategically and enjoy free experiences all year round:

🏰 Castles, fortresses and the Rhine Falls – culture for CHF 0

Europe's largest waterfall is free. The Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen is freely accessible from the north bank – a natural spectacle that no tourist misses, but that doesn't get boring even after the 10th visit.

Add to that dozens of castles, fortresses and historic old towns that are freely accessible. Switzerland has 13 UNESCO World Heritage sites – most can be visited for free. And for those interested in Swiss craftsmanship: the history of the 114 Swiss watch brands can also be experienced for free in museums. Here are the best free cultural experiences:

💡 The ultimate insider hacks

💰 What it really costs – the honest calculation

Despite all the free offers: a completely free day trip is rare. Travel, food, parking fees – the hidden costs add up. Parking at Oeschinensee costs CHF 15. A coffee at the Rhine Falls CHF 5.50. An ice cream for the kids CHF 4.

Nevertheless, our honest calculation shows: a complete family day trip for under CHF 50 is absolutely doable – if you make the right choices. For even more savings, our tax guide has tips on deducting commuter costs and public transport passes from your taxes. The biggest lever? Public transport instead of driving. A saver day pass at CHF 29 beats any fuel budget. And bringing your own food instead of eating at the mountain restaurant saves another CHF 60-80 per family.

A day at the Jungfraujoch costs a family CHF 480. A day by the Aare with a barbecue: CHF 15. The experience? Often equal. The memories? Priceless.

Day trips · 22.03.2026