Helpful Travel Information for Switzerland

Switzerland is a small multi-cultural, multi-lingual country located in the very heart of Europe. It shares common frontiers with five countries - Germany, France, Italy, Austria and the tiny Principality of Liechtenstein. Switzerland is therefore at the crossroads of the continent. It is a focal point of international air, road and rail traffic and easily accessible within hours from major European cities and centers.

Your Switzerland tour will start at the Lausanne train station, where your guides will meet your around noon, and will end at Gstaad train station, where you guides will drop you off late in the morning. Most guests opt to fly into Geneva and leave either from Geneva or Zurich. You can book flights via our Air Consolidator link located on our website under Planning your Trip / Getting There. If you need assistance with your travel arrangements, we will be glad to help you. Please contact your DuVine Travel Coordinator at 888-396-5383.

Day 1 Arrival in Lausanne
The Lausanne Gare serves as an arrival and departure hub for many domestic as well as international trains. From the Lausanne Train Station there are connections to major cities (such as Geneva, Zurich and Bern) every 15- 30 minutes.
Both Geneva and Zurich airports are fully integrated into the Swiss railroad network and have their own railway stations – it is very easy and convenient to catch a train from either city to Lausanne Train Station. 
We usually recommend catching the following trains departing the morning of the tour:
From Geneva
Train IC 725 departing Geneva at 11:45am arriving in Lausanne at 12:18pm

From Zurich
Train ICN 518 departing Zurich at 10:04am arriving in Biel/ Bienne at 11:13am; Train ICN 1618 departing Biel/Bienne at 11:16am and arriving in Lausanne at 12:15pm.

Train schedules are subject to change; please call your DuVine Tour Coordinator at 888-396-5383 for up-to-date information and ticket reservation.

Day 6 Departure from Gstaad
Your guides will drop you off at Interlaken Train Station around noon. We usually recommend catching the following trains departing from Gstaad after your DuVine Tour:
To Geneva
Train D 3115 from Gstaad at 10:56am arriving in Montreux at 12:13pm; Train IR 1720 Departing Montreux at 12:19pm and arriving in Geneve at 1:24pm on train 1720

To Zurich
Train D 3118 from Gstaad at 11:05am arriving in Zweisimmen at 11:32am; Train RE 3118 Departing Zweisimmen at 11:38am and arriving in Spiez at 12:20pm; Train IC 825 Departing Spiez at 12:25pm and arriving in Zurich at 1:58pm

Train schedules are subject to change; please call your DuVine Tour Coordinator at 888-396-5383 for up-to-date information and ticket reservation.

Flying into/from Geneva International Airport

Geneva International Airport is located 4 km (2.5 mi) northwest of the city centre and has direct connections to motorways, bus lines and railways. The Airport offers flights to several international destinations, such as London, Paris, Madrid, Berlin, Rome, New York and Montreal. The CFF airport railway station has direct access to the airport Check-in and Arrival levels.

How to get to Geneva International Airport From/To Geneva City Centre

By Train: It takes only 6 minutes from/to Geneva city centre by train (every 12 minutes at rush hours). The airport railway station has direct access to the airport Check-in and Arrival levels. All trains stop at Geneva-Cornavin station (city centre).

By Bus: The bus stops are located at the Check-in level, in front of or beside the train station. The following buses stop every 8-15 minutes at rush hours at the airport from/to:
• Geneva city centre - Onex: Bus 10;
• International organizations - Geneva city centre: Bus 5;
• International organizations - lake: Bus 28;

Tourist information and tickets can be obtained at the Unireso information counter in the Arrivals hall of the airport, on leaving customs control. Tickets can also be purchased from the machines located at bus stops (CHF or Euro change required) and at the Swiss railway station. With effect from January 2008, you can pick up a free ticket for public transport from the machine in the baggage collection area at the Arrival level. This Unireso ticket, offered by Geneva International Airport, allows you to use public transport in Geneva free for a period of 80 minutes.

Flying into/from Zurich International Airport
Zurich International Airport is located 12 kilometers (about 7 miles) from downtown Zürich in the suburb of Kloten. Zurich Airport is served by at least 60 airlines and charter services and is the hub of Swissair's worldwide flight network, along with Geneva. The railway station is located under Terminal B. Trains to Lausanne leave every 30 min and the journey time is about 2h 30min. Schedules are subject to change; please call your DuVine Tour Coordinator at 888-396-5383 for up-to-date information and ticket reservation.

How to get to Zurich International Airport From/to Zurich City Center

By Train: Trains run between Zurich main station and the airport every 10 minutes during rush hours (travel time: 10 minutes).

By Bus: Frequent regional bus services depart from the airport bus terminal, which is located close to the main airport complex. For more information regarding schedule please visit: http://www.zvv.ch/en/timetables/online-timetable.html

Exit/Entry Requirements
A valid passport is required to enter Switzerland. U.S., Canadian, Australian, E.U. Citizens are among the ones who may enter Switzerland for tourist or business purposes for up to 90 days without a Visa. For more information on entry requirements based on your citizenship, please contact your embassy or consulate in Switzerland. U.S. Citizens may also refer to the U.S. Department of State section on Traveling to Switzerland.

Currency
Please note that Switzerland remains with the Swiss Franc, usually indicated as CHF. While Switzerland is not part of the European Union and thus is not obliged to convert to the Euro, many prices are nonetheless indicated in Euros so that visitors may compare prices. Merchants may accept Euros but are not obliged to do so. Change given back to the client will most likely be in Swiss Francs.

The Swiss Franc comes in the following denominations:
Coins: 5, 10, 20, 50 Cents and 1, 2, 5 Francs
Banknotes: 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 1000 Francs

The VAT you pay on purchased goods in Switzerland is 7.6 % and it is included in the sale price. You may ask at the shops for your Global Refund Cheque and reclaim the VAT: the total purchases must be more than CHF 400 in one shop in one day (including VAT). The tourist must be resident outside Switzerland and the goods must be exported within 30 days.