Where to stay in Switzerland in a place accessible by public transport?

Hi there, We’d like to stay in Switzerland for five days. There are two of us (women). We don’t know this country at all. What cities or affordable spots would you recommend for visiting? Cheap accommodation. Looking for community-based options. And being close to public transport. Thanks for your tips and experiences! Best regards.

Hello,

What’s your definition of "budget-friendly"? Around here, that word isn’t usually on the menu...

We would like to stay for five days in Switzerland

Good evening, For a family of how many people?

Hello, For two people, women in their senior years Ages 60 and 64 Just looking for a place to sleep well and get around easily. Thanks

I don’t know the prices in Switzerland. We’re on a small retirement budget—just enough for a nice, friendly getaway. 5 days for two people. Women-only hostel. Hotel, cheap room. Other reasonable suggestions are welcome! Thanks

Before choosing accommodation, decide on a city—Switzerland is a big small country. If you have a car, you’ll have more options. Otherwise, I’d say Lausanne: lakeside, a bit of city life, countryside nearby, and good public transport. Either way, Switzerland on a budget is gonna be tough.

We take buses like BlaBlaCar, and we're looking for a place in Switzerland where we can stay and get around on a budget, just for a few days. Simple and straightforward. Not far from Geneva, for example.

I really don’t like Geneva at all—it’s gray and gloomy. Check out Lausanne instead, and filter your searches on accommodation sites. Trains are efficient along the lake and will let you get around easily (Lavaux, Vevey, etc.).

Hi there, You can check this out first: https://voyageforum.com/forum/souris-en-suisse-autre-pays-fromage-d10770922/ Then get in touch with the travel journal’s author to find out which accommodations she chose and her thoughts on them. Actually, she did a home swap...

I was just about to reply!

Yes, I went through a home-exchange site, like I do more and more often, and given the prices in Switzerland, it was a welcome option!

You really need to think about what you’re going to visit to choose your base, since Switzerland has great public transport coverage… but it comes at a cost!

Switzerland and budget-friendly, uh, that’s tricky. It actually works out cheaper by car, even with parking fees. 😛

Lausanne was suggested, and I agree—there’s plenty to do there! The shores of Lake Geneva, Lavaux, a trip to Fribourg… or toward Vevey/Montreux, though that’s probably pricey.

Hello, and thanks for these valuable tips, I think we’ll make do with what we’ve got. We’ll follow the suggestions you’ve given us, It’s already not bad, especially for just a few days, Thanks so much, best regards.

Hey, it seems like you’re not really used to traveling. How do you expect to visit a country in 5 days while staying in just one place for lodging and traveling around the country? On top of that, you want it to be cheap and have public transport right at your doorstep. That’s pretty much impossible. As for Geneva, like all capital cities in the world, it’s not representative of the country at all because it’s so international.

Personally, I was in Switzerland on a tight budget like always, and even in places I didn’t know were full of billionaires, I couldn’t find anything for less than 200 euros a night. Except in this tiny village—if you’re interested—in a chalet with a dorm for 48 euros per person through Booking (the owner was a jerk, but that didn’t matter because after getting ripped off in this country of rich people, I was broke anyway) here’s the place in case you’re curious (gorgeous region)

Hello, I’m a seasoned traveler, But this time it’s Switzerland—just a short trip, It’s not for tourism, It’s my first time attending an association meet-up, and I don’t know anyone there. Thanks for shedding some light on this for me, Best regards.

Hello, I’m a frequent traveler, But this time in Switzerland, it’s just a one-off, It’s only for a few days, It’s not for tourism, It’s just for an association meet-up for the first time, somewhere I don’t know. Thanks for shedding some light on this, Best regards.

You could’ve mentioned that in your post—it would’ve saved everyone from going off on a tangent! 😅

Geneva isn't the capital...

That said, it's not the most beautiful city in Switzerland either! !

For hotels, you can find cheap options, but in the countryside... And if you don’t wait too long. (I paid around 50 €/night with a private bathroom), but in the countryside...

If you wanted to stay near Geneva, why not sleep on the French side? The buses can take you back to Geneva... Then you could even take the train to go elsewhere... Anyway, I’ll let you handle that—I’m *very* much a car person. 🙂