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A “star-shaped” trip through Switzerland: exploring the country by train from a single city

Written by Sophie Renassia

Published today

You know how it goes: you arrive in a new city, unpack your suitcase, spend two days exploring the area, and before you know it, it’s already time to pack everything back up and head to your next destination. What if, for once, we did things differently? In Switzerland, you can easily settle in in a single city and set out every morning to explore a new place. One day, you’re up high in the Alps. The next, you’re strolling along a lake or getting lost in the narrow streets of an old town. And in the evening, you return to sleep in the same place, without having to carry your luggage.

This kind of trip is called a radial tour, and with TGV Lyria, this concept (the Day Discoveries) really makes sense! Especially since it only takes a few hours by train from Paris to start the adventure. We'll explain everything.

Travel to Switzerland by train with TGV Lyria

Before you set out to explore Switzerland’s lakes and mountains, you’ll first need to get to your base camp. Good news: From Paris, the TGV Lyria takes you directly to the heart of Switzerland’s major cities in just 3 to 4 hours.

© Niels Ackermann / TGV Lyria

Which Swiss cities can be reached by TGV Lyria from Paris?

TGV Lyria connects Paris Gare de Lyon to four major Swiss cities, with travel times that even make it possible to plan a long weekend.

Minimum travel times and frequencies provided by TGV Lyria; subject to change depending on the dates. Please note: Due to construction, some trains to Lausanne require a transfer in Geneva through April 4, 2027. To check the schedule before your departure, visit the page TGV Lyria Traffic Information.

The advantage? You arrive right in the city center, with the option to connect to the Swiss rail network.

© IG/LaPetiteGrosse / TGV Lyria

Would you rather go to Bern, Lucerne, or Interlaken? That’s no problem either: from Basel, you can continue your journey by Swiss train with one transfer. For example, allow about an extra hour to get to Bern from Basel, a little longer for Lucerne, and about two hours for Interlaken.

On the budget side, TGV Lyria tickets start at €29 one-way in Standard class on certain routes from Paris, if you book as soon as tickets go on sale, up to 6 months before departure. And throughout the year, you’ll regularly find tickets starting at €39 on all routes. First come, first served—the best prices go fast! To explore destinations and book your TGV Lyria, It's here.

Geneva and its famous water fountain

And what about the other cities in France?

You don't have to live in Paris to explore Switzerland by train! There are several other French cities from which you can easily reach Switzerland, sometimes even without a transfer.

From Lyon and the south of France, TGV Lyria also offers a summer service to Geneva and Lausanne, departing from Marseille, with stops at Aix-en-Provence TGV, Avignon TGV, and Lyon Part-Dieu. It runs for only about two months a year, during the summer: be sure to check the dates before planning your trip.

Direct international routes between France and Switzerland - © TGV Lyria

From Strasbourg, you can reach Basel by direct TER train in about 1 hour, then easily continue on to Zurich, Lucerne, or Bern on Swiss trains.

What if you move somewhere else in France? The easiest way is to look up a route to Geneva, Lausanne, or Basel, then continue on the SBB to your base camp. (To see the destinations served by TGV Lyria, that's where it is.)

Traveling on the TGV Lyria: What’s it really like?

There are three classes of service available on TGV Lyria trains, depending on your preferences and budget:

• Standard, starting at €39 one-way from Paris, for a comfortable trip with access to Wi-Fi, the entertainment portal, and the bar car, with online booking and click-and-collect pickup.
• Premiere, to enjoy more spacious seats, a quieter environment, and additional services, such as meals delivered right to your seat.
• First Signature, for a high-end dining experience, including a menu served at your table, The Table, created by chefs Michel Roth and Danny Khezzar. This class is offered all week, except on Saturdays.

And for a quick snack, head to The Bistrot, the dining car, which is open to passengers and offers seasonal dishes and vegetarian options, among other things.

You can also enjoy the Wi-Fi and the entertainment portal, which offers movies, TV shows, podcasts, and news. Or you can simply watch the scenery go by (that works great, too!).

© Sylvain Meillasson / TGV Lyria

Why is Switzerland such a great destination for a "star" vacation?

Day Discoveries: How Does It Work?

The idea is really simple: instead of changing accommodations at every stop on your trip, you settle in one city and set out to explore the region on day trips. No need to lug your suitcase around train stations or repack your bag every morning. And best of all, you can adjust your plans at the last minute: sunny skies in the forecast? Head for the mountains! Rain all day? Then it’ll be a museum, the old town, or hot chocolate instead.

In Switzerland, this type of trip is particularly easy to organize. Switzerland Tourism and Swiss Travel System have even come up with the Day Discoveries, a selection of excursions accessible by public transportation from three cities: Lausanne, Lucerne, and Interlaken. The destinations are categorized by distance: less than 90, 150, or 250 minutes away. You’re sure to find ideas for everything from a quick getaway to a full day of adventure.

A rail network that makes life easier

In Switzerland, you can leave a major city in the morning, find yourself standing in front of a glacier a few hours later, and be back in time for dinner—all without touching a steering wheel. The secret? A network of trains, postal buses, boats, and ski lifts that operates in a highly coordinated manner. This is largely thanks to the cadenced schedule: on many routes, trains depart at regular intervals, often on the same minute of every hour or half-hour. The schedules are also coordinated with those of other public transportation services.

© Pierre-Louis Espinasse / TGV Lyria

The result: you can easily combine a train, a PostBus, a boat, or a mountain railway to reach places that, on a map, seem lost in the middle of the Alps. Of course, it’s always best to check the schedules, especially for the last connections of the day and tourist routes. But it’s a real joy to travel without a car!

To understand how Switzerland developed such an efficient network, we explain it all in our article Switzerland: A Rail Enthusiast's Paradise?.

Article

Switzerland: a railway paradise?

How much time should I allow?

For your first “star” trip, we recommend that you stay at least four nights on site. That gives you three full days to explore the area without having to rush around as soon as you arrive.

With a week ahead of you, you can easily alternate between mountain excursions, cultural explorations, and more relaxed days.

Our tip: Don't try to cram everything into a single day. A trip to the Jungfraujoch, for example, takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes each way from Interlaken—not counting the time spent up there.

And keep your plans a little flexible: the mountains are often much more beautiful when they're not hidden behind the clouds!

Which city should you choose as a base in Switzerland?

This is probably the most important decision of your trip. Depending on whether you dream of snow-capped peaks, swimming in lakes, or strolling through charming towns, you won't necessarily choose the same starting point.

To help you, here are the main options.

Lausanne: If you want to explore Lake Geneva and French-speaking Switzerland

If you love lakes, vineyards, and towns that are perfect for strolling through, Lausanne is a great place to settle down.

Here, the city slopes down toward Lake Geneva, and the terraced vineyards of Lavaux begin almost at its gates. Whether it’s the lake, vineyards, mountains, or neighboring towns, you’ll find all our suggestions for day trips from Lausanne below.

Lavaux: Between Vineyards and Lake Geneva

Lausanne is also the Olympic capital: the International Olympic Committee is headquartered there, and the Olympic Museum is open to visitors on the lakeshore in Ouchy. When it comes to food, don’t leave without trying malakoff, a cheese fritter typical of the region, or salée au sucre, a brioche-style cream tart found in Lausanne’s bakeries. Pair it all with a glass of Chasselas, the star grape variety of Lavaux. And if you don’t eat dairy, raisinée—a fruit syrup simmered for a long time—is a lovely local treat to pack in your suitcase.

Interlaken: If You Dream of Mountains

From Interlaken, you're spoiled for choice! Nestled between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, the town is situated at the foot of the peaks of the Jungfrau region: the perfect place to alternate between days in the mountains and walks along the water's edge.

The Beauty of the Snow-Capped Jungfrau

From Interlaken Ost, it takes about 35 minutes to get to Grindelwald, 20 minutes to Brienz, and 30 minutes to Thun.

And if you want to extend the fun of the train ride, the Lucerne-Interlaken Express connects Interlaken to Lucerne in about 1 hour and 50 minutes, through stunning mountain scenery!

Lucerne: If You Can't Decide Between the Lake and the Mountains

Good news: in Lucerne, you don’t have to choose. You can start your day by crossing the Kapellbrücke, the famous covered bridge in the old town, and end it at the top of a mountain—Lake Lucerne and the Alps are right on your doorstep.

Another possible excursion: the Titlis, accessible via Engelberg and its ski lifts, to explore the world of high mountains.

The magnificent view of the Titlis from the lake

In short, Lucerne is a great option if you want to explore different places without spending your days on public transportation.

Bern: A Great Base for Exploring Multiple Regions

Bern is not one of the three cities officially featured in Day Discoveries, but it certainly deserves a place in this selection.

First, because its old town, with its long arcades and medieval facades, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Second, because it’s ideally located for exploring the country by train.

The Charm of Bern's Old Town

From Bern, the distance is approximately:

• 1 hour to get to Interlaken,
• 1 hour to Lucerne,
• 1 hour and 15 minutes to Lausanne.

So you can spend one day in the mountains of the Bernese Oberland, another on the shores of Lake Geneva, and return each evening to enjoy the Swiss capital.

And why not Geneva, Basel, or Zurich?

These three cities share one advantage: they are directly accessible from Paris via the TGV Lyria.

• Geneva is a great way to explore Lake Geneva and its surroundings, especially for a stay of a few days. Highlights include the Old Town, the Jet d’Eau, and the Bains des Pâquis, where you can swim in the summer and enjoy a fondue overlooking the lake in the winter.
• Basel will appeal more to art and architecture enthusiasts: it’s the Swiss city with the highest density of museums per square kilometer and per capita (with about 40 museums!). And it’s about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Lucerne.
• As for Zurich, it offers a mix of urban exploration, walks along the lake, and excursions to German-speaking Switzerland.

See also: our Guide to Traveling by Train in Switzerland.

© Niels Ackermann / TGV Lyria - A TGV Lyria train departing from Marseille

Our Ideas for Day Trips in Switzerland

Have you picked your base camp? Now it's time for some excursions! The advantage of a hub-and-spoke trip is that you can plan your days however you like, without necessarily having to follow a set itinerary.

Reaching New Heights in the Swiss Mountains

It's hard to talk about Switzerland without mentioning its mountains. And here's some good news: many peaks are accessible by public transportation, sometimes via some pretty spectacular rack-and-pinion trains.

From Interlaken, you can travel to the Jungfraujoch, home to Europe's highest railway station, at an elevation of 3,454 meters. The journey via Grindelwald and the Eiger Express is an experience in itself. Another option is the Schilthorn, with its famous revolving restaurant and views of the Bernese Alps.

From Lucerne, you can choose from several iconic peaks: the Rigi, the Pilatus, or the Stanserhorn. Each can be reached by a combination of public transportation and ski lifts.

The Rigi - © Swiss Travel System AG, 2024, photographer: Tobias Ryser

From Lausanne, head to Les Rochers-de-Naye, above Montreux, or Glacier 3000, accessible via Aigle, Les Diablerets, and the Col du Pillon.

Keep in mind, though: ski lifts aren't always included in train tickets or transit passes. Be sure to check the prices before you go, since some high-mountain excursions can be quite expensive.

Hop on a scenic train

There are trains you take to get somewhere, and others you take mainly for the pleasure of the journey itself. We'll let you guess which category the famous one belongs to GoldenPass Express…

Between Montreux and Interlaken, it crosses the Pays-d'Enhaut, passes through Gstaad, and winds through mountain scenery for a little over three hours. And with its large panoramic windows, it’s hard to take your eyes off the scenery… The entire trip takes about 3 hours and 15 minutes, and three classes are available: 2nd, 1st, and Prestige. Reservations are recommended for the standard classes and required for Prestige.

From Lausanne or Interlaken, you could even plan a full day spent traveling by train: take the GoldenPass Express one way, then return via a different rail route, through Visp. Just be sure to check the schedules before you go—this excursion takes up a good part of the day!

We'll tell you more about this exceptional scenic train in this article:

Article

GoldenPass Express: 4 days to discover Switzerland on a luxury panoramic train

Enjoying Switzerland's Lakes

You don't have to climb to 3,000 meters to be amazed by the view.

From Interlaken, you can head to the shores of Lake Brienz, famous for its turquoise waters, or visit Thun, with its old town and castle.

The stunning panoramic view from Thun Castle, easily accessible from Interlaken

From Lucerne, the boats on Lake Lucerne offer a chance to explore the region from a different perspective—and even to combine a boat ride with a hike in the mountains.

And from Lausanne, Lake Geneva offers many attractions: the vineyards of Lavaux, Montreux, Vevey, and Chillon Castle, situated on the lakeshore.

A quick tip: Boats don't run at the same frequency depending on the season. Be sure to check the schedules before planning your day!

Explore cities and museums

Want to take a break between hikes? Swiss cities also have plenty to keep you busy for a few days.

From Lausanne, you can easily get to Geneva or Bern, with its medieval old town and famous arcades.

From Lucerne, management Zurich, Basel or even Lugano, in Ticino, for an atmosphere quite different from that of the Central Alps.

Lugano and its funicular

And for a gourmet outing, the Gruyères region lets you explore a medieval village and the Maison Cailler in Broc. It’s actually the kind of outing we like to keep up our sleeve for days when the weather isn’t exactly on our side.

How do you plan a hub-and-spoke trip in Switzerland?

Swiss Travel Pass or single-trip tickets: How much do they cost, and which should you choose?

This is a question that comes up often when planning a trip to Switzerland: Should you buy a transit pass?

If you're planning several excursions, the Swiss Travel Pass It’s worth looking into. Available only to travelers who do not reside in Switzerland or Liechtenstein, it offers unlimited travel on a large portion of the train, bus, and boat network for 3, 4, 6, 8, or 15 consecutive days. It also provides access to public transportation in more than 90 cities, over 500 museums, and several mountain railroads.

To give you an idea, here are the adult rates listed by Switzerland Tourism :

Adult rates published by Switzerland Tourism in October 2026. Euro equivalents are provided for informational purposes only, based on the exchange rate as of October 28, 2026 (1 CHF ≈ 1.082 €). Amounts in euros may vary depending on the exchange rate applied at the time of payment.

The under 25 years old receive a discount of about 30% with the Swiss Travel Pass Youth. With the family, the Swiss Family Card, which is free, allows children to Ages 6 to 15 to travel at no additional cost when they are accompanied by at least one parent holding an eligible ticket.

Is it necessarily profitable? Not always! If you're planning just one or two trips, individual tickets may be a better deal, especially if you book discounted tickets on the SBB website or app.

Another option to consider: the Swiss Half Fare Card, which provides access to discounts on many public transportation options and ski lifts.

In any case, it's best to run a quick simulation based on your schedule rather than automatically buying the most comprehensive pass.

Is it possible to plan a hub-and-spoke trip in the winter?

Of course! And if you like snowy landscapes, winter can actually be a wonderful time of year to explore Switzerland by train.

The GoldenPass Express The train line connecting Montreux to Interlaken Ost runs year-round, offering a great chance to travel through snow-covered landscapes in the Pays-d’Enhaut. In December, it’s time for the Christmas markets: the one in Montreux, set up along the shores of Lake Geneva, or the one in Basel, on Barfüsserplatz and Münsterplatz (in 2026: November 26 through December 23).

The Montreux Christmas Market, on the shores of the lake

Please note, however, that not all tourist trains and ski lifts operate year-round. In 2026, the Glacier Express For example, it doesn't circulate from the October 11 through December 4, 2026, inclusive, before returning to duty on December 5. As for the Pilatus, near Lucerne, the rack-and-pinion train runs from May 11 through November 29, 2026. The gondola lifts and the cable car from Kriens are closed for maintenance on October 19 through November 27, before reopening on November 28. The moral of the story: Before booking a mountain excursion, always check the opening dates and operating hours of the ski lifts. That way, you won’t find out once you’re there that the summit you’re aiming for isn’t accessible via your planned route!

Our Tips for Stress-Free Travel

Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your stay:

• Keep an eye on the weather. If you're planning a trip to the high mountains, it's best to choose days with clear skies. The resorts' webcams can help you decide.
• Check the last trains and ski lifts. Transfers are generally well organized, but service may be less frequent in the evening and during the off-season.
• Download the SBB app. It will allow you to check schedules, connections, platform numbers, and any service disruptions.
• Take advantage of the luggage storage service. Your suitcase will stay at the hotel while you're out on excursions, but if you want to visit a city on the day you arrive or depart, many train stations have luggage storage facilities. And with the HOURRAIL Club!, you can, for example, get a discount on storage fees Bounce. And if you change your home city during your trip, SBB can also carry your luggage From station to station, door-to-door, or all the way to your lodging. For example, expect to pay 12 CHF per piece of luggage for station-to-station service, with pickup two days later: be sure to plan ahead!
• Have a Plan B ready. Keep one or two “rain-or-shine” outings in mind—whether in town or at a museum—as they’ll be a great substitute for a hike if the weather turns bad.

And above all, don't turn your trip into a race against the clock! Part of the joy of traveling by train is being able to take your time.

© IG/LaPetiteGrosse / TGV Lyria

Ready to explore Switzerland by train?

Ultimately, exploring Switzerland by train doesn’t necessarily mean traveling across the entire country with your suitcase. Sometimes, all you need to do is choose a city where you feel at home, find a few day trips in the area, and give yourself a little freedom. One day in the Alps, another by a lake, a third exploring an old town, and why not a fourth with no plans at all? That’s also part of the joy of a hub-and-spoke trip: being able to see a lot without feeling like you’re rushing around.

And for the return trip, you don’t have to leave from the same city where you arrived! With TGV Lyria, Geneva, Lausanne, Basel, and Zurich are directly connected to Paris: for example, you can arrive in Lausanne, finish your trip near Lucerne, and return from Zurich. To plan your trip, [book your TGV Lyria ticket here](TGV Lyria link).

Want to travel farther and more often without flying? Join the HOURRAIL Club! to take advantage of discounts negotiated with our partners, such as the app HOORAY! with Premium features and a community that shares your love of train travel.

CARD https://www.hourrail.voyage/fr/blog/le-club-hourrail-la-communaute-du-voyage-bas-carbone-et-du-slow-travel

This article was produced in partnership with TGV Lyria and Travel Switzerland.

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Written by Sophie Renassia

Issue du monde de la communication et des médias, Sophie est Responsable éditoriale chez HOURRAIL ! depuis août 2024. Elle est notamment derrière le contenu éditorial du site ainsi que La Locomissive (de l'inspiration voyage bas carbone et des bons plans, un jeudi sur deux, gratuitement dans ta boîte mail !).

Convaincue que les changements d’habitude passent par la transformation de nos imaginaires, elle s’attache à montrer qu’il est possible de voyager autrement, de manière plus consciente, plus lente et plus joyeuse. Son objectif : rendre le slow travel accessible à toutes et tous, à travers des astuces, des décryptages et surtout, de nouveaux récits.

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