Switzerland with Kids: Real Travel Tips for a Smooth Family Trip

Switzerland might not be the first place that comes to mind for a family trip, but it’s actually incredibly kid-friendly. That makes it perfect for a vacation with little ones! Between the stunning hikes and mountain views for the grown-ups and the alpine playgrounds and hands-on museums for the kids, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. We had visited Switzerland once before becoming parents and loved the scenic nature. But when we brought our toddler to Switzerland, I tailored our itinerary so it was as kid-friendly as possible. Because I’m a Type A planner, I researched everything. From navigating the train system with kids to kid-friendly restaurants and activities, this guide contains all the real-world tips I wish I’d had. If you’re visiting Switzerland with kids, these are all the nitty gritty travel tips you need to help reduce your mental load.

Kid-Related Essentials to Pack

These are the items we ended up using daily during our trip to Switzerland (see our full packing list here, and what to skip). They definitely helped make traveling with a kid smoother and easier.

• Hiking Carrier: If you’re planning to do any hiking or walking in the old towns in Switzerland, skip the stroller. Even the easiest trails aren’t really stroller-friendly, and cobblestone streets in historic areas make for a rough, bumpy ride. Plus, if you’re traveling by train, juggling a stroller along with luggage during train transfers can be a real hassle. A full on hiking carrier would probably be more comfortable for kids, but it’s bulky to travel with. Since we weren’t tackling any long or strenuous hikes, we absolutely loved using our hip seat carrier with straps. It’s a convertible style that allows you to wear your child in the front or back. And the built-in seat made it comfortable enough for our kiddo to nap while we were on the move.
• Water Bottles: In Switzerland, tap water is safe to drink by law and held to extremely high standards. Packing a water bottle can help you save quite a bit, especially since water isn’t typically served for free at restaurants like it often is in the U.S. If you’re not ordering other beverages, some restaurants may even charge you for water. Having your own water bottle with you is an easy way to stay hydrated and cut down on extra costs while dining out or exploring. Even the water from the local fountains is safe to drink, so you can fill up as you go!

• Snacks: Snacks are our go-to strategy for keeping our kiddo happy and occupied, whether we’re on a long train or plane ride, out on a hike, or trying to get out the door on time (which happened a lot during our trip to Switzerland). While discovering new snacks at local supermarkets is always part of the fun, we also make sure to pack some tried-and-true favorites from home, just in case. Don’t forget to pack some containers for carrying said snacks.
• Portable Sound Machine: We traveled to Switzerland in the summer during a heat wave, and many old town hotels don’t have air conditioning. To stay cool, we had to keep the windows open, which meant dealing with street noise at bedtime. Since our kid is used to sleeping with a sound machine at home, bringing a portable one was a game-changer. It helped block out the ambient noise and made it much easier for him to fall, and stay, asleep in an unfamiliar setting.
• Rain jacket: Weather in the Swiss Alps can change quickly. One day might be sunny, while the next brings rain, or you could encounter different conditions at various elevations. We were grateful that we decided to bring light rain jackets even though we were traveling in the summer because we definitely experienced some downpours. Our rain jackets were easy to roll up and stash in our backpack. And they saved us from getting unexpectedly soaked while out exploring.

Where to Stay: Hotels vs Home Rentals

Choosing between a hotel and a home rental is usually a personal preference. However, when traveling with kids, having a kitchen and extra space can be more relaxing and make eating more affordable. If you want the conveniences of a hotel but with the added bonus of a kitchenette, stay in my new favorite type of accommodation – an aparthotel! These are apartment-style units managed by hotels. You check in at the front desk just like you would at a traditional hotel, but enjoy the space and privacy of a condo or apartment. It’s truly the best of both worlds.

• For a list of our favorite aparthotels in central locations, read our post on where to stay in Switzerland with kids.
• Don’t forget to take advantage of the complimentary visitor cards that come with your stay in certain Swiss cities, like the Lucerne Visitor Card or the BaselCard. These cards often include free access to public transportation within the city and offer discounts on local attractions, museums, and activities.
• All of the places we stayed had pack and plays with bedding. We always bring our own bedding just in case, but it was not needed on this trip.

How to Plan the Itinerary to Prevent Meltdowns

1. Stay at least 2 nights in each city.

The first time we traveled to Switzerland pre-kids we packed in as much as we could. This meant zipping all around Switzerland and changing hotels every other night. It was fun, but definitely not the kind of pace that works with a toddler in tow. We know that constantly packing, unpacking, and checking in and out of hotels with a kid will definitely lead to a meltdown.

So when traveling to Switzerland with our kiddo, I planned our itinerary around a few central hubs where we could stay for at least 2–3 nights. Keeping a consistent home base made our mornings way less stressful and rushed. Because Switzerland is so well connected by train, we could take day trips from these central hubs and still see plenty. And honestly, I think it helped our kiddo sleep better too because he wasn’t in a different place every night. Traveling with kids is not the time to have FOMO. Trust me, limiting the number of cities you visit will make for a way less stressful trip.

• Check out our Switzerland with a Toddler itinerary to copy our actual itinerary!
• Or browse our recommendations for the best kid-friendly cities to visit in Switzerland for ideas on where to visit.

2. Combine kid-friendly activities with hikes or sightseeing.

Switzerland is packed with stunning views and incredible hikes, but enjoying them is a lot easier when your kids are happy too. Smaller kids usually don’t really know how to appreciate hikes or sightseeing yet. One way to keep the kids happy is to plan a kid-friendly activity along with the grown up activity. We usually did the fun kid thing in the morning when our kiddo had the most energy, so that he could nap during our hike or other sightseeing. Fortunately, Switzerland has no shortage of alpine playgrounds, hands-on museums, and modes of transportation for kids to enjoy. Even a quick break at a local playground while wandering an old town or taking a train ride was enough to keep our kiddo from whining the rest of the day.

• We’ve compiled a list of amazing alpine playgrounds here.
• We’ve included a list of our favorite kid-friendly activities in each Swiss city we visited here.

Where to Buy Milk and Fruit

Does your kid subsist on milk and blueberries? Because mine certainly seems to! That’s why one of the first things I search anytime we travel is “where to buy milk and fruit.” Luckily, Switzerland makes it super easy because every train station has a supermarket inside. The two main grocery chains are Coop and Migros. While some locations are smaller than others, they always have the essentials: a bakery, fresh fruit, milk, and snack aisle. You know, all the major food groups for a toddler on a beige diet.

• Coop and Migros are also great places to stock up on chocolate! Don’t skip the supermarket chocolate in Switzerland – check out our Swiss chocolates post for our favorites.

Since we traveled by train throughout our trip, we made a quick stop at the market as soon as we arrived in the train station in a new city. That way we didn’t have to circle back to find toddler snacks when our kiddo got hangry.

Eating Out with Kids in Switzerland

Even though we stayed in the major tourist cities, we tried to steer clear of the touristy restaurants and looked for more local restaurants. Surprisingly, most of the places we ate at – casual and even upscale casual – were super kid-friendly. Obviously, we skipped the fine dining restaurants. But we still found high chairs at nearly every restaurant, and many had kids’ menus too. Even at places that didn’t, we could usually find something our picky toddler would actually eat.

Eating out in Switzerland is expensive. Especially when you’re traveling with a kid who may or may not eat what you order. Toddlers don’t care how much a meal costs; if they’re not into it, they’re just not going to eat it. For lunch, we usually stuck to cafeteria-style spots at whatever attraction we were visiting. These meals were budget-friendly and flexible enough to avoid ordering a full meal our kid might not eat. Dinner was usually our splurge meal, when we’d eat out and order something for our toddler too.

• Bookmark our list of kid-friendly restaurants in Lucerne, Lauterbrunnen, and Basel to save yourself from searching for where to eat when you have a hangry toddler on your hands.

Getting Around Switzerland with Kids

If your kid loves trains like ours does, then just getting around Switzerland is going to be a blast for them. Best of all, all transportation in Switzerland is free for kids under 6! And kids 6-15 also travel free with a parent that has a Swiss Travel Pass. Some trains even have a “family coach,” which is basically a train car that has a playground inside of it. We didn’t get a chance to ride on a family coach, but honestly, our kid was super happy just to be on the train and looking out the window.

• Check out our complete guide on how to use the Swiss Travel Pass for families for all the details on how to navigate the Swiss Travel Pass and trains with kids and how to save on costs.

Managing Costs

Is Switzerland expensive? Heck yes. We are used to high prices where we live, but even we were surprised at the high costs in Switzerland. However, there are definitely ways to manage costs so that you can enjoy Switzerland as a family without blowing the budget. Most of the activities in Switzerland are outdoor activities, like hikes, that you generally don’t have to pay for. The big costs once you get to Switzerland are usually food and transportation. But there are ways to save on both!

How to Save on Food Costs

• Book accommodations with kitchens so you can prepare some of your own meals. See our recommendations here for apartment-hotels super close to the old towns.
• Visit local bakeries for pastries and bread for breakfast and the local supermarket for picnic supplies for lunch to save on dining out costs.

How to Save on Transportation Costs

• Make the most of your Swiss Travel Pass by taking full advantage of everything it offers. Ride all the included mountain excursions, use the discounts for those that aren’t fully covered, take the scenic boat rides, and visit as many of the included museums as you can. Read our guide on the Swiss Travel Pass for more details on how to maximize the Swiss Travel Pass.
• You don’t need to do every major mountain excursion. Reaching the summit of some of Switzerland’s iconic peaks can be pricey, even with Swiss Travel Pass discounts. Instead, consider visiting alpine playgrounds or lower-elevation spots that still offer stunning views at a fraction of the cost. After visiting a few mountaintop summits on our first trip, and visiting some alpine playgrounds on our second trip with our kiddo, we realized the views from the alpine playgrounds were just as impressive – and our kid had way more fun there!