2026-05-13 - 8 min read
7 Days in Switzerland by Train: Zurich, Bern, Zermatt, Interlaken, and Lucerne
A real late-July 2025 Switzerland route with a Bern stop for the Aare, a huge Matterhorn day in Zermatt, hiking around Interlaken, a thrilling Murren via ferrata climb, grocery-store meals, and a quick Lucerne finish.
We were there at the end of July 2025, flying into Zurich and building the whole trip around trains, mountain towns, and as much hiking as one week would allow. The route was tight but honestly worked: Zurich to Bern, Bern to Zermatt, Zermatt to Interlaken, a Lauterbrunnen night, Grindelwald on the way to Lucerne, then Zurich again to fly home.
The honest headline is that Switzerland is one of the most beautiful places we have ever been. It is green grass, cows, cliffs, trains that actually work, and mountain views that feel almost fake. It is also expensive, and we were not wildly in love with Swiss food, so a lot of the trip was grocery-store meals, train snacks, and saving the big energy for the trails. I would do that again.
Day 1: Zurich arrival, Bern, and the Aare
We flew into Zurich, but the first thing I would tell someone planning a similar trip is not to spend the whole first day there by default. Bern is an easy train stop, and I would genuinely recommend making time for it. The old town is beautiful, the pace feels calmer than Zurich, and the Aare river gives the city a totally different kind of travel memory than another museum or viewpoint.
The river I was trying to remember is the Aare. In summer, people swim and float in it, and that is the exact reason I wish we had built in even more time. Even if you do not swim, walking the river path and seeing the turquoise water curl around the old town is enough to make Bern feel like more than just a transfer stop.
Days 2-3: Zermatt, Gornergrat, and the Five Lakes Trail
After Bern, we continued to Zermatt. We only gave it a short stay, but I still think it belongs on the route. The move is simple: take the Gornergrat cog railway up, get the big Matterhorn views, then hike partway down instead of treating the train as a pure there-and-back tourist ride.
The next Zermatt day is the one I would keep flexible around weather. The Five Lakes Trail gives you that classic mix of mountain views, water, and walking without needing to invent a complicated plan. After that, the itinerary moves on by train to Interlaken, which is exactly why a rail pass or at least a serious train-pass comparison is worth doing before the trip.
Day 4: Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, and the via ferrata side
Interlaken works well as a base because the trains and lifts make it easy to get everywhere, but the places that actually stuck with me were the valley and mountain towns around it. Lauterbrunnen, in particular, is a must-recommend. If I were rebuilding the route, I would keep the overnight there instead of making it only a pass-through.
This is also the part of the trip where the most thrilling memory belongs: the Murren via ferrata. It is basically a protected cliff-side climb, where you clip into a fixed cable and move along metal rungs, ladders, and exposed ledges on the side of the mountain. It was way more active than a normal hike, and it made the valley feel huge in a very real way.
The exact shape of the day depends on weather and comfort level, but the larger point is easy: Lauterbrunnen is not just a scenic checkbox. Give it time, and if you like the idea of a clipped-in mountain adventure, make room for the via ferrata.
Day 5: Grindelwald before the Lucerne train
Grindelwald was another clear yes. It has the classic alpine drama: huge slopes, trails that immediately feel cinematic, and easy access to hikes that can be as relaxed or as ambitious as you want. If someone only had a few days in the Interlaken region, I would tell them to prioritize Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald before trying to collect every famous viewpoint.
We also skipped Jungfraujoch, the Top of Europe. I know it is one of the famous names in the region, and I am sure the views can be incredible, but for us it felt like it might become an expensive, crowded, check-the-box day. We were happier putting that time into hikes and towns that felt more open-ended, then taking the train onward to Lucerne.
Days 6-7: Lucerne, groceries, and Zurich out
Lucerne was the wind-down city. I wish we had more time there, especially for nearby hikes around Rigi or Pilatus, but for us it was more of a beautiful city-and-lake stop before flying out of Zurich. That felt right. Not every place needs to become a full mountain day.
A few practical notes matter. First, trains made the whole trip work. Switzerland is built for this style of travel: land, connect, ride into the mountains, transfer again, and never feel like renting a car would have made the trip better. Second, we ate out of grocery stores a lot. Some of that was budget, and some of it was taste. Honestly, we were not huge fans of Swiss food, and the grocery-store strategy made the trip easier.
Bread, fruit, yogurt, chocolate, trail snacks, and picnic lunches go a long way when the real point of the day is being outside. By the time we trained back to Zurich for the flight home, the trip felt short but complete: river city, Matterhorn, alpine valleys, Grindelwald, Lucerne, and a very strong argument for coming back.
A summarized version of the full TripGuru itinerary
Day 1 - Zurich and Bern
Fly into Zurich, then train to Bern
Land in Zurich, get oriented by train, explore Bern's old town, and make time for the Aare river before staying overnight in Bern.
Day 2 - Bern to Zermatt
Bern to Zermatt and the Gornergrat Railway
Travel by rail to Zermatt, settle into the village, then use the Gornergrat Railway for the big Matterhorn view and a partial hike down.
Day 3 - Zermatt to Interlaken
Five Lakes Trail and train to Interlaken
Use the morning for the Five Lakes Trail if the weather is good, then take the train toward Interlaken for the Bernese Oberland chapter.
Day 4 - Lauterbrunnen and Wengen
Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, and the via ferrata side
Move into the Lauterbrunnen valley, visit Wengen, and keep the Murren via ferrata in the plan if you want a thrilling clipped-in climb on the side of the mountain.
Day 5 - Interlaken, Grindelwald, Lucerne
Back to Interlaken, Grindelwald, and train to Lucerne
Return through Interlaken, spend the day around Grindelwald, skip Jungfraujoch if it feels too expensive or crowded, then continue to Lucerne.
Day 6 - Lucerne
Lucerne city and lake day
Use Lucerne as the wind-down stop: old town, Chapel Bridge, lakefront walking, and a future-trip note for Rigi or Pilatus.
Day 7 - Lucerne to Zurich
Train to Zurich and fly home
Take the train back to Zurich Airport and keep the final morning simple instead of squeezing in one more complicated excursion.
Open the full plan in TripGuru
This post keeps the story readable. The full itinerary has the day-by-day stops, trains, hikes, lift notes, and timing details.
Switzerland by Train: What Really Happened