Last person in America without a cell phone visiting Switzerland this Summer

You can, but I don't think you should. I think you should by one at home and get familiar with it before you arrive. Given the rate some people are buying new phones, you might have a friend that has an old phone they are willing to sell to you for a symbolic amount.

Get a T Mobile phone and free service for text and data in Switzerland-worked great for me there this summer.

"OMG you must have a phone in in Europe or you won't be able to survive."

Believe it or not, it is possible to get by without using a phone at all. In our many trips to Europe we've rarely used our phones. Of course we are from a generation that didn't grow up with mobile phones, apps, and such. Both of us lived in and traveled around Europe before there were cell phones. And some people take their phones just for emergencies and enjoy the escape from technology.

Since the title indicates you don't have a cell phone now, the first question to ask yourself is "how and / or why will I use it"? That should point you in the direction you need to go to answer to the question.

The suggestion about T-Mobile might be the way to go -- if you decide to take a phone. But use it a lot before you leave so you don't have to learn on the fly.

Don't mean to disparage those who used their phones extensively -- to each his own. Just offering food for thought.

Great to hear people saying that the phone is not the end all and be all of a trip. I have one but I just don't use it for very much--I think I have only put a few additional apps on it (bird ID! plant ID! meditation! Lyft!). It doesn't even take very good photos so I don't use it for that very much either. I pretty much just use it for texts, calls, and Google. It has been quite a few years since my last Europe trip--2016? So if I do get over there maybe in 2024 I know I will be walking into a whole new phone use world.

Is this what you intended to write: "I happily operate with a phone in the US ".? Within the broader context of your post, I wonder if you meant "with OUT a phone in the US".

If, by chance, you function at home without a phone, you may find that traveling can be simplified by having a cell phone. Apps for your airline from which you can display your boarding pass, updates on delays and gate changes, etc. You can set the apps up to get texts from the air carrier on status. I am not sure why you would wait to get to Europe to purchase a phone......

Purchase of the phone and plan is your preference. You might visit a brick and mortar place and talk to a sales person about your needs.

I have had iPhones with Tmobile Magenta plan for over 10 years. Seamless between US and Europe (and Asia and Oceania) for making and receiving calls and texts.

There are a lot of transport apps for various cities/regions that can be very helpful. I don't know what those might be specific to Switzerland, but CityMapper is one that is frequently good for different locations and Google or Apple Maps are ones that I use frequently. I use google translate in Japan. I can handle most European languages, but in some instances a translation app is helpful.

Ditto JoJo's question. Depending on answer, it is possible you can use your current device to do much of what you want using a wifi connection, buying a local SIM card, or using your home carrier's international plan. If you do not have a smartphone that will work in Europe, or need something that takes better photos than what you have, you can buy a decent unlocked smartphone in the US for $150 - 300 (even cheaper if you buy a refurbished one). I personally would not buy a phone on arrival, as I would want to practice with the device before I left the country and make sure all the apps worked correctly. Plus it is hard to say what the process is for a non-Swiss person to activate new cell phone service (you could ask your Swiss friends to check on this).

Just a few thoughts about why your friends are making such comments. Can you do a trip without a phone? Sure. However, times have changed. Many tickets for events, sites, trains, etc. are primarily electronic - you can probably get some on paper, but it's not nearly as convenient. My choice of airline pretty much only communicates info electronically either by email or via an app - so if there is a flight cancellation or delay, you need a way to timely find out about it. There are also some holdover things from COVID era, such as restaurant menus only available by scanning a QR code (you need a connection to do this). I had travel drama last summer and exclusively used my phone to rebook the entire end of my trip using the airline app, hotels app, etc. The days of internet cafe are long gone, I have no idea how I would have done that otherwise.

I’m confused.

What Summer?

Its October.

I am well over 70 so of the generation that grew up without "devices". I find my cell phone invaluable. I track my train trips and airline flights on it.

Last May my flight from Heathrow to Seattle was cancelled between the time I left my hotel and got to the airport. By the time I"d gotten in to the Delta app they'd re-routed me via SLC to Spokane which was fine with me, even had the same seat #. I'd have had to go stand in line to be rebooked if I hadn't known I'd had a change.

Ditto a year ago on a train journey from Paris to Belgium. Got app notifications of a delay.

I buy train tickets on the app - used it easily in Italy and in London when I got to the station and decided what time would work for me.

I agree with the Badger...if you don't now have a phone, get one here and get used to it. You will not believe how much stuff you can do on it but you need familiarity with it before you travel.

Like Pete, I use mine for apps for Bird ID, Plant ID and meditation. I also have all my airline's apps, the train companies I am going to use on a particular trip, museum apps, and communication apps (What's App). I use the CityMapper app for getting around the bigger cities where it is supported. I have always been a paper map gal but honestly the city navigation thru the Metros and streets is so dang easy with this app. I have an iPhone so I have my credit cards stored in the ApplePay Wallet. I can just touch my phone to a terminal in a restaurant or store and never have to pull out a card or cash. It feels safer to me than juggling a card in a crowded environment.

Good luck with your learning curve!!

Hi Alice

Will you be on your own some of the time or will you mostly be visiting your friends?

Getting around by train is easy, and with your German it will be a little easier (depending in which language area your friends are in) but Zurich or Zurich airport to Luzern is an absolute doddle. All the signs are in at least German and English, and French will be included as well with Italian. The announcements on trains are in the regional language on regional trains but Intercities and mainline and German or French trains will normally be in the 3 main Swiss languages plus English. Will your friends meet you at the station in Luzern? If so, you won't need a phone for maps.

Calling or texting is definitely easier by mobile, do you think you might need to do a lot of that?

Good mobiles often have good or excellent cameras, but you need to lay out a lot of cash for that. If you already have a good camera you might not want to take the time - it will take time - to learn how make the phone's camera do what you want it to, and then you need to become familiar with the photo viewing and editing app. That's why if you have a good camera already I say that it might take time to learn the phone....

I live on my phone, and it never leaves my side. But you don't need to do that if you don't want to.

I think a lot comes down to how much you will be on your own in Switzerland.

I switched to T-mobile from AT&T before our 3-week Europe trip that ended with 8 days in Switzerland. I saved @$25 a month by changing for a senior cost of $55 month taken directly from checking. I would go for it, but you probably can get by without a cell in Switzerland.

We definitely needed cell phone data for navigation when driving in France or wandering around Amsterdam. And we made calls or texted our traveling companions extensively when we were trying to connect since we arrived separately from the US. But, once our group of 10 was altogether in Switzerland, the only purpose I used my phone in that country was for photography. I did print out our half fare card and train tickets at home. And we had wifi where we stayed but I connected with my Ipad vs. phone.

You can print out tickets/passes/hotel confirmations at home and carry them with you or if you have an Ipad take screen shots of them to show conductors. Hotels likely have wifi included in their rates so that will be when you can look up needed information such as restaurant hours, etc.

If you will be with friends who have access to cell phones, your personal need may be less than if traveling by yourself.

I can't imagine traveling anywhere without a phone these days. My experiences 2 months ago - just for starters:

1) A relative had a serious accident while I was in Europe. Other relatives contacted me immediately - direct call to my phone, they didn't even know I was abroad. I could monitor the situation easily from thousands of miles away via texts and calls.

2) My return flight was cancelled - major airline. I received a text message just as we were about to leave for the airport. Text saved us from making an unnecessary trip to the airport.

3) The automatic re-booking of my cancelled flight was not acceptable. I found the routing in an emaill via my phone minutes after the text - as I was standing in the train station ready to depart for the airport. I called customer service on my phone and had an acceptable alternative routing within 15 minutes of learning of the cancellation.

4) I booked a hotel for additional nights stay resulting from the cancellation and re-booking by phone.

5) We purchased special travel and site discount "Passes" for several cities we visited. These were not available in paper form - only by phone. I don't know if Switzerland expects the same level of tech availability as our locations.

6) "on the fly" decisions to visit a couple places that required advance booking. Easily done via phone and entrance with QR code display.

7) Of course, the standard travel phone usage these days - airline check-in via phone as soon as check-in opens, boarding pass held on phone, texts on gate changes, delays.

If you carry an iPad or lap top, that could be used in some of the instances above. I, personally, have stopped traveling with the iPad for personal travel and the laptop accompanies me only on business trips. Too heavy to cart the iPad around for use during the day - the phone can do all the iPad used to do for me.

We upgraded my husband to an iPhone a couple years ago. Prior, he had a no bells and whistles emergency type phone and we used my iPhone for our joint travel. He has commented multiple times since then that he can't imagine traveling these days without a cell. The expectations for phone access have multiplied in recent years.

It's part of necessary life, a cell/mobile is. Whatever one feels w/o this modern travel necessity needs to be tempered by the European lifestyle. Sure some activities can be manually accomplished, but try to pay in cash at many Swiss establishments and you'll be refused. Cards and phones are an absolute must for a successful European journey. Just returned last week from 18 days--Schweiz, Aus, Ger. cells and cards in hand.

Re-read your original post again. First time in over 20 years. You will definitely find many changes since your last trip.

As the above poster points out, European expectations for tech can be quite different from what is possible "the old fashioned way" in the US.

Am very grateful to all of you who posted your very thoughtful advice and past experiences regarding my technological musings.... all great ideas and opinions, and I am taking them to heart as I prepare for my future travels.

To be, or not to be with a cell-phone in der Schweitz, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous waiting-times in line when flights are delayed or cancelled,
Or to take a mobile phone against a sea of troubles and QR codes in restaurants
And by opposing end them.

Thank you so much to all who responded!
~Alice

I haven't been to Switzerland for decades, but I'll say that you can definitely get by without using a cellphone. Not a requirement to have one.

Thinking back to my recent travels, really the biggest use of a phone is like that of an internet reference tool and maps. There was never a time when I had to have my cellphone but it was useful as an aid. I print out all my tickets ahead of time and have my own itinerary on paper (even though it's on the phone too). But, you can always turn to other sources for reference. I recall back in the 2000s when I too did not have a phone, an older friend of mine who had already adopted GPS and cellphones said what was I going to do if I got lost driving in a new city. I looked at him very surprised. I said, I'd roll down my window and use my mouth! That is, I'll ask someone.

Not a requirement to have a cellphone. Use maps, your own mouth, and guidebooks.

@AlanBush wrote:

It's part of necessary life, a cell/mobile is. Whatever one feels w/o
this modern travel necessity needs to be tempered by the European
lifestyle. Sure some activities can be manually accomplished, but try
to pay in cash at many Swiss establishments and you'll be refused.
Cards and phones are an absolute must for a successful European
journey. Just returned last week from 18 days--Schweiz, Aus, Ger.
cells and cards in hand.

Are you sure that cell phone is a must? Credit/debit cards are a separate thing from cellphones. Yes, you may need a credit/debit card but that's independent of a phone.

"try to pay in cash at many Swiss establishments and you'll be refused"

"This has certainly not been my experience. Where did you experience this? Paying in cash is still very common here!"

Our last night in Switzerland, we stayed at the Radisson Blu Zurich airport. My plan was to use the 150 Swiss francs I had remaining to partially pay the bill and charge the rest. NO! Only credit cards were accepted. That was a monetary loss for us since we have no current plans to return to Switzerland so exchanged our francs for USD at the airport.

Alice,

Since you've been given what many would consider conflicting opinions, please let us know if you decide to go dancing about Switzerland with or without a cell phone -- and later on, how it did or did not work for you.

abrydges - love your attitude, that was a pretty clever poem you penned!

I thought of another use for cell phones that may or may not be of consideration for your situation with friends.

I lived in Asia and had visitors through the years. It was easy to coordinate meeting up at the airport, a restaurant, or subway station when we could call or text back and forth.

Also, getting a taxi or Uber is easier with a phone in some locations than hunting down a taxi stand. Even if you plan on public transport, the transit apps these days are often incredibly good. I feel comfortable with physical maps and subway line depictions and use them still, but the apps can really spoil you with route suggestions I wouldn't have necessarily considered, timings, platforms, etc. (Caveat: I don't know Switzerland's situation with ride shares - I also haven't been there for 20 years.)

In response to TC in Atlanta, absolutely, yes, I will post alllllll about the aftermath of my trip, as to whether I decided to use a phone or not and how did it go? Sounds like a scientific experiment or study in Human Behavior.... I'm in! And it's funny you used the words "dancing about in Switzerland"....I used to BE a dancer with the Opera in Luzern!
Super suggestions from everyone.....this is a great Forum. Will be happy to stay in touch. I may need wardrobe hilfe.
~Alice

Hi Alice,

Like you we have not had a cell phone for travel until two years ago and we somehow managed. That being said, we now have one with us when we travel abroad for unforeseen emergencies. We’re glad we had our phone in a couple of instances. That cell phone saved our bacon, for example, when our charter flight from Ushuaia, Argentina to Buenos Aires was cancelled and we couldn’t make our ongoing scheduled flight home for which we had already checked in. We were able to call the airline and get it sorted out without an issue and having to pay $$$$ extra for a new flight the next day. We also have the phone in case we have to contact the travel insurance company if we need medical help, evacuation, etc. Having a cell phone is like insurance. You don’t need it until you do.

Believe the original post asked about apps are must have.

1.) WhatsApp and be certain those you need to stay in connect with in the states ALSO has the app on your phone. While home in CA often use it to stay in touch with friends in the UK and Italy. When in Europe I stay in touch with US individuals.

2.) TripIt

3.) CityMapper

4.) SnapSeed ( for photos )

5.) MyTSA

6.) Instagram

I (and several other "new friends") were certainly very grateful for cell phones and the ability to contact Uber several years ago outside Melbourne, Australia. We suddenly found ourselves stranded an hour (by car) from Melbourne after a day of hiking in the Dandenong Ranges. End of the day, turning dusk and when we, separately, arrived at the terminus of the Metro line to be greeted by signs that the line was not running. It was not known when it would start up again as the reason for the cessation of service was unclear. What a feeling of relief as we collaborated on the Uber rescue!

In that instance, I could have relied upon the "cell of a stranger" and fellow travelers for help, but I was very glad I could use my own cell phone and fend for myself had it been necessary.

Alice,

You've received lots of good suggestions so far, and I have a few comments to add as well. I'm also from an "older generation" that didn't grow up with cell phones, but I've had one and travelled with one for many years, and have found it to be indispensable. I often travel solo and there's no way I will ever travel without one again.

As you mentioned "Apps" and "take photos", it sounds like you're referring to a smart phone rather than a more "basic" model. A few thoughts.....

PHONE
- There are two main operating systems, Apple and Android, so you'll have to decide which one you might be more comfortable with. If you use other Apple products, you may find it more practical to stick with that ecosystem. I've used an iPhone for many years, and I'm very pleased with it.
- Memory - I would suggest buying as much memory as you can afford. Some phones start at 128GB (or lower), but I'd suggest at least 256 GB.
- There is some merit in the suggestion to buy the phone at home, so that you can become familiar with it and download any apps that you want. However if you do that, you'll also have to choose a carrier that will provide a good, inexpensive roaming plan for Switzerland. Since I don't live in the U.S., I'm not overly familiar with the plans offered by cell networks in your area. Some travellers keep the cellular roaming switched "off" whilst in Europe to reduce costs a bit, and use only Wi-Fi. Using Wi-Fi in public places can be "risky" so I prefer to use cellular data most of the time. However I've found that having data roaming provides much more flexibility and I'm willing to pay for that.
- Always back your phone up, either to a computer or "the Cloud". The sales people at the cell shops can explain that.

APPS
It's difficult to answer the question on "what Apps you must absolutely have". Initially you'll probably only want a few specific to the trip, but as you become familiar with the phone you'll probably want more Apps for specific purposes. Some of the Apps that I've found very useful for travel....
- Google Translate - I don't speak any language fluently other than English. Even though it doesn't always provide perfect translations, I've found GT very useful.
- Google Maps - that's been useful on a many occasions when I've been lost when wandering around cities.
- Airline App - I have the apps for the airlines I primarily use for flights to and within Europe, and those are good to have.
- Rail Apps - I have several rail apps on my phone, including Trainline as well as the SBB and DB apps. Those are useful for not only checking schedule times, but also for booking tickets.
- Bank apps - I have apps for the financial institutions that I deal with so that I can monitor activity on the accounts during trips. I've always used either credit or ATM cards during travels, but may use the phone for transactions on future trips. I also have the XE currency exchange app which I reference at times.
- E-mail - I use the built-in app for that.
- Text messages - I primarily use the built in Apple text app most of the time, but two of my contacts use Viber so I have that too.
CAMERA
- I concur with a previous reply to become familiar with the camera before the trip. Smartphone cameras have improved a lot in the last few years. Although they're very easy to use, getting the best results will require some practice.
- Try to choose the proper phone orientation for the subject. Many people use "portrait" mode (phone vertical) for most shots, however some would be better if the camera were in "landscape" mode (phone horizontal).

That's all I can think of at the moment. Good luck with your decision!

I almost forgot, one of the most important things for me during travel is music!

I have a number of different playlists in the iTunes app, and that has provided many happy hours of listening, especially on long rail trips and flights.

Some of the new phones don’t have a headphone jack, so users either have to buy a set of Bluetooth ear pods / headphones or an adaptor cable.

Phone also provide a very convenient alarm clock.

If you decide to make the leap to a smartphone, I would also highly recommend a good case (I use Otterbox). Some phones have glass front and back and don’t survive drops too well.

I want to add some further thoughts after what others have also contributed to.

I took the original post to really mean whether a cellphone was an absolute must, not whether it would be helpful. The OP said they did NOT own a cellphone and did not use one and didn't want to.

Given that sentiment, I think a cellphone is not a necessity. Yes, it can be very helpful but that also depends on the person using it. For example, my father would not find a smartphone very useful as he doesn't use one in his daily life, fumbles with it when he tries to use it, and finds the learning curve rather high especially since he doesn't often "practice" using the phone.

Personally, will I necessarily travel to Europe without my own cellphone? No, because I already use one in daily life and I find it helpful as an aid. However, I would not be lost in Europe without it. I do not, for example, depend on my cellphone for keeping digital tickets, etc. I print everything out before I leave home including the hotel receipt, my train tickets, plane tickets, etc. so that if I lose my cellphone (or it runs out of batteries or it gets damaged) I still have paper copies. For me, my cellphone when I travel is a totally useful aid, but I will not be stranded without it.

I am going to be honest. I think that a smart phone adds not only an extra layer of convenience, but is essential when there are irregular operations or safety issues. Can you go to Europe without one? Sure. Would I do so? No.

Convenience: Public Transportation options are instantly at your finger tips no matter where you want to go with good directions.
You can double check hours or if there are any last minute changes for sites that you want to see.
Communication: Sometimes you need to contact a hotel, host, or uber....
Irregular operations: Here is where a smartphone really shines. You can be making necessary changes on the go or while standing in line. A sudden track closure? You will know about it. A flight cancelled, you might even have your new routing posted while you are traveling.
Safety: You need to be able to contact airlines, hotels, family quickly, travel insurance, etc.

I am going to suggest that there are times to move forward with the times, and this is one of them.

^^^^^ This.

Just for starters - Many of the brick and mortar airline offices such as I used to re-book in 2015 when Air France canceled my flight as well as the help desks in the airports have been closed or reduced in number. What the OP could do 20 or even 10 years ago without a phone or iPad or laptop is not always possible any longer.

I was a bit late to the party on phones and apps, but I can't imagine why I hesitated now. Life has moved on from the 1990s.

But, her trip, not mine!

Anybody who actually tells you that you will not survive by not having a phone when you travel is somebody loaded with hyperbole and not to be taken seriously.

Having a smart phone is a convenience but my goodness, don’t believe anybody who tells you it’s a necessity of life or else you’ll die.

I traveled decades overseas without a phone.

Hi there..a suggestion..travel with one and only use when absolutely necessary..otherwise turn it off and put it away. I too thought I could travel without a cell phone until 2010..when I landed in London expecting to transfer to a flight to Prague. We landed...and within 20 mi uses Heathrow closed due to a huge ice storm..for 3 days! An occasional flight went out..but I noticed everyone around me communicating..rescheduling flights..calling loved ones..and at that moment I vowed to always have access to communication close at hand whilst traveling. After 3 days in London..we were able to take the only flight that left that morning. I only knew this because I was up at all hours communicating with the concierge at my hotel. I think if you have a complex travel plan..have risk of flights being changed or cancelled..it is almost imperative and of great comfort. It is your trip and could it be done..yes..but so much easier with..IMHO!

I carefully reread everyone’s responses and not one was as extreme as suggested in a prior post. People gave reasons why they like to have a cellphone, and examples of how it helped them out.

No issue. I rarely use my phone. When i do its pnly for translating, boarding passes, finding my way to the nearest hospital, calling the police, making reservations, buying event tickets, finding out the kids are in trouble and I have to go home early.

Phone isn't otherwise necessary.