Switzerland 14 nights in September 2026

Rick Steves itineraries tend to be catered towards his guided tours, which have you moving a lot and are anything but relaxing. You have 6 bases listed in your plan, which is too much for 2 weeks, unless you’re on a guided tour where they take care of all your luggage and logistics. With 14 nights in/out of Zurich with your own luggage and logistics, I’d recommend 4 bases max — something like this:

Fly into Zurich > Wengen 5 nights > Zermatt 3 nights > Montreux 3 nights > Luzern 3 nights > Fly out of Zurich

*Lausanne is not a good base, as it’s a steep city that requires riding the subway system to get to the train.

*The Bernina Express is not realistic with your itinerary, as it’s a completely different part of Switzerland.

*You can ride the Golden Pass Express train from Montreux to Luzern. Make sure to reserve your seats ahead of time for that ride.

*I’d skip Appenzell for this trip, 1 night there with jet lag really isn’t worth your time. You’ll get plenty of amazing views and sights with the 4 bases listed above.

*I’d plan for 5 nights to start your trip in Wengen. This gives you a couple days to recover from jet lag and there is a ton to see and do in that area (what you listed + options for lake/castle exploration, etc.)

*It’s fine to use something like kayak to do searching for options, but I’d strongly recommend booking your hotels directly through the hotels. You often get just as good or better of a deal and if you have any issues, you can deal with the hotel directly instead of trying to get a middleman overseas on the phone who may or may not help you.

*Make sure to prioritize hotels close to train stations when you’re in the mountains so that you don’t have to hike to/from your hotel every day. In Wengen, the Maya Caprice is very convenient to the train and has beautiful views. In Zermatt, pick something not too far up the sides of the hills. In Montreux, being waterfront would be nice. Staying in Vevey is also a nice option there. In Luzern, prioritize staying in the historic district if you want a nice ambiance.

I agree with Wanderweg that you’ll need to pare down the itinerary if you only have 14 days.

The Berner Oberland will be a highlight and going there immediately upon your arrival into Zurich is a good plan. Views are what Switzerland is all about, so adding days to a location — particularly in the Berner Oberland— is wise just in case you hit a day or two of cloudy or inclement weather.

Then, possibly three nights in Zermatt, followed by three nights in Montreaux . Montreaux makes a better base than Lausanne and is just a couple miles from Chateau de Chillon.

Then, the Golden Pass train to Lucerne for your final three nights. The section of the route from Interlaaken to Lucerne is spectacular.

Depending on the weather, you may want to wing it a bit and add time to a location when the weather’s optimal. Rain is possible in the Berner Oberland and Zermatt during about 40% of the days during April. Keep in mind the weather during April in Switzerland is not like the weather in Florida and it will be cold, with highs in the 50’s and lows in the 30’s.

You also might want to try www.Skyscanner.com to search for airfares.

Have a great trip!

My wife and I took the RS Switzerland tour this summer. Wow! What a trip! You'll love the country.

We found the trip pretty full (and relaxing) but I hasten to add the two above posters really know their stuff and they give solid advice.

Happy travels!

In August of 2024, we did Zurich to Appenzel to Zermatt via Glacier Express (very scenic) to Wengen to Evian in a two week period (actually 15 days). There were 6 of us, 2 in their seventies, 2 in their forties and 2 grandchildren 7 and 9. We had a wonderful time. I think my favorite spot was sitting on a bench in Wengen overlooking the Lauterbrunnen Valley. We always want to stay longer in Switzerland but felt we had enough time to see what we wanted this time.