Switzerland's quiet season, and the extra (free!) days that come with it

Between October and December, Switzerland slows down a little. The summer crowds have gone, the vineyards above Lake Geneva turn copper, and the trains keep running, right on time. 
And this autumn, you can give yourself a little longer to explore. 

The offer at a glance 

• Get free days with the Swiss Travel Pass Continuous: pay for 4 days and travel for 5, or pay for 8 days and travel for 10
• Book between 16 and 30 September 2026 
• Travel between 1 October and 31 December 2026, with 31 December as the last valid day 
• The free days are built into the pass, so there is no code to enter and nothing extra to claim 
• The offer is not available to residents of Switzerland or Liechtenstein 
• Cancel for a full refund up to one day before your first day of validity 

Why the quiet months are the good months

October is a great time to see a different side of Switzerland. In Ticino, on the Italian-speaking side of the Alps, palm trees still line Lugano's lakefront while the chestnut woods above the town turn red and gold. Locarno is just half an hour further on, with its cafés, old town and Piazza Grande making an easy addition to the trip. 

Further west, the Lavaux terraces between Lausanne and Montreux are in harvest season. The vineyards run down towards Lake Geneva, and you can walk right through them. The route from Grandvaux to Saint-Saphorin takes around two hours, ends conveniently at a train station and passes wine cellars where you can stop for a glass of local Chasselas along the way. Not a bad way to spend an October afternoon.

By late November, things start to feel a lot more wintry. Basel's Christmas market fills two squares in the old town, while Montreux sets up its market along the lakefront with the mountains behind it. Lucerne, Bern and Zurich all have their own versions too. 

By then, the first snow is usually appearing higher in the Alps and the ski season is getting underway around places like Zermatt. It is one of the nice things about Switzerland at this time of year: you can spend the afternoon wandering around a Christmas market, then get on a train and watch the scenery turn increasingly snowy outside the window.

Need some inspiration? Four routes from people who know Switzerland well 

We asked four people who know Switzerland well to plan the journey they would recommend to a friend. The result is four very different ways to see the country, from vineyards and mountain valleys to food, lakes and the Italian-speaking south. 

Each itinerary works with a Swiss Travel Pass, and we have mapped them out stop by stop so you can follow the whole route or simply borrow the bits you like. 

• Björn's Swiss Reset starts in Bern and winds through Lake Geneva and the Lötschental valley. This is the one for slowing down, spending time outdoors and leaving some room in the itinerary to simply enjoy where you are.
• Thomas' Ticino Escape heads south to Switzerland's Italian-speaking side, for lakes, mountains, good food and an aperitivo or two.
• Ilgün's Culinary Switzerland takes you through vineyards and cheese country, with plenty of reasons to plan the day's stops around what you are going to eat.
• Nicky's Journey Across Cultures travels from German-speaking Switzerland into the Italian-speaking south, before continuing across the border into northern Italy. 

What does the Swiss Travel Pass actually cover? 

A little planning here can help you get much more out of your pass. 

Continuous is not Flex. The Swiss Travel Pass Continuous is valid on consecutive days from the date it starts. If you have the five-day pass, for example, you have five days in a row to use it. The Swiss Travel Pass Flex lets you choose individual travel days, but it is not included in this offer. So for this promotion, think of your trip as one continuous block of travel. 

It covers much more than trains. The pass covers the national rail network, most buses and lake boats, plus local public transport in around 90 towns and cities. It also includes entry to more than 500 museums, which can come in particularly handy on a rainy autumn afternoon. 

Many mountain journeys are discounted. Most mountain excursions are not fully included in the pass, but pass holders receive discounts on many of them. Some mountain journeys, including Rigi, Stanserhorn and Stoos, are fully covered. Check what is included before you travel, particularly if a mountain excursion is a big part of your plans. 

Some panoramic trains need a reservation. Your Swiss Travel Pass covers the rail portion of many panoramic journeys, but some services require a separate seat reservation or supplement. If the Glacier Express, Bernina Express or another panoramic train is high on your list, check the requirements and book ahead once your dates are fixed. 

For most ordinary Swiss trains, it is much simpler. There is usually no seat reservation to make. Just check the timetable, get on and find a seat. 

One more thing if you are travelling later in the year: some scenic services operate on seasonal timetables or pause for maintenance. If there is one particular train journey you have your heart set on, check its operating dates before building your itinerary around it.

Before you book 

The free days apply to the Swiss Travel Pass Continuous only, with the 4-day pass becoming 5 days and the 8-day pass becoming 10 days. 

You need to book between 16 and 30 September 2026 and travel between 1 October and 31 December 2026, with 31 December as the final valid travel day. The offer is not available to residents of Switzerland or Liechtenstein. 

You can cancel for a full refund up to the day before your pass starts. 

There is no discount code and nothing extra to claim. Choose the eligible Swiss Travel Pass and the free days are already included.

Two extra days can take you quite a long way in Switzerland 

That is really the nice thing about this offer. You do not have to squeeze another destination into every day just because the pass gives you more time. 

Use the extra day to stay longer in Ticino or get off the train somewhere you had not planned to. You can also take a boat across the lake and spend an afternoon walking through the vineyards. Or, better yet, simply give yourself another day before heading home. 

Book your Swiss Travel Pass Continuous between 16 and 30 September and you will get five days for the price of four, or ten days for the price of eight, to travel through Switzerland until the end of the year.

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