EuroCheapo's Switzerland Articles

Mar 23 Brig is one of those places through which every European traveler passes eventually. Strategically placed in Switzerland’s Valais region, this major transport hub lies at the northern end of the Simplon tunnel. It is served by major international express trains such as the services from Geneva and Basel to Milan and Venice. And Brig is » Read more

Mar 02 March is the month when many Europeans crawl out from their winter shells and start exploring. And with spring beckoning, we have come up with a handful of easy daytime rail journeys that just clamor to be taken. There is something seductive about climbing onto a comfortable train just after breakfast, knowing that all you » Read more

Nov 18 By Audrey Sykes— Let’s get one thing straight about Zurich: There is nothing you can do to avoid expensive costs. It’s the fifth priciest city in Europe, and even simple fares like tram tickets and Swiss chocolate can be a big pinch from any pocket. There’s not much you can do, but there is some » Read more

Oct 19 By Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries— Chile wasn’t the only subterranean tale this past week. The news that engineers had burrowed through the Gotthard Massif to create a 57 km-long tunnel deep under the Alps was accompanied by plenty of news reports predicting a revolution in European rail transport. Don’t hold your breath. The first » Read more

Oct 13 By Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries— During a day or two in a small town in the Czech Republic this summer, we noticed a local gently chiding two tourists for smoking while standing at a bus stop in a small village. The lady’s reprimand was delivered in the politest possible way, and clearly no offence » Read more

Aug 04 The reputations of some of Europe’s most-visited sights are built on myths, but the stories are always interesting. We have lost count of the number of times we have read that the rail route across Lapland to the Norwegian port of Narvik is the northernmost in the world. It is not, but it is nonetheless » Read more

Jun 30 June 30, 2010. As we have said before, it is not compulsory to take the fast train. On most routes through Europe, there are plenty of slow train alternatives, often more scenic and sometimes much cheaper. A great weekend bargain in Germany On the weekends, for example, travelers can roam the length and breadth of » Read more

Jun 22 If you have followed our posts here on EuroCheapo over the last three years, then you’ll certainly know that we are not really urban creatures. True, we have spent many happy months exploring European cities, often those that are lesser known, and we have written about many of them—Roskilde, Poznan and Trieste, for example. Europe’s » Read more

May 26 It is that time of year when Europeans enjoy a number of weekdays off work, variously celebrating this or that religious feast or national festival. This month has already seen public holidays associated with Mayday and the Liberation or end of World War II (the latter understandably marked more by victors than by the vanquished). » Read more