Essential Switzerland Travel Checklist: What to Pack for 14 Days in Switzerland During the Spring

What to Expect

Spring in Switzerland, particularly in May, can offer unpredictable weather. Expect mild, sunny days in the cities, occasional light rainfall, and cooler temperatures in the evenings. But, if you’re heading up to the Alps, conditions can be much colder, even snowy at higher altitudes.

Temperatures typically range from 45°F (7°C) in the mornings to 65°F (18°C) during the afternoons, although mountain regions can be much colder. Best advice? Prepare for all seasons in one trip!

Enough of sounding like a weatherman, let’s talk about what to pack.

First-off, does anyone really fill their luggage with 14 days’ worth of outfits? Not to mention changing outfits in the same day depending on if you’re hiking, going out for the night, or get sweaty or rained on.

We definitely recommend finding accommodations that include a washer and/or dryer. However, dryers aren’t too common in the average Swiss AirBNB or hotel.

We were lucky enough to have an AirBNB apartment that did come with a washer and a spin cycle designed to help dry. Hang drying and spin cycles are more common that dryers. But you can definitely look for local laundromats, as well! That way you can leave some room in your luggage for souvenirs, haha.

And as I mentioned earlier, we personally don’t love rolling around giant checked baggage around – especially in Switzerland. It can make it difficult to move around in trains and up and down the many hills and sometimes cobblestone.

Now that we have that out of the way.. What clothes should you pack?!

Tops and Layers

• 5-6 Casual Tops: Lightweight, quick-drying tees or gym shirts are ideal for the hikes or even for the long walks across the city. When you’re at ground level in the city, it can get quite warm!
• 2-3 Long-Sleeve Shirts: You’ll definitely need to layer up with a long-sleeve on top of your tee if you plan on going up to the mountains or glaciers!
  • Wool is a recommended material for both warm and cool temperatures. The fabric is an amazing insulator, keeping you cool when it’s hot, and warm when it’s cold! It’s also sweat-wicking and manages moisture pretty well off your body. But just be aware if you’ve never tried wool before, as it can sometimes feel itchy.
  • We recommend Merino Tech or Smart Wool as great brands we own and love using for our compression pants, boxer briefs, socks, tanks, long-sleeves, and t-shirts! We use it for essentially any outdoor hike or trip to the snow.
• 2 Light Sweaters or Fleeces: Swiss evenings can get chilly. Spending time in the cold and in the snow-top mountains is all about LAYERS. We’d recommend a couple light sweaters at least.
  • Down jackets are known to be extremely light-weight, compact, and SUPER good at insulating. They can be quite pricey, but getting even a cheap one at Costco or the REI Co-op brand are more than sufficient.
  • Fleece is also a good insulator. We love the Patagonia Better Sweater fleece. I’m sure you’ve seen more than a handful of these in the Fall/Winter wherever you’re from, as they’re super stylish and warm.
• 1 Waterproof Jacket: Not an absolute must. Depends on how good your light sweater/jacket is. We personally just got by with our lighter down and fleece jackets and tried to stay out of the occasional showers. Trying to pack a big jacket into our luggage just wasn’t on our bingo cards.
• 1-2 Dress Shirts or Blouses: If you’re going to spend 14 days in Switzerland, you’re bound to spend a couple nights out in the city over a nice dinner over-looking Lake Genva or sharing a Schnitzel atop a mountain.

Pants and Dresses

• 3 Pairs of Pants: If you’re avid hikers, 2-3 pairs of jeans or hiking pants will get you by. Layer up with a pair of thermal bottoms as well!
• 2-4 Casual Skirts or Dresses: Once again, for those nice, sunny days out in the city of Geneva or Interlaaken. You can capture some amazing pictures in the grassy fields as well!

Shoes for Swiss Cities and Mountain Hikes

• 1 Pair of Comfortable Walking Shoes: Switzerland’s cobblestone streets demand sturdy yet stylish shoes. When I say comfortable, I mean comfortable! If you’re anything like us, and love exploring the cities by foot, make sure your shoes are actually supportive/cushioned walking shoes! I had on my favorite pair of casual Nikes, but I have to admit, I did not test them out for long distances on pavement. And my feet were not happy with me.
• 1 Pair of Hiking Shoes or Trail Shoes: With countless trails offering breathtaking views, you’ll want shoes with great grip for both dry and wet rocky paths. The main hikes in Switzerland are pretty well-paved and designed for travelers/tourists to access pretty easily. Many of them have gondolas leading up to a main starting point, and the hikes are mild inclines. We prefer our trusty hiking boots wherever we go in the world! But we understand that not everyone is into the… less than stylish look of hiking boots. Just make sure you have some grip at least, as that’ll definitely help in the snowtops!
• 1 Pair of Sandals: Planning to chill by Lake Brienz or take a swim in the river in Bern? You’ll probably want some sandals as well.

Accessories to Keep You Comfortable

Reusable Water Bottle: Switzerland has some of the world’s cleanest tap water! It’s common for your hotels/hostels/AirBNBs to simply have a glass on your washroom sink, as all the water is clean and potable! In Geneva, we had fun filling our water bottles with the beautiful historic fountains across the city.

Hat and Sunglasses: The sun can be relentless on the hot days. And atop Jungfraujöch, it was blindingly white with snow. Definitely bring some sunnies and a hat. Or get some over there as a souvenir! Bring that sunblock too!

• Passport: Double-check that it’s valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates.
• Travel Insurance: Always protect yourself against unexpected cancellations or emergencies. It’s also important to keep protected in case of medical emergencies! If you’re injured (hopefully not!) doing extreme activities like paragliding or activities on the mountain, your average traveler’s insurance usually doesn’t cover those medical costs! It’s important to have peace of mind in any emergency. We love Safety Wing, and we use it for every single travel outside the country. But they usually bill for a monthly coverage – so just make sure to purchase and then cancel it right after your trip!
• Debit and Credit Cards: Notify your bank about international use to avoid issues. Also make sure you have a debit and credit card that doesn’t charge you foreign transaction fees!
• We couldn’t live without our Capital One Venture X, Chase Sapphire Preferred, and Chase Sapphire Reserve credit cards with great rewards points on travel expenses and no foreign transaction fees.
• We also have a Charles Schwab Investor Checking Account that reimburses you for ANY ATM fees, including foreign transaction ATM fees. Amazing!
• Swiss Francs (CHF): While cards are widely accepted, keeping some cash on hand is useful for smaller establishments. I’d make sure to pull out some foreign cash at your local brick-and-mortar bank or foreign exchange center.
• Train Pass: Consider the Swiss Travel Pass to make getting around seamless. We will have a dedicated post just for the Swiss Pass and how to decide what to get! It can be confusing, but the SBB website can help with their guides on what recommended pass you should or shouldn’t get.