Overview
Switzerland packs an extraordinary amount into a small, beautifully organised country: glacier-topped Alps, mirror-still lakes, cosmopolitan cities and some of the most scenic railways in the world. It is an easy short-haul hop from the UK, with frequent flights and fast onward trains. This hub covers every Swiss city we fly to. Typical flight time from London is about 1 hour 45 minutes, and from Manchester roughly 2 hours.
Best time to fly to Switzerland
There are two clear peak seasons. Winter, from around December to early April, is for skiing and snowboarding in resorts such as Zermatt, Verbier and St Moritz. Summer, from June to September, brings warm days for hiking, swimming and city breaks, with the mountains at their greenest. Spring and autumn are quieter and generally better value – check the When to book chart above to see how fares move through the year. The Christmas period and UK school holidays are the busiest and priciest times to travel.
Main gateway cities & airports
Most UK travellers arrive into Zurich (ZRH), the largest airport and the gateway to central and eastern Switzerland; Geneva (GVA), best for Lake Geneva, Montreux and the western Alps; or EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse (BSL) in the north-west. All three have railway stations at or beneath the terminal, so you can be on an intercity train within minutes of collecting your bags.
Airlines and routes
SWISS and British Airways fly direct from London Heathrow, Gatwick and City to Zurich and Geneva throughout the year. easyJet runs a large network into Geneva, Zurich and Basel from Gatwick, Luton, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh and other bases, while Jet2.com and Ryanair add further routes, including extra ski-season flights from regional airports in winter. Direct flights are the norm; from smaller UK airports it is worth comparing connecting options through hubs such as Amsterdam, Paris or Frankfurt.
Popular places to visit in Switzerland
- Zurich: a lively lakeside city with a medieval old town, a strong food scene and easy mountain day trips.
- Lucerne: covered wooden bridges, a mountain-ringed lake and cruises to Mount Pilatus and Rigi.
- Interlaken and the Jungfrau region: the base for Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen and railways climbing high into the Bernese Alps.
- Zermatt: a car-free resort beneath the Matterhorn, superb for skiing in winter and walking in summer.
- Geneva and Lake Geneva: international Geneva, the vineyard terraces of Lavaux and elegant Montreux along the water.
Top tips for finding cheap flights to Switzerland
- Travel in the shoulder months of May, June, September and October, when demand and fares typically ease – the price charts on this page show the pattern.
- Be flexible on airport: compare Zurich, Geneva and Basel, as one can be noticeably cheaper for the same week.
- Fly midweek and avoid Friday and Sunday departures during the ski season, when prices peak.
- Book early for Christmas and February half-term travel, and set a fare alert so you can move quickly when a good price appears.
Travel essentials
UK passport holders do not need a visa for tourism in Switzerland: you can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period, with a passport valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure. Switzerland is in the Schengen area but not the EU, and its currency is the Swiss franc (CHF); cards are accepted almost everywhere. For the best value, book winter and Christmas trips well ahead and use the When to book chart above to time a shoulder-season visit.
