{"id":1321600,"date":"2026-11-02T19:58:47","date_gmt":"2026-11-02T19:58:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/?p=1321600"},"modified":"2026-11-02T19:58:47","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T19:58:47","slug":"the-best-hikes-in-switzerland-for-backpackers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/the-best-hikes-in-switzerland-for-backpackers\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Hikes in Switzerland for Backpackers (Without the Swiss Price Tag)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Switzerland has a reputation for draining wallets, and that’s fair: a coffee can cost what a meal does elsewhere. But here’s the good news for hikers. The best hikes in Switzerland cost nothing to walk. The trails are free, beautifully signposted and reachable by public transport. What eats your budget is everything around them: the cable cars, the trains and the mountain-hut lunches.<\/p>\n

This guide gives you six classic day hikes, from turquoise lakes to a guesthouse built into a cliff. For each one you’ll get the season, the official distance and time, and what the lifts cost in 2026. You’ll also get the one famous ridge most people should skip, and the passes that halve your transport bill.<\/p>\n

Base yourself in a hostel in the mountains and you’ll be at the trailhead before the day-trippers arrive. Our Switzerland travel guides<\/a> cover the rest of the country, and these mountain hostels with views<\/a> show what a room with an Alpine view can look like.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Daniil Korbut<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When is the best time to hike in Switzerland?<\/h2>\n

Summer. The high trails are generally snow-free from about June to September, and that’s when most mountain lifts run their full timetables. Switzerland Tourism lists the Five Lakes Walk in Zermatt<\/a> as a June to September hike, which is a good rule of thumb for anything above the treeline.<\/p>\n

Lifts set the real calendar. The Grindelwald-First gondola’s 2026 summer season ran from 1 May to 25 October, according to MySwissAlps<\/a>, but higher trails can hold snow well into June.<\/p>\n

Late May and October bring fewer crowds and cheaper beds, though some lifts close for maintenance between seasons. Coming in the colder months instead? Swap the boots for one of these cheap winter sun destinations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Quick tip:<\/strong> check the lift operator’s timetable for your exact dates before you book. A closed gondola can add hours of climbing to your day.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

How do you read Swiss trail signs?<\/h2>\n

Swiss paths are colour-coded by difficulty, so the signpost tells you whether a trail suits you before you take a step. Swiss Family Fun’s hiking guide<\/a> breaks it down like this:<\/p>\n