Switzerland: Ten Alpine Days over New Year

1. Flights

Nothing departing before 19:00 on 24 Dec works, that is office hours. Fares are from Google Flights on 5 Sep 2026; the SIA nonstop was unpriced, check the airline site or the Google link. Christmas-week fares to Europe only go up, so book the week you settle the route.

2. Day by Day

Thu 24 Dec

Departure

Overnight flight

• 19:00Dinner after work, then Changi. For Etihad's 19:25 you need to be at the airport by 17:00; if that is too tight, take SIA at 01:30 or Qatar at 20:15. For SIA, arriving at Terminal 3 by 23:00 is relaxed.
• Before boarding, install SBB Mobile (the Swiss railways app: timetables, tickets, platforms) and load the Swiss Travel Pass e-ticket. Screenshot every confirmation, hotels, the Jungfraujoch seat reservation, the Peak2Peak ticket; there is no signal on the mountain and they still want to see it.
• Passport valid more than 3 months beyond 2 Jan (MFA recommends 6); Singapore passports are visa-free in Schengen for 90 days, and ETIAS is not live in 2026 (see “Before You Land”).

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Changi Airport Terminal 3Google

Fri 25 Dec

Christmas Day in Zürich: the old town in snow, the lights on

Baur au Lac · night 1

• 06:45Land at Zürich Airport (Flughafen Zürich). First entry into Schengen means fingerprints and a facial image at the EES kiosks (fully in force since 10 April 2026, no more stamps)verified; allow 30 min. The train to Zürich Hauptbahnhof leaves from under the terminal, 10–15 min.
• 08:30Baur au Lac sits at the lake end of the Bahnhofstrasse, a 12-minute walk or 5 minutes by taxi from the station. Ask for early check-in; if the room is not ready, leave the bags, have breakfast and a shower.
• Every shop in town is shut on Christmas Dayverified, Zürich public holiday; trains run to the Sunday timetable. The Christkindlimarkt inside the station packed up on 24 Dec and Bellevue Noël by the opera house ended on the 23rdverified 2026 dates, so the markets are gone, but the “Lucy” lights along the Bahnhofstrasse stay on into early January (5–6 Jan in 2025–26; 2026–27 dates pending).
• 11:00A slow walk through the old town: the Lindenhof terrace over the snowy Limmat, the twin towers of the Grossmünster, Chagall's windows in the Fraumünster (10:00–17:00 Nov–Feb; Christmas hours per the church notice), the painted bay windows of Augustinergasse. Lunch wherever is open: the hotel, the chains inside the station, Sprüngli on Paradeplatz (check its Christmas hours first).
• 15:30The free Live on Ice rink in the courtyard of the Landesmuseum (26 Nov–2 Jan in 2025; 2026 to confirm), or, if it is clear, the S10 up the Uetliberg for sunset over the white city.
• 17:00After dark, the Lucy lights down the Bahnhofstrasse to Paradeplatz and on to Bürkliplatz on the lake. Dinner at the hotel's Pavillon (on Christmas night mostly hotels and a few old houses are open; book before you fly). Early night after the overnight flight.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Zürich AirportGoogleZürich HauptbahnhofGoogleBahnhofstrasseGoogleLindenhofGoogleGrossmünsterGoogleFraumünsterGoogle

Sat 26 Dec

Lucerne: a steamer on the lake, the Rigi above the clouds

Mandarin Oriental Palace Luzern · night 1

• 08:30Check out. Zürich HB→Lucerne (Luzern) by direct InterRegio, 41–50 min (IR70 41 min, IR75 50 min); the Swiss Travel Pass starts today and runs 8 consecutive days to 2 Jan. The lake and the Chapel Bridge are right outside the station; the hotel is across the water on Haldenstrasse, 5 min by taxi. Drop the bags.
• 26 Dec is St Stephen's Day (Stephanstag): shops in Lucerne are shutverified, which is exactly why today is a mountain day.
• 10:30From Pier 1 outside the station, the SGV boat to Vitznau, 57 min. The winter timetable (19 Oct–16 Apr) is thin, so pick your sailing on lakelucerne.ch before you go; the Swiss Travel Pass covers the boat in fullverified.
• 12:00At Vitznau, change to Europe's first mountain rack railway (1871) up to Rigi Kulm (1,798 m), 32 min. Return fare S$131 (CHF 84)verified, from June 2026, free with the Swiss Travel Passverified. From the top: the Alps and two lakes, often above a sea of fog in winter. Lunch at the summit restaurant; the sledging run starts beside the station.
• 15:30Take the blue train down the other side to Arth-Goldau, 47 min, then a 26-minute InterRegio back to Lucerne, so you never retrace your steps.
• 17:30Check in at the Mandarin Oriental Palace Luzern (a 1906 palace hotel reopened in 2022). Dinner in the old town at Wirtshaus Galliker or the Old Swiss House for Lucerne cooking, then walk the lit Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke).

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Lucerne StationGoogleLucerne boat pierGoogleVitznauGoogleRigi KulmGoogleChapel BridgeGoogle

Sun 27 Dec

Lucerne on foot, then Pilatus or the Transport Museum

Mandarin Oriental Palace · night 2

• 09:30Sunday, so shops are closed as usual; give the morning to Lucerne on foot: the Chapel Bridge and Water Tower (Wasserturm) again in daylight, the Jesuit Church (Jesuitenkirche), the Lion Monument (Löwendenkmal), the Musegg Wall (Museggmauer; the towers close Nov–Mar, walk along the outside).
• 11:30Pick one: (1) Pilatus: bus to Kriens, then the panorama gondola and the “Dragon Ride” cableway, 45 min up to 2,132 m. Winter return from Kriens S$131 (CHF 84)verified, half price with the Swiss Travel Pass at S$66 (CHF 42); the Alpnachstad cogwheel line does not run in winterverified. (2) In bad weather, the Swiss Museum of Transport (Verkehrshaus), the country's most visited museum, open Sundays and included in the Swiss Travel Pass.
• 16:00Back for the hotel spa. Cheese fondue for dinner: Fondue House du Pont in the old town, or the Stadtkeller with its folklore show. Pack tonight; tomorrow is the mountains.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Lion MonumentGoogleMusegg WallGoogleJesuit ChurchGooglePilatus cableway, KriensGoogleSwiss Museum of TransportGoogle

Mon 28 Dec

The GoldenPass line into Grindelwald, the First Cliff Walk

Bergwelt Grindelwald · night 1

• 09:00Lucerne→Interlaken Ost on the Luzern–Interlaken Express, a panoramic train over the Brünig pass past five lakes, 1 h 48 min, included in the Swiss Travel Pass with no reservation needed (about CHF 5 if you want a fixed seat). Sit on the left for the lakes.
• 11:30Change at Interlaken Ost to the BOB railway up to Grindelwald, 36 min. Bergwelt is an 8-minute walk from Grindelwald station, or ask the hotel to send its car.
• 13:00After lunch, up to First (2,168 m): the Firstbahn gondola from the village, 25 min, return S$113 (CHF 72)verified, Nov–Apr fare (Swiss Travel Pass discount as applied at the counternot verified). The free First Cliff Walk looks straight at the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau and is open in Decemberverified; if you would rather not walk, hot chocolate on the Berggasthaus terrace.
• 16:00Back down for a stroll through the village as the Eiger's north face turns pink. Dinner at the hotel or at Barry's for rösti and cheese. Tomorrow is weather-dependent: check the summit webcams on jungfrau.ch before breakfast, and if it is overcast, swap with the free time on the 29th.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Interlaken OstGoogleGrindelwald StationGoogleFirstbahnGoogleFirst Cliff WalkGoogleBergwelt GrindelwaldGoogle

Tue 29 Dec

Jungfraujoch, Top of Europe

Bergwelt · night 2

• 08:00One stop from Grindelwald to Grindelwald Terminal (or 5 min in the hotel car), then the Eiger Express tricable gondola (opened 2020), 18 min to Eigergletscher, and the Jungfraubahn through the Eiger tunnel, 28 min to Jungfraujoch (3,454 m); 55 min from the Terminal including the change per the SBB timetable (the official site advertises 45).
• Fares: the official site says “return from Grindelwald Terminal from CHF 129.60”; the May–October peak fare from Grindelwald is CHF 221, so late December is budgeted at the peak rate, S$313 (CHF 200)estimate, 2026–27 winter price pending; the Swiss Travel Pass takes 25% offverified. Seat reservation CHF 10 per person, not compulsory Nov–Apr but strongly advised at year-end, or you wait for the next trainverified.
• 09:30Order at the top: the Sphinx terrace (3,571 m) first for the Aletsch Glacier (Aletschgletscher), then the Ice Palace (Eispalast) and the Alpine Sensation walk, and finally out onto the snow of the Plateau. Walk slowly at 3,454 m and go indoors if you feel light-headed; it is about −15 °C and sunglasses are not optional.
• 13:00Lunch at the Crystal restaurant or bring sandwiches. Come down the other way: the Jungfraubahn to Kleine Scheidegg, then the Wengernalpbahn via Grindelwald Grund back to the village, 1 h 25 min, only 8 minutes longer than the way up, with the whole Eiger north face in view.
• 17:00Back to the hotel's heated outdoor pool under the stars. Raclette for dinner. Pack tonight; the train to Zermatt is at half past eight.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Grindelwald TerminalGoogleEigergletscherGoogleJungfraujochGoogleKleine ScheideggGoogleGrindelwald GrundGoogle

Wed 30 Dec

On to Zermatt: the car-free village and the Matterhorn

Mont Cervin Palace · night 1

• 08:30Grindelwald→Interlaken Ost→Spiez→Visp→Zermatt, 3 changes, about 3 h, all on the Swiss Travel Passverified, journey time. Visp→Zermatt is the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn rack line; sit on the right for the gorge.
• 12:30Zermatt bans petrol cars: outside the station it is electric taxis and hotel horse-carriages. Mont Cervin Palace is on the main Bahnhofstrasse, a 6-minute walk, and the hotel runs an electric shuttle from the station; an e-taxi is about S$39 (CHF 25)estimate.
• 14:00First look at the Matterhorn from the Kirchbrücke, the church bridge, the classic village viewpoint. Then the Sunnegga underground funicular, 3 min up to the 2,288 m terrace, where the afternoon light is right; half price with the Swiss Travel Pass.
• 16:30The Matterhorn Museum (Zermatlantis) for the broken rope from the first ascent in 1865. Chez Vrony needs a trip up to Findeln; in the village, Restaurant Schäferstube for Valais lamb.
• The 07:00 first Gornergrat train for sunrise tomorrow: order a 06:15 breakfast box from the hotel.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Visp StationGoogleZermatt StationGoogleMont Cervin PalaceGoogleKirchbrückeGoogleSunnegga funicularGoogleMatterhorn MuseumGoogle

Thu 31 Dec

Sunrise on the Gornergrat, Glacier Paradise, New Year under the Matterhorn

Mont Cervin Palace · night 2 · New Year's Eve

• 07:00The first Gornergrat cog train leaves at 07:00 from opposite Zermatt stationverified, first winter departure, 33 min up to the Gornergrat (3,089 m). Sunrise in late December is around 08:10estimate; wait on the summit terrace for the east face of the Matterhorn to catch fire (Alpenglühen), with Monte Rosa and the Gorner Glacier alongside. Warm up with coffee in the Kulmhotel.
• Tickets: buy the Peak2Peak day ticket, Gornergrat plus Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, winter (Dec 2026–Apr 2027) S$258 (CHF 165)verified, official 2026–27, half price with the Swiss Travel Pass at S$129 (CHF 82.50). Bought separately: Gornergrat return CHF 96 (winter 2025–26), Glacier Paradise return CHF 104 (winter 2026–27).
• 10:30Down to Riffelberg, the Riffelberg Express gondola to Furi, then Trockener Steg and the Matterhorn Glacier Ride up to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (3,883 m), Europe's highest cable-car station: the glacier palace and a viewing deck over 38 four-thousand-metre peaks. High wind stops the lifts, so check the live status on matterhornparadise.ch in the morning.
• 14:30Back to the village for a nap. Evening dress tonight: the Mont Cervin Palace New Year's Eve gala is usually a separate charge booked with the roomprice to confirm with the hotel; if you would rather not, reserve a restaurant on the Bahnhofstrasse, every place in the village sells set menus on the 31st.
• 20:30By tradition the Zermatters ski instructors make a torchlit descent, best watched from the church bridgepast practice; 2026 programme pending. At midnight the crowds count down on the Bahnhofstrasse and the church square, and private fireworks light the Matterhorn's silhouette; Zermatt has no big official display, so do not expect Zürich-scale pyrotechnics.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)GornergratGoogleRiffelbergGoogleMatterhorn Glacier ParadiseGoogleKirchbrückeGoogleBahnhofstrasse ZermattGoogle

Fri 1 Jan

New Year's Day back to Zürich, the Dolder Grand spa on the hill

The Dolder Grand · night 1

• 10:00Sleep in, check out. Zermatt→Visp→Bern→Zürich, about 3 h 20 min; New Year's Day runs to the Sunday timetableverified, holidays use Sunday timetables. Day seven of eight on the Swiss Travel Pass; tomorrow's train to the airport is covered too.
• 14:30From Zürich HB, tram 3 or 8 to Römerhof and the Dolderbahn rack railway up the hill, or 15 min by taxi. The Dolder Grand sits on the Adlisberg with the whole lake and city below the windows.
• Shops and most museums across Switzerland are closed on New Year's Day (the Kunsthaus is shut on the 1st)verified, so the afternoon goes to the 4,000 m² spa and the indoor pool; dinner at Saltz or The Restaurant (two Michelin stars; ask whether it opens on the 1st).
• If you chose SIA's SQ345, it departs 10:15 tomorrow and you leave the hotel at 07:30, so lights out by 22:00.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Zürich HauptbahnhofGoogleDolderbahn, RömerhofGoogleThe Dolder GrandGoogleBürkliplatzGoogle

Sat 2 Jan

A last half day in Zürich, then the evening flight

Overnight flight

• 2 Jan is Berchtoldstag, a public holiday in the canton of Zürich, and the shops stay shutverified; chocolate and watches get bought on the road between 28 and 31 Dec, or at the airport.
• If you took SIA SQ345: check out at 07:30, taxi or Dolderbahn plus train to the airport in 40 min, wheels up 10:15, Changi at 05:50 on Sunday 3 Jan.
• If you took Oman Air at 20:35: check out, leave the bags, and take the S-Bahn to Lindt Home of Chocolate in Kilchberg (open as normal on 2 Jan, 10:00–19:00, entry S$27 (CHF 17)verified, closed on the 1st) for the world’s largest chocolate fountain; in the afternoon the Kunsthaus (open 10:00–18:00 on 2 Janverified) for Monet’s water lilies, or a lakeside walk to Seebad Utoquai. 17:30At the airport, a last meal in The Circle.
• Tax refunds: Switzerland is not in the EU; the 8.1% VAT is refundable only on a single-shop purchase of CHF 300 or more, stamped by customs at the airport then claimed at the refund counter. Not worth the queue for small sums.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Lindt Home of ChocolateGoogleKunsthaus ZürichGoogleZürich AirportGoogleThe CircleGoogle

Sun 3 Jan

In the air / home

Home today

• SIA lands at Changi 05:50: go home, sleep, have a normal Sunday afternoon. Oman Air lands 19:40, dinner at home.
• Work on Monday 4 Jan. Switzerland is 7 hours behind Singapore; the eastbound leg is the easier one for jet lag.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Changi AirportGoogle

3. Hotels

26 Dec–2 Jan is the most expensive and fullest week of the Alpine year, and five-stars in Zermatt and Grindelwald often insist on a full week. The Google Hotels links carry the dates; where no rate shows, e-mail to ask whether two nights are possible and what the New Year's Eve gala costs. Lock all five on free-cancellation rates; January 2027 rates usually open 3–6 months out, so re-shop once they do.

4. Tickets and Booking Rules

Prices converted at 1 CHF = 1.5648 SGD on 2026-09-05 (about CHF 0.64 to the Singapore dollar); the franc price in brackets is what you pay on the ground (cards are taken everywhere). Swiss Travel Pass, Peak2Peak, Glacier Paradise, Rigi and Pilatus are official 2026 or 2026–27 season prices; the Jungfraujoch 2026–27 winter table is not yet published, hence the estimate. Singapore passports are visa-free in Schengen for 90 days, so no visa for these 8 nights, and ETIAS is not live in 2026.

5. Booking Timeline

Sync ticks to another device

6. Gear List (−3 to 5 °C in the cities, −15 °C on the summits)

7. Risks and Backups

8. Budget (two sharing a room, per person)

About S$10,400 per person, S$20,799 for two. Carry CHF 300 (S$469) cash each as a float, not counted above.

Hotels (S$6,024) are 58% of the per-person total and the big number on this route; flights are only S$1,287. Savings in order: drop each hotel one tier (Storchen, Schweizerhof Luzern, Schweizerhof Grindelwald, CERVO, the airport Hyatt) for about S$1,878 per person; 2nd class on the Swiss Travel Pass saves S$404; a restaurant set menu instead of the gala halves that line. Swiss prices: mineral water CHF 4, coffee CHF 5, a main course CHF 30–50, taxis CHF 6 flagfall plus CHF 4 per km, so CHF 60–80 per person per day for food is realistic, not conservative. Rate 2026-09-05, 1 CHF = 1.5648 SGD.

9. Before You Land