Practical guide

Hiking in Switzerland: a guide for Canadian travellers

You hike at home, in the Laurentians, Charlevoix, the Appalachians or the Rockies, and you dream of Swiss trails? Here is what you need to know to plan your first hiking trip to Switzerland.

Published on 2 October 2026 · 2 min read

The Alps or the Jura?

Most people think of the Alps first, with their glaciers and peaks of more than 4,000 m. They are magnificent, but demanding: steep slopes, exposed sections, high-altitude huts. For a first trip, or for walkers at an easy to moderate level, the Jura is often a better choice: a gentle range between 500 and 1,700 m, with long ridges that are easy to follow and the Alps as a backdrop.

The Swiss Jura is French-speaking, from the Franches-Montagnes to Geneva: Quebecers will feel at home, and a few words of Swiss French go a long way for everyone else. Start with “bonjour” and “merci”. Numbers change: 70 is “septante”, 90 is “nonante”, and in the canton of Vaud 80 is “huitante”. Your mobile phone is a “natel”, the station is “la gare” and a ticket is “un billet”. On menus, “dîner” is lunch and “souper” is the evening meal.

Getting to Switzerland from Montreal

From summer 2027, a direct Air Canada flight links Montreal with EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse four times a week, from mid-June to the end of October. The airport is an hour from the first trails of the Jura, which makes it the most convenient gateway. Geneva and Zurich are the other options, all year round. Switzerland is six hours ahead of Montreal, and more if you live further west.

Getting around: the train first

There is no need to hire a car. Swiss trains serve almost every village, with connections timed to meet buses and boats. A walk can start at one station and finish at another, or be cut short halfway. The Swiss Travel Pass or the Half Fare Card make getting around simpler and cheaper.

Following the waymarks

Swiss trails are among the best waymarked in the world. Yellow signposts give the direction and the walking time to the next places; yellow diamonds confirm the path. On mountain trails, which are steeper, the waymarks are white-red-white. With a route book and the GPX track on your phone, you won't get lost.

Where to stay

In the Jura, you sleep in a village hotel, a country inn or a mountain inn, usually on half board: breakfast and dinner included. On an inn-to-inn trip, your luggage is carried from one place to the next; you walk with just a daypack.

When to go

From June to mid-October for hiking, with a soft spot for September and October, which are quieter and full of light. From December to March, the Jura is explored on snowshoes.

Safety

The European emergency number is 112; Rega, the Swiss air rescue service, answers on 1414.
Set off early, carry water and a warm layer, and check the forecast the evening before.
Travel insurance covering medical care, rescue and repatriation is essential: Quebec's RAMQ only reimburses emergency care abroad up to Quebec rates, well below Swiss costs, and if you live in another province, check what your provincial health plan covers.