Everything you need to know before you go

Getting to the Jura

The Swiss Jura sits at the heart of Europe. EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse, served by many European airlines, is about an hour from the first trails; Geneva and Zurich are the two other major airports. On our trips, a transfer from the airport takes you to the start of the hike.

The train is an excellent way to arrive too: TGV Lyria services link Paris with Basel, Lausanne and Geneva in a little over three hours, and German trains run to Basel. From there, Swiss regional trains will take you anywhere in the Jura.

From summer 2027, a direct flight will also link Montreal with EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse: travellers from Canada will find all the details on their own page.

Coming from Canada?→

Swiss trains

In Switzerland you can reach almost anywhere by train, bus or boat, on coordinated timetables: at every station, the connection waits. Trains are punctual, clean and frequent; they are often the simplest way to reach the start of a hike, or to shorten one.

• Buy your ticket before you board, at the ticket office, from a machine or in the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) app.
• The Swiss Travel Pass, available only to visitors who do not live in Switzerland, covers trains, buses and boats for 3, 4, 6, 8 or 15 consecutive days, with discounts on many mountain railways and free entry to many museums. It is worth having if you extend your stay.
• If you will be moving around less, the Half Fare Card for visitors halves the price of tickets for a month.
• On our trips, the transfers and train journeys included in the programme are covered: you have nothing to buy for those.

The climate, month by month

The Jura is a range of medium-height mountains: it is cooler here than on the Swiss Plateau or by the lakes. The table gives average temperatures at La Chaux-de-Fonds, at about 1,000 m; on the ridges, at around 1,500 m, allow a few degrees less. The weather changes quickly: even in July, a warm layer and a waterproof belong in your pack.

The hiking season runs from June to mid-October. September and October are often the finest months: the air is clear, the Alps can be seen from far away and the broadleaf woods turn golden. In winter, from December to March, the snow brings snowshoeing; it is also the season of the sea of fog, when the ridges stay in the sunshine above the clouds.

Your budget on the spot

The currency is the Swiss franc (CHF). Cards are accepted almost everywhere; euros sometimes are, but your change will come back in francs. Switzerland is expensive, especially in restaurants: our trips include accommodation and often dinner, so that any surprises stay small. As a rough guide:

• A coffee in a café or restaurant: CHF 4 to 5.
• A dish of the day at lunchtime: CHF 20 to 28.
• Dinner in a restaurant: CHF 35 to 60 per person, without wine.
• A picnic bought at a grocer's: CHF 10 to 15.

Service is included in prices: you only leave a tip if you are happy, by rounding up the bill.

Read: how much does a hiking trip in Switzerland cost?→

Kit

• Ankle-high walking boots, already broken in: Jura paths are often stony.
• Walking poles, a great help on long descents.
• A 20 to 30 litre daypack: your luggage travels on from stage to stage without you.
• A waterproof and a warm layer, even in midsummer.
• A hat, sunglasses and sun cream.
• A water bottle: water from village fountains is drinkable unless a sign says otherwise.
• To charge your phone: flat two-pin European plugs fit Swiss sockets, but French or German earthed plugs do not; a type J adapter solves the problem for all of them.

Insurance

Healthcare is expensive in Switzerland. Residents of the European Union are covered there by the European Health Insurance Card for necessary treatment; other travellers should check what their insurance covers abroad. In every case, travel insurance is strongly recommended: medical care, repatriation, search and rescue costs, and cancellation. It is not included in our trips.

Hiking in Switzerland: good practice

• Waymarking: yellow for hiking trails, white-red-white for mountain trails, pink for snowshoe routes. Signposts give a walking time, not a distance.
• Ascent is counted in metres of climb and descent: more than distance, it is what makes a day hard or easy.
• Distances are short: you often pass a village, a farm restaurant or a bus stop.
• You will cross pastures: close gates behind you and give herds a wide berth, especially cows with calves.
• There are ticks in the Jura: check yourself every evening, and ask your doctor whether the tick-borne encephalitis vaccine is recommended for you.
• Shops close on Sundays, except in major stations.
• In an emergency, call 112; Rega, the Swiss air rescue service, answers on 1414.

Frequently asked questions