Elveia denumit completConfederaia Elveian este orepublic federalformat din26de cantoane autonome, cu capitala federal laBerna. ara se situeaz n Europa de Vest,unde se nvecineaz cuGermaniala nord, cuFranala vest, cuItaliala sud, i cuAustriaiLiechtensteinla est.Elveia cuprinde trei mari regiuni lingvistice i culturale: german, francez, i italian, la care se mai adaug vile vorbitoare deretoroman. De aceea, elveienii, dei predominant germanofoni, nu formeaz o naiune n sensul unei identiti etnice i culturale. Sentimentul de apartenen la o ar comun se bazeaz pe un fundal istoric, pe valori comunei pe simbolistica alpin.nfiinarea Confederaiei Elveiene este datat prin tradiie la 1 august 1291, cnd se srbtorete i ziua naional.Este al douzecilea cel mai mare exportator i al optsprezecelea cel mai mare importator de bunuri.ntins de-a lungul prilor nordic i sudic aAlpilornEuropa de Vest-Central, Elveia cuprinde o mare diversitate de peisaje i climate pe o suprafa mic, de doar 41.285km.[31]Populaia este de circa 7,9milioane, ceea ce are ca rezultat o densitate medie de circa 190 de locuitori pe kilometru ptrat.[31][32][33]Jumtatea sudic, mai muntoas, a rii este mult mai rarefiat populat dect cea nordic.[31]n cel mai mare canton,Graubnden, aflat n ntregime n Alpi, densitatea populaiei scade la 27 /km.

Peisaje contrastante ntre zonaMatterhorndin Alpii nali, regiuneaSanetschi platoul lalacul LucernaElveia se ntinde ntre paralelele de 45 i 48 latitudine nordic, i ntre meridianele de 5 i 11 longitudine estic. Ea conine trei zone topografice de baz:Alpii Elveienila sud,Platoul Elveiansau ara de mijloc, iMunii Juran nord. Alpii sunt un lan muntos nalt, care treaverseaz partea central-sudic a rii, formnd circa 60% din suprafaa ei total. Printre vile nalte din Alpii Elveieni se gsesc muli gheari, totaliznd o suprafa de 1.063 kilometri ptrai. Din acetia i au izvoarele mai multe ruri importante, printre careRinul,Innul,TicinoiRonul, care curg ctre cele patru puncte cardinale i parcurg mare parte din restul Europei. Reeaua hidrografic cuprinde mai multe dintre cele mai mari lacuri din Europa de Vest i Central, ntre care se numrlacul Geneva,Bodenseeilacul Maggiore. Elveia are peste 1500 de lacuri, i conine 6% din rezervele de ap proaspt ale Europei. Lacurile i ghearii acoper circa 6% din teritoriul rii.Circa o sut de vrfuri montane din Elveia se apropie de 4.000m sau depesc aceast altitudine.[36]Cu 4.634m,Monte Rosaeste cel mai nalt, deiMatterhorn(4.478m) este probabil mai celebru. Ambele se afl nAlpii Peninincantonul Valais. Seciunea dinAlpii Berneziaflat deasupra vii glaciare adnciLauterbrunnen, cu 72 de cascade, este celebr pentru vrfurileJungfrau(4.158m) iEiger, i pentru vile pitoreti. n sud-est, lunga valeEngadin, cuprinznd zonaSt. Moritzdincantonul Graubnden, este i ea celebr; cel mai nalt vrf dinAlpii BerninaestePiz Bernina(4.049m).Partea nordic a rii, mai dens populat, cu circa 30% din suprafaa total a rii, mai este numit i ara de Mijloc. Ea are peisaje deluroase mai deschise, parial mpdurite, parial acoperite cu puni, folosite de obicei de turmele de ierbivore, sau cu lanuri de legume, dar tot pe dealuri. Aici se gsesc marile lacuri ale rii, ca i cele mai mari orae elveiene.[37]Cel mai mare lac estelacul Geneva(denumit n francezLac Lman), n extremitatea vestic a rii. Lacul se afl perul Ron.Clima

Contrast ntre diferitele climate: cea mai ngheat zon din Eurasia occidental (ghearul Aletsch), clima temperat rece din Jura (Valle de Joux) i cantonul sudic Ticino (lacul Lugano)Clima Elveiei este n generaltemperat, dar poate varia mult de la un loc la altul,de la condiii glaciare n zonele nalte de munte, pn la un climat plcut, aproapemediteraneann extremitatea sudic. Exist unele vi n zona de sud n care triesc i uniipalmierimai rezisteni la frig. Verile tind s fie calde i umede uneori, cu ploi periodice, fiind ideale pentru punat. Iernile mai uscate n zona de munte pot prezenta intervale lungi de vreme stabil, ce dureaz cu sptmnile, n vreme ce depresiunile intramontane tind s sufere de inversiune climatic, cu vreme deosebit de rece, i fr soare timp de mai multe sptmni.Un fenomen meteorologic denumitfhnpoate avea loc oricnd n timpul anului, i este caracterizat printr-un vnt neateptat de cald, care aduce la nord de Alpi aer cu umiditate relativ sczut de pe versantul sudic, n perioadele ploioase. Fenomenul funcioneaz n ambele sensuri peste muni, dar este mai eficient atunci cnd bate dinspre sud, datorit urcrii mai abrupte pe care trebuie s o fac aerul ce vine dinspre sud. n vile cu orientare pe direcia nord-sud, acest fenomen se declaneaz cel mai bine. Cele mai uscate condiii persist n toate depresiunile intraalpine care primesc mai puine precipitaii, deoarece norii i pierd mare parte din coninut n timp ce traverseaz munii i nainte de a ajunge n aceste zone. Zone alpine mari, cum ar fiGraubndenrmn mai uscate dect cele subalpine i, cum ar fi n valea principal a cantonuluiValais, sunt condiii propice pentru cretereaviei de vie. Cele mai umede condiii persist n Alpii nali i ncantonul Ticino, care beneficiaz de mult soare, combinat ns cu ploi abundente i de scurt durat.Precipitaiile tind s fie moderat rspndite pe toat durata anului, cu un maxim nu foarte mare pe timp de var. Toamna este cel mai uscat anotimp, iarna cad mai puine precipitaii dect vara, i totui vremea n Elveia nu este foarte stabil i poate varia de la an la an fr perioade stricte i previzibile.MediulEcosistemele Elveiei pot fi deosebit de fragile, din cauza numeroaselor vi separate de muni nali, formnd condiii unice. Regiunile montane sunt i ele vulnerabile, o gam larg de plante negsindu-se la alte altitudini, iar punatul i turismul punnd presiune pe ele. Condiiile climatice, geologice i topografice ale regiunilor alpine dau natere unui ecosistem foarte fragil i deosebit de sensibil laschimbri climatice. Urbanizarentre dou treimi i trei sferturi din populaie locuiete n zone urbane.Elveia a trecut de la a fi o ar predominant rural la una urban n doar 70 de ani. ncepnd cu 1935, dezvoltarea urban a cuprins o proporie la fel de mare din peisajul elveian ct a cuprins n precedenii 2.000 de ani. Aceast explozie urban nu afecteaz doar zona podiului, ci i vile montane din Jura i din Alpii au aprut ngrijorri privind utilizarea pmntului.De la nceputul secolului al XXI-lea, creterea demografic n zonele urbane este mai mare dect cea din zonele rurale. Elveia are o reea dens de orae, n care oraele mari, medii i mici se completeaz unele pe altele.Podiuleste foarte dens populat, cu circa 450 de locuitori pe km2iar peisajul prezint permanent semne ale prezenei umane.Ponderea celor mai mari zone metropolitane,Zrich,GenevaLausanne,BaseliBerna, tinde s creasc. n comparaie la nivel internaional, importana acestor zone urbane este mai mare dect sugereaz numrul lor de locuitori.Cele dou centre principale, Zrich i Geneva, sunt recunoscute pentru gradul deosebit de ridicat al calitii vieii.

BuctriaBuctria tradiional elveian are mai multe aspecte. Dei unele feluri de mncare, cum ar fifondue,raclettesaurstisunt omniprezente n toat ara, fiecare regiune i-a dezvoltat mncrurile sale specifice conform diferenelor de clim i limb.[168]Buctria tradiional elveian utilizeaz ingrediente similare celor din alte ri europene, precum i produselactateibrnzeturispecifice, cum ar fiGruyresauEmmental, produse n vileGruyresiEmmental. Numrul de restaurante este ridicat, n special n vestul rii. Ciocolata s-a fabricat n Elveia nc din secolul al XVIII-lea, dar i-a ctigat reputaia la sfritul secolului al XIX-lea, cu inventarea tehnicilor deconaji cristalizare care au permis producerea ei la o calitate superioar. O alt descoperire a fost inventarea ciocolatei cu lapte n 1875 de ctreDaniel Peter. Elveienii sunt cei mai mari consumatori de ciocolat din lume. Vinul este cea mai popular butur alcoolic n Elveia, ar cunoscut pentru varietatea de soiuri de struguri, dat de marea varietate de tipuri de areale viticole, cu combinaii specifice de tipuri de sol, aer, altitudine i lumin. Vinurile elveiene se produc n principal nValais,Vaud(Lavaux),GenevaiTicino, majoritare (cu puin) fiind vinurile albe. Au existat podgorii n Elveia de astzi nc din epoca roman, dei se pot gsi unele urme de origine i mai veche. Cele mai rspndite soiuri cultivate suntChasselas(denumitFendantn Valais) iPinot Noir.Merloteste principalul soi produs n Ticino. Patrimoniu mondialPe lista patrimoniului mondial UNESCO sunt nscrise urmtoarele obiective din Elveia: Mnstirea benedictin de laSt. Gallen(1983) Mnstirea benedictin Sf.Ioan dinVal Mstair(1983) Centrul vechi istoric dinBerna(1983) Cele trei ceti dinBellinzona(2000) Regiunea alpin Jungfrau (2001, 2007) Monte San Giorgio lng LaculLugano(2003) Terasele viticole din districtul Lavaux (Cantonul Vaud) (2007)

1.IMPORTANTA TURISMULUI RURAL IN ELVETIA

Situat n inima Europei Centrale, Elveia se definete fizic ca un castel de ape natural, care-i orienteaz debitul pe toate versantele i n toate direciile: Ronul i conduce undele spre Mediteran, Rinul spre Marea Nordului, Innul spre Dunre i prin ea spre Marea Neagr, n timp ce Ticino coboar spre cmpia italian, unde, prin apele Padului n care se vars, ajunge la Marea Adriatic.Dac personalitatea elveian implic printre esenialele ei note definitorii voina de neatrnare, geografia fizic a rii este factorul care asigur perenitate acestei voine. Cetatea alpin elveian constituie nu numai o redut natural, ci i condiia sine qua non a existenei rii.Elvetia reprezinta Europa in miniatura, concentrand toate contrastele existente pe continent si oferind o mare diversitate de atractii turistice (naturale cat si construite de oameni). Avand in vedere ca suprafata tarii nu este foarte mare iar sistemele de transport sunt foarte bine puse la punct, toate obiectivele sunt usor accesibile pentru turisti. Cosmopolitan si cultural. Cel mai mare oras al Elvetiei, dar nu si capitala, este Zurich - situat pe malul Lacului Zurich; este cel mai important centru financiar si de afaceri, cunoscut in intreaga lume mai ales pentru sectorul bancar; cea mai atractiva zona de cumparaturi din Zurich este Bahnhofstrasse. Geneva - orasul cosmopolitan al Elvetiei, este situat pe malul Lacului Geneva, in partea din Elvetia unde se vorbeste limba franceza; reprezinta punctul de intalnire al intregii lumi, aici aflandu-se sediul Natiunilor Unite si sediile altor organisme international.Elveia este un mozaic format din 23 de cantoane, dintre care 3 sunt divizate la rndul lor n semicantoane. Fiecare dintre acestea poate fi comparat cu un stat mic, independent, avnd propriul su guvern, parlament, legi i tribunale. Cantoanele sunt alctuite din circa 3 000 de municipii care sunt n mare msura autonome. n ansamblu, la aceste cantoane se face referire sub numele de Confederaia Elveian (Confederation Helvetica).Avnd n vedere faptul ca Elveia este o ar mic, se poate afirma c are multe rezervaii naturale. Cea mai important este Parcul National Elveian din Engadine, regiune la o altitudinede 1400-3171 m, cu o arie care cuprinde n jur de 172 km , care a fost transformat ntr-o rezervaie de animale i plante salbatice. Parcul a fost nfiinat n 1914 i n fiecare an n jur de 150.000 de vizitatori se plimb pe jos pe trasee care nsumeaz 80 km.O treime din parc este acoperit de pduri, o treime de pajiti alpine i o treime de pmnturi necultivabile. Aici se gsesc capre negre, marmote, caprioare, vluturi, etc.Printre alte rezervaii naturale, frumoase se afl i celebra pdure Aletschwald, la o altitudine de 2100 m. n pdure sunt brazi de munte foarte btrni i multe alte plante, unele dintre ele relativ rare.n cantonul Ticino, sunt grdini cu flori minunate pe Isole di Brissago (insulele Brisago) la care se poate ajunge doar cu vaporul. Pe lng o flor fabuloas mai exist i vegetaia mediteranean, care n Elveia este format doar din lmi i portocali.Psrile pot fi observate n Untersee, partea de vest a Lacului Constance, unde pot fi ascultate o sumedenie de specii de psri rare.2.ORGANIZATII DE TURISM RURAL IN ELVETIAn ultimul timp, n Elvetia, se studiaza si se ncurajeaza tendinta de a transforma unele sate existente n sate turistice. n prima etapa, a crearii satului turistic, s-au rezolvat probleme legate de aducerea apei, canalizare si unele probleme de infrastructura. Apoi s-a organizat si realizat sistemul de aprovizionare si numai dupa aceasta s-a construit un cartier nou cu case tip vila, dar cu conditia respectarii stilului traditional al regiunii. Apartamentele au fost vndute unor persoane particulare, administratia avnd obligatia sa le gospodareasca atunci cnd proprietarii nu-si petrec timpul liber n satul respectiv. Satele de acest tip sunt destinate unei clientele cu venituri modeste si medii, inclusiv pentru turistii straini.De asemenea, s-a stimulat crearea unor "mici colonii de vacanta" n imediata apropiere a centrelor turistice, Touring Club Suisse fiind cea care promoveaza realizarea acestui gen de turism- mici colonii de vacanta n imediata apropiere a centrelor turisti Turismul rural n Elvetia, este singurul sector al turismului n care oferta de locuri de cazare este inferioara cererii.n Elveia doi rani din trei i obin veniturile din agroturism, acesta avnd o contribuie anual de 5,6% n PIB i asigurnd 300.000 de locuri de munc.Produsele turismul rural au fost elaborate i distribuite n Elveia, prin intermediul mai multor organizaii, cum ar fi n partea de est:Verein, Ferien auf dem Bauernhof, B & B Elveia, Gtes de Elvetia Srl, Centrul Romand de comptences en tourisme rural, Aventure sur la paille.3.CATEGORII DE TURISTI CARE PRACTICA TURISMUL RURAL SI AGROTURISMUL IN ELVETIAElveia este ara n care a aprut aventura turistic(denumirea de nceput a agroturismului) n jurul anilor 1840. Este vorba de zonaChateau d Oex, unde englezii au descoperit o lume mirific (peisaje montane,ape de munte, pajiti bogate cu turme de vite, oameni primitori) i n care s-au revrsat (peste 700 de turiti n anul 1878), ocupnd toate pensiunileagroturistice. La cele 6 milioane de locuitori, Elveia gzduiete astzi 10milioane de turiti anual, practic satele sale dobndind, n cea mai mare partefuncia agroturistic (zona lacului Leman, Munii Jura, Neuchatel).4.STUDIU DE CAZ:TURISMUL RURAL IN ZONA LUZERN4.1 CARACTERISTICI GEOGRAFICELuzern este o poarta de acces la Alpi,deschide usa pentru un colt special al lumii.Este un canton al Elvetiei. Aparine de bazinele hidrografice ale ruriloe Reuss i Kleine Emme. Se afl pe pantele nordice ale regiunii de piemont a Alpilor elveieni. Cel mai nalt vrf al cantonului este Brienzer Rothorn cu 2 350m.Suprafaa cantonului este de 1,493 km2 817.7 km2 , aproximativ 55% din suprafaa total de teren, este utilizat pentru agricultur. Un km2 449.0 suplimentare (aproximativ 30%) a cantonului este mpdurit. Restul cantonului este fie dezvoltat, 125.3 km2 (8,4%), sau neproductive (lacuri, ruri sau Munii), 101.5 km2 (6,8%).4.2 CARACTERISTICI DEMOGRAFICELuzern are o populaie (din decembrie 2010) de 377,610. ncepnd din 2010 , 9,4% din populaie sunt rezideni strini. Migraia a constituit-1.2%, n timp ce nateri i decese au reprezentat 1,3%.Majoritatea populaiei vorbete german (311,543 sau 88.9%) ca limb matern, srbo-croat este al doilea cel mai comun (7,401 sau 2,1%) i italian este a treia (6,801 sau 1,9%). Exist 2,053 de oameni care vorbesc franceza. Au existat 101,980 sau 29,1% care s-au nscut n canton n timp ce 66,486 sau 19.0% s-au nscut altundeva n Elveia, i 55,314 sau 15,8% s-au nscut n afara Elvetiei. Conform recensmntului din 2000 copii i adolesceni (0-19 ani) alctuiesc 25% din populaie, n timp ce adulii (20-64 ani) alctuiesc 58.6% i seniori (peste 64 ani) alctuiesc 16,4%. Conform recensmntului din 2000, au fost 158,345 oameniI care au fost singurI i niciodat cstoriti. Existau 159,152 persoane cstorite, 18,853 vduve sau vduvi i 14,154 persoane care sunt divorate. Conform recensmntului din 2000, au existat gospodrii private in numar de 13,430 i o medie de 2.5 persoane pe gospodrie, 47,012 de gospodrii in care locuiau doar o singur persoan i 12,952 gospodrii cu cinci sau mai multe persoane. Din 2009 , rata de construire de noi uniti de locuine a fost 4.7 noi uniti la 1000 de locuitoriThe capital city ofBerneRemark: All Swiss cities, villages, regions, or whatever geographical object do have official spellings in all four national languages; sometimes they are just the same. However, major cities and touristic regions also know official English spellings. Nevertheless, only a few years ago, the official Swiss tourism office started to advertise major spots and cities with their original, local spelling; with some exceptions of course, such as Geneva and Zurich for example. Obviously, it was too disturbing for anglo-saxon tourists to remember all the different spellings. But their real spellings are really important to the locals and helpful to know as a tourist of the respective region. So therefore, the following list will present you the advertised spelling first, followed with its local spelling, if different, then its English version, if different, and its other national spellings.You could even enlarge this lists with other different, but hardly anymore used or even outdated spellings in other national languages (e.g. Bellinzona used to be spelledBellenzin German orBellencein French, or even more oudated: Lugano was known asLauisin German). And this can even get escalated if you would want to refer to the different spellings of the different dialects in the different national language regions of Switzerland: the many 21+ Swiss-German dialects, the four Romansh dialects, the Franco-Provenal from the French speaking Switzerland, or the Lombard in Ticino;-)And how to speak them is even another issue, since even if they are written the same, they are quite often not spoken the same way in the different languages/dialects, of course!

Basel(ger;eng: Basle (somehowoutdated, however still used in the English press:[3]);fre: Ble;ita/roh: Basilea) the traveller's gateway to the German Rhineland and French Alsace with an exceptional medieval downtown at the knee of theRhineriver; excellent museums (~40) and art's mecca duringART BASEL, world's largest art fair; also famous for its huge and contemplating carnival around February (Basler Fasnacht); German-speaking world wide renowned theatre (including opera and ballet). Bellinzona(ita/eng/ger/roh;fre: Bellinzone) renowned for its medieval castles, world UNESCO heritage, pretty center and capital of the canton ofTicino, overlooking one of the few flat rural areas of Switzerland towardsLake Maggiore. Chur(ger;roh: Cuira;eng/fre: Coire;ita: Coira) capital of the canton of Grisons (ger: Kanton Graubnden;roh: Chantun Grischun;ita: Cantone dei Grigioni), the only trilingual Swiss canton, in the east-south of Switzerland, dates back almost 4000 years; lovely old town; gate to several glitzy ski and hiking resorts, such asSt. Moritz,Davos,Arosa,Lenzerheide,Flims/Laaxand many more; major hub to theGlacier Expressand theBernina Express Bern(ger;eng/fre: Berne;ita/roh: Berna) capital of Switzerland at the shores of the cristal-clear green-blueAareriver with an amazingly well preserved old-town with arcades along almost every street; great restaurants abound, as do bars and clubs. Geneva(eng;fre: Genve;ger: Genf;ita: Ginevra;roh: Genevra) this centre of arts and culture is an international city that is home to around 200 governmental and non-governmental organizations (with some major UN organizations) at the end of Lake Geneva (Lac Lmanflows into the riverRhne), founding place of Calvinism and THERed Cross(ICRC); almost every second inhabitant is a foreigner. Interlaken(ger/eng/fre/ita/roh) the outdoor and action sports capital of Switzerland; anything from skydiving, bungee jumping, hiking, white-water rafting, to canyoning; between the two lakesBrienzandThun; starting point for many, many tourists for excursions into the Bernese Alps. Lausanne(fre/eng/ger;ita/roh: Losanna) scenery, dining, dancing, boating and the Swiss wine-country are the draws at the shores of the great Lake Geneva (Lac Lman) with a view of Swiss and French Alps; world-wide renowned for itsBjart Ballet Lausanne Luzern(ger;eng/fre: Lucerne;ita/roh: Lucerna) main medievial city of the Central region with direct water links to all of the early Swiss historic sights at the end of the many branched lake Lucerne (Vierwaldsttterseeends into the riverReuss) along of many steep mountains; also famous for its tremendous and ethnic carnival (Lozrner Fasnacht) around February; host of the world-renownedLucerne Festivals, a classical summer music festival in theCulture and Congress Centre(KKL) designed byJean Nouvel; starting point for many excursions into the Alps Lugano(ita/eng/ger/fre/roh) a bustling old-town in Italian-spoken Switzerland, at the southern end of the Alps with a Mediterranean climate at the pretty lake of Lugano in the middle of forested mountains; much Italianata combined with Swiss seriousness. St. Gallen(ger(also: Sankt Gallen);eng: St. Gall;fre: Saint-Gall;ita: San Gallo;roh: Son Gagl) main city of north-eastern Switzerland, renowned for itsAbbey of St. Gall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its library contains books which date back to the 9th century, it also functions as the gate to the very exclusiveAppenzellregion. Zurich(eng/fre;ger: Zrich;ita: Zurigo;roh: Turitg) largest city of Switzerland at the end of Lake Zurich (ends into the riverLimmat), a major centre of international banking and national major companies and media; great culture & arts possibilities; more than 50 museums and around 100 galleries; great restaurants (more than 1500) and bars (more than 500); excellent cinema selection (~60 show rooms); has a thriving nightlife (~80 clubs on weekends); host of the largest European party raveStreet Paradein August with almost 1 million visitors every year; renowned opera, excellent theatre; host of the renowned theatre festivalZrcher Theater Spektakelduring August; every third inhabitant is a foreignerOther destinations[edit] Grindelwald the classic resort at the foot of the Eiger Spiez a picture postcard town with the loveliest bay of Europe Rhine Falls the largest falls of Europe, close to Schaffhausen Zermatt famous mountain resort at the base of the mighty MatterhornBy airplane[edit]Major internationalairportsare inZurich,GenevaandBasel, with smaller airports inLuganoandBerne. Flying into nearbyMilan(Italy),Lyonor evenParis(France),Frankfurt(Germany), orMunich(Germany) are other options though rather expensive and time-consuming (3h Frankfurt-Basel, 4h Frankfurt-Berne/Zurich, 4h Milan-Zurich, 3h Paris-Basel/Geneva, 4h Paris-Berne/Zurich, 3.5h Munich-St. Gall, 4.5h Munich-Zurich) by train. Some discount airlines fly toFriedrichshafen,Germanywhich is just across Lake Constance (the Bodensee) fromRomanshorn, not too far (1h) fromZurich. The Flagcarrier of Switzerland is SWISS[4]which is a member of Star Alliance[5]and successor of the famous Swissair.By train[edit]Trains arrive from all parts of Europe. Switzerland is together with Germany one of the most central-lying countries in Europe, making it a center of railways and highways to the rest of Europe. Some major routes include: The TGV Lyria (Train grande vitesse, French/Swiss high-speed rail connection to Switzerland), with several trains daily fromParis,Avignon,Dijon, andNicewith direct trains from Paris (Gare de Lyon) to eitherGeneva, orVallorbe-Lausanne, orBasel-Olten-Bern(-Interlaken), orBasel-Zurich[6]. Hourly trains to/fromMilanwith connections to all parts ofItaly Hourly ICE (InterCity-Express, German high-speed trains) fromZurichtoKarlsruhe,Mannheim,Frankfurtin Germany, many continuing towardAmsterdam,HamburgorBerlin. Regular ICE trains fromZurichtoStuttgart Regular EuroCity trains fromZurichtoMunich Night trains fromParis,Amsterdam,Berlin,Hamburg,Prague,Vienna,Belgrade,BarcelonaRomeandVenicetoBasel,Geneva,Zurichand some also toLausanne. These trains are either "EuroNight" (symbol:EN) or CityNightLine (symbol:CNL) services[7]By bus[edit] Eurolineshas incorporated Switzerland in its route network. Due to the Bosnian war in the 1990s there are several bus companies serving the Bosnian diaspora, which provide a cheap andcleanway of getting to the Balkans.Turistik Proiruns from various destinations in the Federation ofBosnia and Hercegovinato Switzerland.By car[edit]Common tourist destinations within Switzerland are easily reachable by car, e.g. Geneva from central eastern France, and Zurich from southern Germany. Although Switzerland is now part of the Schengen agreement, it is not part of the EU customs/tariff union. Therefore, EU/Swiss border posts focus on smuggling e.t.c but there is no passport control. Delays are usually short but cars may be stopped and no reason needs to be named. Some delay may be caused by queuing at busy times, and there are often queues lasting hours to use the tunnels under the Alps from Italy such as Mont Blanc, Gotthard etc. Swiss motorway vignettes (40 Swiss Francs) can and should be purchased at the border if your car does not already have a valid one for the year and you intend to use the Swiss motorways which is almost unavoidable. Keep in mind when choosing your means of transport that most cities do not have free parking.When using mountain roads, bear in mind that they are also used by buses - most relevant on hair pin bends. And most mountain roads are frequently used by the yellow Swiss PostAuto bus. If you see a postal bus, or even much better, hear it approaching a bend by its distinctive three tone horn, hold right back (before the bend!) and let it pass, theyalwayshave priority and their drivers count on your passive driving (see alsomountain road hintsbelow)!Get around[edit]By plane[edit]The following carriers offer domestic flights within Switzerland:1. SWISS[8](Basel/Mulhouse (EuroAirport Swiss), Geneva (Geneve-Cointrin Airport), Lugano Airport, Zurich Airport)2. Darwin Airlines[9](Berne (Belp Airport), Geneva (Geneve-Cointrin Airport), Lugano Airport)3. FlyBaboo website[10](Geneva (Geneve-Cointrin Airport), Lugano Airport)But in almost every case you will be better off taking the train.Public transport[edit]The Swiss will spoil you with fantastic transportation - swift, disturbingly punctual trains, clean buses, and a half dozen different kinds of mountain transport systems, integrated into a coherent system. The discount options and variety of tickets can be bewildering, from half fare cards to multi-day, multi-use tickets good for buses, boats, trains, and even bike rentals. In general there's at least one train or bus per hour on every route, on many routes trains and buses are running every 30 min, or even 15 min, but as with everything in Switzerland the transit runs less often, or at least for a shorter period of the day, on weekends, and especially on Sundays. Authoritative information, routes, and schedules can be found at Swiss Federal Railway's (SBB-CFF-FFS) website[11], or from a ticket window in any train station.Tickets[edit]Almost nobody in Switzerland pays full fare for the transit system. At the very least they all have aHalf-Fare Card(French:Demi-tarif, German:Halbtax) which saves you 50% on all national buses and trains and gives a discount on local and private transit systems. Press the '1/2' button (in the French speaking part often calledtarif reduit) on the ticket machines to indicate you have this card, and be prepared to hand it to the conductor along with your ticket on the train. Annual half fare cards cost CHF 175.-[12]; visitors from abroad can buy a 1-monthSwiss Half-Fare Cardcards for CHF120[13][14]. You save CHF 62.- on a round-trip ticket from Zurich to Lugano, so if you are planning on traveling a lot, it will quickly pay for itself. Children between ages 6 and below 16 (before the 16th date of birth!) pay 1/2 fare for travel around Switzerland. Children travelling with a paying parent or grandparent can travel for free, if the parents purchased a Junior Card, or the grandparents purchased a Grandchild Travelcard[15]. Parents from abroad in possession of any kind of a valid Swiss Pass/Card/Ticket by the Swiss Travel System[16]can get a Swiss Family Card for free with the same advantages[17].The most convenient way to travel with public transport in Switzerland is either a GA travel card (French:Abonnement gnral, German:Generalabonnament), or for visitors only aSwiss Pass, which grants you access to all national bus (including Swiss PostAuto bus) and rail, all boats, all city transit systems, and the same hefty discount as a half-fare card on privately operated cable cars, funiculars, and ski lifts. Swiss Passes range from CHF 272.- for a 4-day, 2nd class pass to CHF 607.- for a month pass, 2nd class. Like the half-fare, you can buy this from any train station ticket office.There are a few other possibilities in between a half-fare card and a Swiss Pass: See an overview here[18]and for all possible tickets here[19].Only two trains in Switzerland require reservations: theBernina Express, running daily betweenChurandTiranoand theGlacier Expressrunning fromSt. MoritztoZermatt. Reservations is also recomended for theGoldenPass LinefromMontreuxtoInterlakenand further toLuzern, as well as for theWilhelm Tell ExpressfromLuzerntoFlelenby boat and further fromFlelentoLuganoorLocarnoin Ticino by train.Normally, you do not have to make reservation for any of the public transport system in Switzerland. Though, there are some exceptions. Besides the mentioned scenic trains, some of the yellow bright Swiss PostAuto bus lines require them as well. The easiest way to check this is by the time table[20]. If you find a capitalRin a square, then seat reservation is compulsory. And of course, it is also compulsory for most of the international connections.In general, you will always find a free seat, except for rushing hours (departure time about between 6:30 to 8, and about between 17 and 18:30) especially on non-stop connections between the major business cities, and in particular between Zurich and Bern, and between Zurich and Basel in both directions. You can easily check this on the time table by the statistically basedoccupancyindication. And during winter season at weekends to and from major ski areas, it can be packed as well. But normally, nobody makes a reservation.On most trains in Switzerland, tickets can no longer be bought on board, so it is recommended to buy tickets before hand. You will get fined, if you have not got a ticket. Swiss Rail kiosks accept credit/debit cards, although they require that a PIN be entered. You can also buy a ticket on the Swiss Federal Railway (SBB-CFF-FFS) website[21]. Or on SBB's smart phone apps[22]for paperless on-the-mobile-phone tickets, but you need to register an account and a credit card first.A national single rail ticket is always valid the whole calendar day and therefore valid for any train running on the given route during the day, or more precisely from 5AM to 5AM of the next day; train operation, or in general any public transport system in Switzerland, stops for a few hours during the night. A national return rail ticket always costs exactely the double amount of a single ticket. This is not necessarily true for suburban ticket areas of shorter distances, or for cities' local transport systems.Any national fare does not change for at least a whole year. So there is no need to buy national tickets in advance and therefore you cannot even buy national tickets online earlier than 30 days ahead. There are only very rare occasions to buy national rail tickets with deductions. And they are only available 14 days before travel date. And you can buy them only online[23], if there are any at all. And they are only valid for the chosen connection/train of a given date and time! All online bought national tickets are not refundable and only valid for one single calendar day of the chosen date.Travel[edit]Using the trains is easy, although the number of different kinds of trains can be a bit confusing unless you know that the schedules at a Swiss train station are color coded. The yellow sheet is for departures and the white sheet is for arrivals. Faster trains appear on both of these sheets in red, while the trains in black stop at more stations. For long trips it is often easier to use the website, as it will pick transfers for you. You need not fear transfers of five minutes or less. You will make them, provided you know exactly which platform you arrive on and which one you depart from. Many Swiss commute with a one or two minute transfer!At the track, the signs indicate the destination and departure time. The small numbers and letters along the bottom show you where you can board the train. The letters indicate the zone you should stand in, and the numbers indicate the class. The class (1st or 2nd) is indicated by a "1" or "2" on the side of the car, these correspond with the numbers on the sign. All Swiss trains are non-smoking this is also indicated on the side of car, as well as inside.Luggage can be stowed above your seat or in between seats, or on a rack at the end of the car. During busy periods, people often stow large luggage (or skis) in the entrance area in between cars. This is usually fairly safe, but use common sense.The variety of trains is bewildering at first, but is actually quite simple. The routes the SBB-CFF-FFS website suggests will make much more sense if you understand them. All trains have a one or two letter prefix, followed by a number, for example RE2709, IR2781. Only the prefix, the destination, and the time of departure are important. R(Regio/Rgional) trains are local trains. They stop everywhere or almost everywhere, and generally reach into the hinterlands of a major station likeLausanne, but not to the next major station (in this caseGeneva). If you are going to a small town, you may transfer at a large station to anRtrain for the last leg. Often you can use tickets from city public transit on theS(suburban) system, but ask before trying. For example, Zurich's integrated public transport system (ZVV,[24]) includes everything and all, city trams, buses, SBB-CFF-FFS trains, S-Bahn trains, boats and Postbuses as long as you are within its area with a ticket valid for the zones you travel in (check the fare zone map:[25]). RE(RegioExpress) trains generally reach from one major station to the next, touching every town of any importance on the way, but don't stop at every wooden platform beside the tracks. IR(InterRegio) trains are the workhorses of Swiss transit. They reach across two or three cantons, for instance fromGeneva, alongLake GenevathroughVaud, and all the way toBrigat the far end of theValais. They only stop at fairly large towns, usually those that boast three or four rail platforms. IC(InterCity) trains are express trains with restaurant cars. They are sumptuous and comfortable, often putting vaunted services like the TGV to shame, and make runs between major stations, with occasionally stops at a more minor one where tracks diverge. ICN(InterCityNeigezug, or Intercity Tilting Train) trains are the express tilt-trains, as luxurious as the IC trains. They run on major tracks, such as betweenGeneva(City and Aroport) -Lausanne-Biel/Bienne-Olten-Zurich(HB) -St. Gallen,Basel(SBB) -Delmont-Biel/Bienne-Lausanne-Geneva(City and Aroport),Chiasso-Lugano-Bellinzona- St. Gotthard -Arth-Goldau-Luzern-Olten-Basel(SBB), andZurich(HB) -Zug-Arth-Goldau- St. Gotthard -Bellinzona-Lugano-Chiasso. TGV(Train grande vitesse) Lyria, French/Swiss high-speed railway connectingParis(Gare de Lyon) withGeneva,Vallorbe-Lausanne,Basel-Olten-Bern(-Interlaken), andBasel-Zurich. ICE(InterCity-Express) trains, German high-speed trains servingInterlaken-Spiez-Bern-Basel, andZurich-Baselinto Germany with direct connections to several German cities, such asFrankfurt,Kln,Dortmund,Hamburg,Kiel, andBerlin, or even to the DutchAmsterdam.There are also a number of narrow gauge railways that don't fit this classification that supplement the buses in the hinterlands, such as the line fromNyonto La Cure or the line fromInterlakento Lauterbrunnen.You can bring yourbicycleon almost every train and some Postbuses in Switzerland, with two provisos: you must have a ticket for it (available from the ticket machines, CHF 18 (full-fare) for a day pass), and you must get on at a door marked with a bicycle. On ICN trains and some IR trains this is at the very front of the train. Check the time table for every single connection and train you intend to use: if you find an icon with a stroke-through bycicle, then their self-service loading transfer is not allowed. If you find an icon with a bicycle, then a reservation is compulsory (mainly for journeys with Postbuses and international train connections)[26].Information for railway fans[edit]In Switzerland nearly all railways run electrically but it is possible to find many steam railways such as the Brienzer Rothornbahn or the Furka Railway for instance. There are many interesting mountain railways of all types. In Switzerland most electric trains get their power from a single phase AC network at 15 000V 16 2/3Hz. This network uses its own powerlines run with 66 kV and 132 kV, which have, unlike normal power lines, a number of conductors not divisible by 3. Most powerlines for the single phase AC grid of the traction power grid have four conductors. Railway photography is permitted everywhere provided you don't walk on forbidden areas without permission.Here is short list of the most remarkable railway lines: TheGlacier ExpressfromDavosorSt. Moritzin theGrisonstoZermattin canton ofValais, an 8 hours journey in theSwiss Alps. TheBernina ExpressfromChurtoSt. Moritzto the ItalianTirano, the highest train transversal in theAlpsover the Bernina pass (2328m o.s.l.), high mountain scenery. TheJungfrau railway, fromInterlaken(560m o.s.l) to the Jungfraujoch station (3450m o.s.l.) lying on a saddle between the peaks of Jungfrau (4158m o.s.l.) and Mnch in two hours. Definitely one of the most impressive journeys in the Alps. The route from Kl. Scheidegg (2061m o.s.l.) to Jungfraujoch through the mountains Eiger and Mnch, was being realized between 1896 and 1912 almost exclusively by a tunnel. TheGornergrat railway, departure fromZermattto the 3090m o.s.l. high Gornergrat. TheMount Rigicogwheelrailwayseither fromVitznau, or fromArth-Goldau, the oldest mountain train in Europe, started running on 21st May 1871. TheMount Pilatuscogwheelrailway, fromLucerneto the Pilatus summit (2119m o.s.l.)), the steepest (max. 48% gradient) cogwheel railway in the world, opened 1889. TheBrienz Rothornsteam cogwheelrailwayabove lake Brienz to the Rothorn summit (2350m o.s.l.) and almost exclusively run by steam locomotives. TheLtschbergis a line connectingBernandBrig, not considered as a mountain train but with still impressive scenery, especially if you take the route by a regional train ('RE') through the old 14.6km long Ltschberg vertex tunnel (betweenKanderstegandGoppenstein, 500m above the 34.6km long Ltschberg Base Tunnel, a high-speed train tunnel newly opened in 2007). TheSt. Gotthardline with its many spiral train tunnels and the 15km long St. Gotthard train tunnel (built between 1872 and 1882, 199 workers spent their lifes for its construction) connecting the German spoken nothern SwitzerlandZurich/Luzernand the Italian spoken southern SwitzerlandTicino(Bellinzona,Lugano,Locarno). Also advertised as theWilhelm Tell ExpressbetweenLuzernandFlelenby boat, and further then by train to eitherLugano, orLocarno.Hiking[edit]As good as the Swiss train system is, if you have a little time, and you only want to travel 1-200 miles, you could try purchasing theworld's best footpath mapsand walk 10-20 miles a day over some of the most wonderful and clearly-marked paths, whether it is in a valley, through a forest, or over mountains. There are more than 60'000 km well maintained and documentedhiking trails[27].The trails are well-planned (after a number of centuries, why not?), easy to follow, and the yellow trail signs are actually accurate in their estimate as to how far away the next hamlet, village, town or city is--once you've figured out how many kilometers per hour you walk (easy to determine after a day of hiking).There are plenty of places to sleep in a tent (but don't pitch one on a seemingly pleasant, flat piece of ground covered by straw--that's where the cows end up sleeping after a lazy day of eating, and they'll gnaw at your tent string supports and lean against your tent sides. And definitey don't do this during a rainstorm!), lots of huts on mountain tops, B & B's on valley floors, or hotels in towns and cities. You could even send your luggage ahead to the next abode and travel very lightly, with the necessary water and Swiss chocolate!By car[edit]If you like cars, Switzerland can seem like a bit of a tease. They feature some of the greatest driving roads in the world, but can literally throw you in jail for speeding, even on highways. If you stick to the limits, the back roads/mountain roads will still be a blast to drive on, while ensuring you are not fined or arrested. Driving is the best way to see a wonderful country with outstanding roads.Don't Think You'll Speed UndeterredIf you get fined but not stopped (e.g. caught by a Speed Camera) the police will send you the fine even if you live abroad. In Switzerland, speeding is not a violation of a traffic code but a Legal Offence, if you fail to comply there is a good chance that an international rogatory will be issued and you have to go to court in your home country. This is enforced by most countries, including all of Europe, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and many countries in South America and Asia. Failure to comply can result in a warrant being issued for your arrest by your home country.Also, starting from 2007, Switzerland banned all GPS appliances with built-in speed cameras databases as they are equipped with "Radar Detectors".According to some GPS navigator producers, it is advised to remove the Swiss radar database while driving in the country as the police may give you a fine and impound your device even if it is turned off and placed in the trunk of your vehicle!

To use themotorways(known asAutobahn(en),Autoroute(s), orAutostrada/e, depending on where you are), vehicles under 3500 kg weight need to buy a "vignette", a sticker which costs 40 CHF that allows you to use the motorways as much as you like for the entire year (more precisely, from 1 December of the preceding year to 31 January of the following, so a 2009 vignette is valid from 1 December 2008 until 31 January 2010). Trailers must have a separate vignette. Avoiding the motorways in order to save the toll price is generally futile; the amount is well worth it, even if you are only transiting. Failure to possess a valid vignette is punishable by a 200 CHF fine and a requirement to purchase a vignette immediately (total fine of 240 CHF). Sharing vignettes is, of course, illegal and subject to the same fines as not having one.Rentals should have the vignette already paid for that vehicle, but ask to be sure.Vehicles larger than 3500 kg have to pay a special toll assessed through special on-board units that is applied for all roads, not just the motorways.Speed limits[28]:120 km/honmotorways,100 km/honexpressways(ge:Autostrasse(n),fr:semi-autoroute(s), it:semiautostrada/e; often with oncoming traffic),80 km/hon normal, principle roadsoutside of villages and townsand often inside tunnels, andgeneral valid 50 km/hlimitinside villages and townsand often only indicated by the name of the village, or town respectively. Moreover, some roads are limited to30km/hor even to20km/hinbuilt-up areasand to 70km/h outside built-up areas. Vehicles unable to travel at 80 km/h are not permitted on the motorways or autoroutes. Whilst driving "a wee bit too fast" is common on motorways, people tend to stick pretty closely to the other two limits. Fines are hefty and traffic rules are strictly enforced. If stopped by Police, expect to pay your fine on the spot.The blood alcohol concentration limit is 0.05%. As in every country,do not drink and drive, as you will lose your license for several months if you are cited and a heavy fine may be imposed.Driving is on the right side of the road everywhere in Switzerland, just like in most of Europe. Be aware that thepriority to rightrule exists everywhere in Switzerland on any street, if not indicated otherwise. I.e. that at intersections, priority is given to the driver on the right except when driving on a road with right of way indicated by aPriority Road(German: Hauptstrasse, French: route principale, Italien: strada principale) sign (yellow square with a broad white border sitting on one of its edges[29]). One exception is when merging into traffic circles (roundabouts), where priority is given to the drivers being within the roundabout. But this is no exception to the 'priority of right' rule, since the street signs indicate that the traffic circles entering vehicle has no right of priority.Some examples of fines by failing to follow traffic rules driver license not at disposal: CHF 20.- Exeeding the valid parking period (