Still not sure, then look at what travelling on Paris to Switzerland trains can offer you –
- High-speed trains with comfortable seating for everyone
- Exquisite Business Class services and facilities
- At-seat services with refreshments brought straight to you
- Dedicated Franco-Swiss support on all trains
We’ve picked our favourite destinations in Switzerland for you to visit and explore.
Paris to Bern
The capital city of Switzerland, travelling by train from Paris to Bern will take just 4h 1m on TGV Lyria trains. This incredibly quick service will take you through some truly beautiful sites as you cross over from France into Switzerland on the train and arrive into Bern station.
The town can trace its origins back to the 12th-Century, and distinctive medieval architecture can still be seen today. Bern is also a preserved UNESCO World Heritage site. If you’re a visitor to Bern, you may wish to start by wondering around the romantic old city with its beautiful sculptures and carved stone arcades. Other attractions include a magnificent and opulent Rose Garden and the expansive Aare River.
Two of the most popular Bern attractions are the Clock Tower and Parliament Square. The Zytglogge (clock tower) is a unique astronomical clock, built in 1530 on what was once the city’s first Western gate. The clock features moving figures and beautiful faces on all its walls.
Parliament Square, on the other hand, is in an awe-inspiring central location with 26 fountains to represent the cantons of Switzerland. This vibrant place is often been used to host visiting dignitaries from around the globe and a variety of special events.
For something a little different, you can always pay a visit to Einstein House. Albert was a resident of Bern between 1903 and around 1905, and it’s believed that he was in this great city when he developed his most prominent work – the Theory of Relativity. The House has been preserved to allow visitors to explore the rooms that the great man worked in.
Paris to Zurich
The city of Zurich is renowned as the global base for financial services and businesses. It’s the largest city in Switzerland and is located north of the country at the tip of Lake Zurich. Travelling by train from Paris to Zurich will take around 4h 3m on a TGV Lyria service. The journey is one of the most comfortable because of the luxurious seating arrangements on the train. The central railway station in Zurich is the busiest in Switzerland. In 2012, Zurich was rated top of 25 cities in the world in terms of offering the best quality of life.
Zurich hasn’t always been a financial mecca, but it has been known as a stronghold throughout its years. Settlements on the foundations of the city have been dated back to pre-Roman times, and over the years these grew in significance. Despite its size and long history, a majority of Zurich’s attractions are situated in a relatively small area between the central station and the lake.
There are several churches in Zurich, each of them with fantastic stories to tell about their construction. However, one of the most prominent churches is the Fraumunster or Women’s Church. Built around 853AD by Louis the German for his daughter Hildegard, it was given to the city of Zurich after the Reformation. The Fraumunster has become known for hosting Zurich’s largest choir.
Zurich is also home to about 11 museums, each of them offering a different glimpse of the history and beauty of Zurich and Switzerland. Despite the wonderful excursions, the most impressive place to visit is the Zoological Garden. The garden houses over 200 different species of animals, which includes lions, leopards, otters and even pandas.
Paris to Geneva
Travelling from Paris to Switzerland by train can whisk you away to Geneva in a mere 3h 7m! There are around seven routes you can take from Paris to Geneva, but the TGV Lyria offers the shortest travel time with plenty of leg-room to relax in whilst on your journey. Geneva is the second most populated city in Switzerland and is a mostly French-speaking district. The Roman camp of Geneva was first established in the 1st-Century, and the settlement gradually developed and grew into the metropolitan and densely populated city we know today.
Geneva is well known for being the headquarters for the International Red Cross, the European United Nations, and home to many global financial and diplomacy corporations. Residents and visitors to this city can enjoy charming views of the incredibly impressive Mont Blanc and the surrounding mountainside backdrop of the Alps.
Once you’ve taken the train from Paris to Switzerland, what can you do in Geneva? The short answer to that question is quite a lot. Start by taking a walking tour of the city around the cobbled streets of the old town, over the Rhone River and into the dazzling shopping precincts. You can even include the stunning shores of Lake Leman as part of your walk or take a relaxing cruise on the lake instead.
One of the most famous attractions in Geneva is the Jet d’Eau. It’s famed for being the tallest water fountain the world and can be seen from just about anywhere in the city. Whilst enjoying Geneva, you might also want to pay a visit to Market Street to buy (or window shop) an incredible and near-faultless Swiss watch.
Geneva is home to over 30 museums and a host of tantalising galleries to explore, but if that’s not for you then why not visit the Town Hall, which is where the Red Cross and the formidable League of Nations were first formed.
Paris to Basel
Situated on the Swiss, French and German borders, a train from Paris to Basel can take you there in 3h 3m. On the way to Basel, the train stops at Mulhouse, where we’d recommend making a brief stop if you have the time. This French town is ideal for paying a visit to the Museum of Automobiles and is also home to the largest railway museum, which is definitely worth seeing.
Whilst the official language of Basel is Swiss German, the primary spoken language is Basel German. This city is the second largest economic centre of Switzerland beaten only by Zurich. It’s believed that Basel was originally founded in the 11th-Century, before joining the Swiss Confederacy in 1501.
Basel itself is renowned internationally for its many museums and art galleries. The oldest Swiss University can also be found in Basel – the University of Basel, which was founded in 1460. For a more chilled experience, the shopping district and its delightful cafés will cater to all tastes. Basel is a surprisingly charming city, with many hidden gems dotted around the city. These hidden delights include artistic stonework around door frames and intricate passages throughout the town, so keep an eye out as you wander.
Paris to St. Moritz
The journey from Paris to St. Moritz is the longest, coming in at 7h 35m. Whilst this is the longest train journey from France to Switzerland, there are some interesting stops to make along the way. Part of the train ride will take you to Bahnhof Chur, which is in the Swiss city of Chur. Chur is not only remarkable for its gorgeous scenery, but it’s also home to two archaeological sites – a medieval city and a prehistoric settlement – both of which are open to visitors.
Once you’ve left Chur, it’s time to board an SBB train (the main Swiss rail company) as you venture further into Switzerland. St. Moritz doesn’t need much of an introduction, it’s well-known as a stunning location and one of Switzerland’s most popular ski resorts. The town is nearly 2000 metres above sea level and has hosted the Winter Olympics twice, in 1928 and 1948.
After arriving into St. Moritz station and taking your first steps into the town, it’s hard not to take note of its snow and ice features. For starters, there’s the bobsled run that’s an all-natural ice constructed run. This is rare because not all bobsled runs are made entirely and naturally from ice. Piz Corvatsch is worth a visit whilst here, home to very impressive ice cave and an exhilaratingly long five-mile piste.
If you’re looking for something a little less snowy and a little more cultural, then fear not. Make your way into the village to the Segantini Museum. This museum was dedicated to Giovanni Segantini, an Italian painter who spent his last five years in the area. Segantini was famous for capturing images of nature. The predominant focus of his work was people or farmers he observed living off the earth.