How to Visit Switzerland For Indians
How to apply for
Swiss ‘Tourist’ Visa?
We need to book the flight ticket and hotel then
Apply through the Switzerland VFS Global Offices which is
available in all major cities.
Documents required:
https://www.eda.admin.ch/content/dam/countries/countries-content/india/en/Checklist_Tourism.pdf
For the salaried people need to submit: 3 months salary
slips, past 3 years Income Tax Returns, 6 months bank statement, Swiss Visa
photos 2, a covering letter, travel plan, valid passport, Employee approved
leave letter for that period.
In case family is travelling then only the head of family
needs to submit salary slips, IT returns, bank statement – other members need
not.
How much bank balance
I should show in the Bank Statement?
10000 Indian Rupees per person per day is the minimum
standard as per Swiss authorities.
Example: In case four people are traveling from a family for
4 days trip then
For one person 4 days x 1 person = INR 40000
For four people 40000x4 = 160000 should be the minimum bank
balance in the statement.
Please note: If you have already travelled to UK, USA,
Europe then please mention it in the covering letter. You will be given higher
preference for Visa issuance.
Please note they give high importance to your bank balance
to ensure that you have sufficient money
while you
Is it difficult to
get Swiss Tourist Visa?
It is easy to get Swiss Visa if you provide the necessary
documents. It took only 3 days for me to get it in Bangalore.
How to go about
booking Swiss Tour?
1.
First plan your trip well in advance such as how
many days, places to visit.
2.
For the Swiss Tourist Visa (Schengen visa) you MUST
book the Flight Tickets (round trip) and the stay (Apartment/Hotel) in advance.
You may just reserve as well by paying only the reservation charges.
3.
Get all the documents ready: flight and
apartment reservation, salary slip, bank statement, covering letter, travel
plan, IT return, photos, passports. Covering letter sample:
4.
When everything is ready then book the
appointment in Swiss VFS website by selecting your city’s VFS centre: https://www.vfsvisaservices.com/Swiss-Global-Appointment/AppScheduling/AppLogin.aspx?P=59$0$213$146$75$161$201$226$228$244$226$108$227$195$252$236$233$223$85$253$15$31$248$142$101$18$129$53$240$105$130$29
5.
Be there on time and submit all documents, make
the payment (fee is INR 6500/person), get the photo and biometric done.
If all docs are fine you will get the visa in approximately
3 working days.
How to get Forex?
You can buy Forex online (I used buyforexonline.com who gave
me Axis bank forex card with PIN).
Please carry some forex cash at least 100 to 200 CHF. Because
Indian forex card/debit/credit card do not work in some of the Train Stations
in Switzerland.
Carry major portion of your cash in Forex card (you can
swipe or withdraw cash there)
How to travel in
Switzerland?
Buy Swiss Travel Pass from the train station ticket counter
(they accept Forex card/credit cards)
There are 3, 4, 8 and 15 days passes that gives you
unlimited travel for those days in Swiss trains, boats, cruises and trams.
Will not give you free travel in mountain trains to Jungfru,
Pilatus, Zermatt however will get you 50% discount on those mountain train
tickets if you have Swiss Pass with you.
For Mt.Titlis the pass is free until Engelberg, after that
you will get 50% discount on your way up to top of Titlis (that is CHF 45 per
person)
You can hop on and
hop off from any train any place as you desire! (except the Mountain trains)
Itinerary
Please note each individual may have his/her own itinerary
based on their personal interest. I am indicating the below:
1. Mt.Titlis (perennial snow Alephs)
Zurich to Luzern to
Engelberg to Mt.Titlis
This place is a MUST visit place. The way towards this Alphs
is very beautiful. The cable car ride from Engelberg to Trusbee and Gandola
ride from there on is very beautiful
2. Panoramic Train from Luzern to Interlaken
Ost
Luzern express – MUST do
It takes about 2 hours, which touches the beautiful villages
of Switzerland.
3. Grindelwald
This place can be visited from Interlaken Ost (30 minutes train - free for Swiss pass
holder)
Grindelwald is a MUST see, the Swiss village is very
beautiful.
4. Visit the Beautiful Swiss Villages (must do
if you like the nature, else no)
Near Luzern such as Salson, Lungern
Near Engelberg (on the way back Mt.Titlis to Luzern)
Luttebrunnen (Swiss pass is not valid, you will only get 50%
discount from Interlaken)
5. Cruise in Lake Thun
Lake Thun is near Bern and Interlaken.
The cruise is really great (free for Swiss pass holder). You
can go from Thun to Interlaken and then take the Cruise in lake Brienz (blue
water lake).
6. Luzern
This city is very close to Zurich and it is should visit.
This charming city is small with old charm. You may try the boat ride as well.
7. Snow Train to Jungfru
You may do this if you have time and ok to spend some few
hundred dollars to see how the snow train ride looks.
8. Rhine Falls
Only if you are big fan of any water fall (there are many
many waterfalls like this in India)
Stay Tips:
We stayed in the Apartments having kitchen. This was really
great. We were able to cook Indian food and the quality of the apartment was
good. Booked through www.booking.com.
The apartments did not have any reception, the keys were provided by the key
dispensers when we enter the passcode.
Food Tips:
Please note Switzerland is a VERY EXPENSIVE country.
Restaurant food is REALLY EXPENSIVE. Like 25 dollars per person per one normal
meal.
In case you have booked the apartment then you can carry
rice (as much as you can), daal, all groceries, masalas, ready to eat daals
(ITC,MTR), ready to cook uppittu, ready to cook rice noodles, Top ramen atta
noodles, Puliyogare mix, chips, bhujia, peanuts, good quantity of chocolates to
eat when you are travelling, all food items based on how much you can or how
much you want to carry. The apartments provide you with the induction base,
microwaves, all kitchen utensils for you.
You may buy yogurt there, apples, fruits, vegetables, ready
to eat pizzas from the Super Markets (Supermarkets are economical).
Cook morning breakfast and dinner, carry some lunch, carry
some apples, bread butter your food is taken care.
Cost of 1 kg rice is Swiss is 3 CHF (approx. 200 inr), 1 kg
apple 3 CHF, 1 kg Orange 3 CHF, Yogurt 1 CHF
Please note the
bringing NON VEG food (meat/fish related) or NON VEG ready to eat food to
Switzerland is prohibited.
Main super markets: Coop, Migros, Denner. Indian store:
Aggarwal stores (Zurich/Luzern), Pakistani store: Barkat.
Travel Tips:
If you are travelling from India it is likely that you will
have mild jetlag.
In case if you try to travel too many places in a day and
walk too much then you will feel very tired and uneasy due to jetlag in the
first two days.
So it will be advisable to visit one or two places in the
first two days of the visit.
Also keep eating small quantity of food such as chocolates,
bread butter, nuts every 1 or 2 hours
which will reduce the impact of jetlag and energise you throughout the
trip. Else you may still have tiring travel.
Be prepared for at least 3 kms walk per day, those tourist
places are long and you may have to walk to see those beautiful places.
Start early each day so that you get a long day to cover
most of it (you have long train journeys from one place to another).
The German speaking part (Luzern, Interlaken, Titlis, and
Bern) of Switzerland is more beautiful than the French speaking part (Geneva,
Lausanne).
Explore each city you visit with trams (free for Swiss Pass
holders), you will love it.
Slower the trip better the experience (may not be so great
if you just rush through)
Shopping Tips
Switzerland is not really a shopping destination. It is very
expensive and may be similar thing can be bought at much lower price is in
India shopper stop/Lifestyle. However there are some good deals in shops like
C&A (is the best), Manor. You may get Swiss souvenirs at a good price
around lake Thun.
For more details please drop an email to reachthiru@gmail.com
For more details please drop an email to reachthiru@gmail.com
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