Is Switzerland Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Switzerland is known for its high levels of safety and low crime rate. Local authorities are very helpful and it's easy to navigate the public transportation system, even at night. Like anywhere, you should always be aware of your surroundings, avoid poorly-lit or deserted areas late at night and keep an eye on your belongings. But overall, as a solo female traveler, you can feel very secure traveling in Switzerland.

Safety rating

4.8 /5

Based on 14 experiences

4.8 /5

Based on research and crime data

Safety overview

Safety at night:Very safe

Switzerland as a whole has a high level of safety, even during night time. Well-lit streets, reliable public transportation, and a generally low crime rate make it safe to walk alone at night. However, it's always advisable to remain aware of your surroundings and take precautions like avoiding isolated areas and carrying a phone with a local SIM for emergency contact.

Public transportation: Very safe

Public transportation in Switzerland is one of the safest in the world. Trains and buses are reliable, punctual, and always in pristine condition due to frequent maintenance. The localities are respectful and generally maintain good conduct. For solo female travelers, there is a low risk involved when traveling even at late night as the systems are well-lit, highly monitored, and assistance is readily available. Regardless, it's always best to stay vigilant and be aware of your surroundings.

Street harassment: Very low

Switzerland is quite a safe country when it comes to street harassment. Incidences are relatively low, with most locals respectful and polite. Women can usually move around without facing any unwelcomed encounters. However, as in any country, caution should be exercised, particularly during the night or in less crowded areas.

Petty crimes:Low

Switzerland is considered one of the safest countries in the world. Petty crimes such as pickpocketing or bag snatching can occur, predominantly in touristic and crowded places, but they are relatively rare. To reduce the risk, you should remain aware of your surroundings and keep your valuables secure and out of sight. Regular precautions like not leaving your belongings unattended will suffice in most cases. Overall, the risk of encountering petty crimes in Switzerland is low.

Tap water:Very safe

Tap water in Switzerland is definitely safe to drink. In fact, it is among the best quality drinking water sources globally, coming from natural springs and mountain lakes. Both cities and rural areas have exceptional water quality.

Get the Travel Ladies app

Meet new people, find travel buddies, share experiences, discuss travel plans and stay with local women through couch surfing
Download from App StoreDownload from Google Play
Get the Travel Ladies App

Travel experiences

Overall rating

4.2 /5

based on 14 experiences

Rating summary

Things to do

4.8/5

Safety

4.8/5

Food

4.1/5

Budget-friendly

2/5

Solo travel experience

I was in Switzerland in May for 6 days. I had a car and drove from Zurich to Zermatt and spent 2 days there. Then went to Lauterbrunnen for 2 days and Lucerne for 2 days. I took a day trip to Bern for like half a day. It was a lot of movement but I had a wonderful time and it’s crazy beautiful there.

Posted: September 29, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 2/5Safety: 5/5
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0

Solo travel experience

I went on a 10-day trip to Switzerland by myself. It was more beautiful than I thought it would be. It was also more expensive than I expected. If you're planning to go, I suggest getting a Swiss Travel Pass. It gives you free rides on trains, buses, and boats, free entry to most museums and discounts on other activities. I got a lot of value out of it. I stayed in Zurich for the first week and took day trips to Bern (my favorite), Luzern, Liechtenstein (the pass works there too), Stein am Rhine and Jungfraujoch. Then I went to Zermatt (The Matterhorn is amazing) and took the Glacier Express to Saint Moritz before returning to Zurich to fly home.

Posted: August 16, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 2/5Safety: 5/5
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0

Solo travel experience

I travelled to Switzerland solo and loved it. Stayed in hostels and cooked my meals. I mostly spent my money on activities. I enjoyed Zermatt and Interlaken and surrounding areas like Lauterbrunnen and Jungfrau.

Posted: April 30, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 3/5Safety: 5/5
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0

Solo travel experience

I love Switzerland. I did Lauterbrunnen. I absolutely loved it. Loved Interlaken too and took the Cable Car up to Harder Klum , also did Mt Rigi. I absolutely loved this country and can keep going back for more.

Posted: April 2, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 2/5Safety: 5/5
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0

Solo travel experience

Switzerland is so clean and safe! A bit expensive, since they use swiss francs, and the people tend to be quiet and keep to themselves (from my experience, which is fine because I'm the same way), but its so beautiful and peaceful there.

Posted: December 12, 2022
Things to do: 5/5Food: 4/5Budget-friendly: 1/5Safety: 5/5
favorite_border 62
mode_comment 0

Group travel experience

We were traveling for 3 weeks in Switzerland. We started in Geneva and then went to Bern, Interlaken, Lucerne, and Zurich. We had the 15 day Swiss Pass and took a different day trip everyday. Each day was more beautiful than the next. It was amazing.

Posted: December 3, 2022
Things to do: 5/5Food: 3/5Budget-friendly: 2/5Safety: 5/5
favorite_border 68
mode_comment 0

Solo travel experience

Did one of my first solo trips in Switzerland. Great place to try out solo travel. It’s a very easy place to get around, very safe, and most people speak English.

Posted: November 21, 2022
Things to do: 5/5Food: 4/5Budget-friendly: 2/5Safety: 5/5
favorite_border 63
mode_comment 0

Solo travel experience

Itinerary: Day 1 – Zurich Day 2 – Lucerne Day 3, 4 & 5 – Gruyères Day 6 & 7 – Zermatt Day 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12 – Gimmelwald Day 13 – Zurich Safety: I felt super safe as a solo traveller. Recommendations: Switzerland is a beautiful country but lodging and food are expensive.

Posted: September 25, 2022
Things to do: 5/5Food: 3/5Budget-friendly: 4/5Safety: 5/5
favorite_border 71
mode_comment 0

Solo travel experience

Itinerary: Day 1 - Zurich Day 2 - Lucerne Day 3 - Lucerne to Interlaken train Day 4, 5 & 6 - Jungfrau region Safety: I felt safe walking around alone and the people were friendly. Recommendations: Switzerland is an expensive country, specially eating outside and public transport.

Posted: September 25, 2022
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 3/5Safety: 5/5
favorite_border 85
mode_comment 0

Solo travel experience

Itinerary: Day 1: land in Zurich and take train to Grindelwald Day 2: explore Grindelwald Day 3: day trip to Lauterbrunnen Day 4: explore Grindelwald Days 5 & 6: Interlaken Safety: I felt really safe there. Recommendations: Public transport in Switzerland is excellent, even into the mountains.

Posted: September 25, 2022
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 4/5Safety: 5/5
favorite_border 63
mode_comment 0

Local experiences

Here are some tips I could suggest: - public transport is very efficient and good here and for foreigners there are even special tickets. Also, there’s an app called ‘SBB mobile’ which will show you the time schedule for all trains, buses and trams. It may also be cheaper to rent a car, roads in here are very safe and not difficult to drive. Just make sure you know what you want to do before you go so you don’t waste money as public transportation is expensive here. - cheapest supermarkets are denner, lidl and aldi. Coop and migros are most common but they’re a bit more expensive. There’s also the ‘too good to go’ app which is amazing. - hostels are the best way to go. Even fairly cheap things in here have quite high standards, so most likely you won’t be disappointed. - if you want to visit grindelwald and/or lauterbrunnen, I suggest to stay in interlaken or close by as its much cheaper. Most hotels/hostels there will give you a card which will allow you to use public transportation free and grindelwald and lauterbrunnen are very close to interlaken and within that free ticket. There are also so called ‘saving ticket’ if you buy them early enough they’re very cheap, you can find them on the app. The only issue with that is that you can only use those for the specific times you choose. If you miss that train the ticket won’t be valid anymore. - if you plan to go hiking, there are several huts in the alps you can stay at that aren’t that expensive and the sunsets/sunrises are amazing! - as for other recommendations, I highly recommend to visit the whole interlaken are, and if your budget allows to go up to jungfraujoch, it’s the highest train station in Europe. Also, zermatt is amazing, but expensive.

Posted: November 27, 2022
favorite_border 57
mode_comment 0

First of all - make sure you have enough money! Switzerland is beautiful but not cheap. It’s also incredibly safe so you don’t need to worry about that. Switzerland is known for its nature and mountains. I love the lauterbrunnen and interlaken areas. Pilatus and Rigi are also nice as mountain day-trips. The country has really good public transport so it’s easy to get around. You can buy tickets at train/tram station or in the SBB phone app. Most things don’t need pre-booking. In Zürich, i would recommend: -the kunsthaus (art gallery) -swimming areas on the lake: badi utoquai, and seebad enge -a show at the opera house -shopping on bahnhofstrasse -museums! there are lots, so search for one that fits your interests -hike to uetliberg (or, there is a train if you just want the view) -eat luxemburgerli, hot chocolate, and patisserie at sprüngli -eat brunch (with a zopf bread and great coffee!) at gran café motta

Posted: October 10, 2022
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0

Meet locals in Switzerland

Sara

Sara

Speaking

About Me

I am Sara! I will be studying Human Rights at Geneva. I am interested in cultural exchanges.

Countries I’ve Visited

🇮🇷 Iran, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇨🇭 Switzerland

mode_comment 0
Lalou

Lalou

Speaking

About Me

All day is a good to learn new things and positive the life. With simplicity and positive soul, I like keep a new contact. I am freindly person, you can be relax and open mind with me. 😊🌼☕ I live near to Geneva on the small fisher town. And like sharing hiccking trip with my van. Camping is fun!

Countries I’ve Visited

🇫🇷 France, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇲🇻 Maldives, 🇲🇹 Malta, 🇷🇪 Réunion, 🇨🇭 Switzerland, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇻🇦 Vatican City, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇲🇨 Monaco, 🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇦🇩 Andorra

mode_comment 0
Sophie

Sophie

Speaking

About Me

Hi, I’m Sophie. I live travelling and recently discovered the joy of solo travelling. A few years ago, I lived in Auckland, New Zealand for a year and then travelled around the world for 14 months. I now live in Switzerland with my boyfriend and two cats, but we are looking to move abroad again depending on where my boyfriend finds work.

Countries I’ve Visited

🇦🇷 Argentina, 🇦🇺 Australia, 🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇧🇴 Bolivia, 🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇨🇦 Canada, 🇨🇱 Chile, 🇨🇰 Cook Islands, 🇪🇬 Egypt, 🇫🇯 Fiji, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇮🇸 Iceland, 🇮🇩 Indonesia, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein, 🇲🇾 Malaysia, 🇲🇹 Malta, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇳🇿 New Zealand, 🇵🇭 Philippines, 🇵🇪 Peru, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇷🇺 Russia, 🇸🇽 Sint Maarten, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka, 🇨🇭 Switzerland, 🇹🇿 Tanzania, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇺🇸 United States, 🇻🇦 Vatican City

mode_comment 0

Stay with locals in Switzerland

Sophie

Sophie

Speaking

You can stay for:

2 days

About me

Hi, I’m Sophie. I live travelling and recently discovered the joy of solo travelling. A few years ago, I lived in Auckland, New Zealand for a year and then travelled around the world for 14 months. I now live in Switzerland with my boyfriend and two cats, but we are looking to move abroad again depending on where my boyfriend finds work.

Countries I’ve Visited

🇦🇷 Argentina, 🇦🇺 Australia, 🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇧🇴 Bolivia, 🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇨🇦 Canada, 🇨🇱 Chile, 🇨🇰 Cook Islands, 🇪🇬 Egypt, 🇫🇯 Fiji, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇮🇸 Iceland, 🇮🇩 Indonesia, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein, 🇲🇾 Malaysia, 🇲🇹 Malta, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇳🇿 New Zealand, 🇵🇭 Philippines, 🇵🇪 Peru, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇷🇺 Russia, 🇸🇽 Sint Maarten, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka, 🇨🇭 Switzerland, 🇹🇿 Tanzania, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇺🇸 United States, 🇻🇦 Vatican City

mode_comment 0
Corinne

Corinne

Speaking

You can stay for:

2 days

About me

Hi, I‘m very open minded and love to try new things. I am looking forward to meeting new people ❤️ My opinion is that we grow with every person we meet… Let‘s find out togheter in what direction and have a nice time.

Countries I’ve Visited

🇭🇷 Croatia, 🇨🇾 Cyprus, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇬🇷 Greece, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇱🇺 Luxembourg, 🇲🇻 Maldives, 🇴🇲 Oman, 🇵🇱 Poland, 🇷🇸 Serbia, 🇸🇮 Slovenia, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇨🇭 Switzerland, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇺🇸 United States, 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates, 🇻🇦 Vatican City

mode_comment 0
Mery

Mery

Speaking

You can stay for:

2 days

About me

Hi I'm Mery. I'm italian but living in zurich Switzerland. I'm 22 years old. I'm working at the hospital and as hobby I love traveling and meeting new people

Countries I’ve Visited

🇦🇹 Austria, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇱🇾 Libya, 🇲🇹 Malta, 🇱🇺 Luxembourg, 🇲🇦 Morocco, 🇳🇴 Norway, 🇹🇳 Tunisia

mode_comment 0

Upcoming visitors to Switzerland

Natalie

Natalie

Speaking

About Me

Hi! I’m a dance studio owner in Charlotte, NC, looking into getting into traveling! I love nature, trying new foods/cuisines and can’t wait to start exploring and making new friends!

mode_comment 0
Sonal

Sonal

About Me

Hi I am Sonal I love travelling and making new friends .

mode_comment 0
Sonal

Sonal

About Me

Hi I am Sonal I love travelling and making new friends .

mode_comment 0

Local discussions

Solo travelWhich city is better for a mix of city life, day trips, and nightlife: Zurich or Geneva?

I’m off to Switzerland and was wondering what city would be preferable to base myself in- Zurich or Geneva? I want the best of both, the city feel and the opportunity to do a day excursion to beautiful mountainous parts of the country. I also like a good party. Which would be better?

Posted: June 22, 2023
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 1

TravelWhat recommendations do you have for things to do and places to eat in Basel, Switzerland?

I’m off to Basel, Switzerland, and was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for things to do, places to eat, etc.

Posted: June 22, 2023
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0

TravelWhat suggestions, tips or experiences do you have for our trip to Switzerland?

I'm going on a trip with group of friends this week to Switzerland. We are going to Lucerne, Interlaken and Zurich. We didn't get to plan it because life happened. We are excited to nature most of all. Does anyone have any suggestions, tips or experiences?

Posted: November 23, 2022
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0

TravelHas anyone tried going to Rhine falls from Zurich on their own?

Hi ladies !! Has anyone tried going to Rhine falls from Zurich on their own? Like without a tour? If yes, how was your experience?

Posted: November 13, 2022
favorite_border 1
mode_comment 1

TravelWhat other towns/cities should we visit in Switzerland?

What towns/cities should we visit in Switzerland? We have 2 days and we thought of Geneva and Zurich, but we would also like a small village near the mountains.

Posted: November 3, 2022
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 1

Safety in Switzerland