Where to Stay in Switzerland on a Budget: Hostels and Guest Cards

Surviving Swiss Lodging Rates

With private hotel rooms routinely commanding CHF 160 to CHF 280 per night, budget travelers rely on two crucial networks.

The Swiss Youth Hostels (Jugendherbergen)

• The Standard: Spotlessly clean, architecturally striking hostels located in historic castles, alpine chalets, and converted lakefront villas.
• Kitchen Access: Hostels with guest kitchens let you cook supermarket pasta and rosti, saving CHF 50 per day on restaurant dining.
• Automatic Free Transit: Hostels in Geneva, Bern, Basel, and Lucerne issue official municipal transit cards covering local buses, trams, and boats.