Switzerland Vs. Austria: Which Is Better To Visit In 2025?

Switzerland and Austria are two picturesque countries famous for the stunning Alps in central Europe. They have many things in common, yet there are so many differences.

I lived in Switzerland and Austria for 3 years each. Also, I traveled extensively through the countries, so I’ve gained a great understanding of them. In this article, I’ll answer all your questions, list the differences, and tell you which one is more worth visiting.

So let’s get started!

Which Country Is Better To Visit: Austria Or Switzerland? Revealed!

👉 If you want to enjoy pure nature, breathtaking views, mountain excursions, experience adventure activities, ride panoramic trains, and eat a lot of cheese, visit Switzerland.

👉 If you want to combine hiking and charming cities with rich history and are a music and art lover, visit Austria.

What Is The Difference Between Switzerland And Austria?

Switzerland has higher mountains, is more iconic, and more expensive than Austria.

The advantage of Switzerland is that you can enjoy breathtaking views, hiking, panoramic trains, and endless mountain excursions. You’ll also get a better value for your itinerary with a travel pass and many discounts on transportation, activities, and excursions.

Austria has lower mountains, rich art and music history, and is cheaper than Switzerland.

The advantage of Austria is that you can combine culture, art, and nature in your itinerary. But you have to pay for every single attraction as it doesn’t offer flexible travel passes as Switzerland does.

Is Austria Or Switzerland More Beautiful?

This is a difficult question, and I don’t dare to tell you one country is more beautiful than the other. It depends on your preferences.

Switzerland has more beautiful nature, while Austria has more beautiful cities and richer history.

Visiting Austria: Pros & Cons

Austria is generally better for a more diverse itinerary. It will include a bit of everything (nature, rich history with charming cities, music, art, wine-tasting).

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of visiting Austria over Switzerland:

Visiting Switzerland: Pros & Cons

Switzerland is generally better if your purpose for a trip is to spend as much time in nature as possible and enjoy breathtaking mountain views, hikes, and the excellent railway system the country has, including panoramic trains.

Below, I’ve listed a few advantages and disadvantages of visiting Switzerland over Austria:

👉 READ ALSO: Do People Speak English In Switzerland? My Experience

Which Country Is More Expensive To Visit: Switzerland Or Austria?

Switzerland is more expensive to visit than Austria.

However, base your decisions on your interests and ask yourself which country you want to visit more. You can always lower your expenses, even in Switzerland (if you know how).

Let’s break down the costs for each travel category and country. Below, I’m giving you a great overview of the prices in Switzerland and Austria.

Switzerland Vs. Austria: Accommodation Costs

Accommodation is generally more expensive in Switzerland than in Austria.

➡ SWITZERLAND: Here is a breakdown of accommodation costs for each traveler type.

➡ As a budget traveler, you can expect to spend around $40 daily.
➡ Mid-range travelers spend, on average, $150 on accommodation per day (per person – considering you’re a traveling couple and split the cost).
➡ As a luxury traveler, accommodation costs anywhere between $300 to $600 daily.

➡ AUSTRIA: The average cost of accommodation is:

➡ As a budget traveler, you’ll spend around $20 daily.
➡ Mid-range travelers spend, on average, $90 on accommodation per day (per person – considering you’re a traveling couple and split the cost).
➡ As a luxury traveler, accommodation costs anywhere between $150 to $250 daily.

Austria Vs. Switzerland: Transportation Costs

Transportation costs vary depending on how you want to get around. So first, choose whether to explore the countries by car or train.

Car Rental & Gas Prices In Switzerland Vs. Austria

The car rental cost is more and less the same in Austria and Switzerland. You can expect to pay about $60 daily for a rental car in both countries (e.g., Opel Corsa or a similar car). Discover Cars offers great prices, so check their deals.

The gas is cheaper in Austria than in Switzerland.’

➡ Gas in Switzerland costs approx. $2.05 per liter, around $7.76 per gallon.

➡ Gas price in Austria is $1.70 per liter, around $6.44 per gallon.

Train Travel Costs: Switzerland Vs. Austria

If you choose to travel by train, there are several options to make your journey more affordable.

The great thing about Switzerland is that it offers many travel passes and day passes, which will save you a lot. Austria doesn’t have many travel passes but offers discounted tickets for specific journeys (in advance) on their website.

Yet, you can also find discounted fares for each journey in Switzerland.

So the train transportation system is generally better in Switzerland than in Austria, and you’ll get more value overall traveling by train in Switzerland.

➡ The average cost of train travel in Switzerland is $70 per journey. But the costs are significantly lower if you get a travel pass.

➡ The average cost of train travel in Austria is $40 per journey.

PRO TIP: Austria is better explored by car, while Switzerland is equally perfect to explore by car and train.

👉 READ ALSO: Is Swiss Travel Pass Worth It? All You Need To Know

Switzerland Vs. Austria: Cost Of Activities

Activities are generally cheaper in Austria than in Switzerland.

However, I’ll mention again that the travel passes in Switzerland have many benefits. Once you have them, you save on transportation. The passes also give you up to 50% discounts on activities and excursions, or they’re free with the pass.

➡ The activities in Switzerland cost, on average, about $60.

➡ The average cost of activities in Austria is $20 per person.

The prices widely vary depending on the type of activity you choose to do.

Austria Vs. Switzerland: Food & Restaurant Meal Costs

The main difference in prices you’ll notice is in food and restaurants.

Restaurants are way too expensive in Switzerland. The food quality is often just average.

Restaurants in Austria are more than half the price of what you’ll pay in Switzerland. It’s honestly not worth it to eat out a lot in Switzerland. While in Austria, you’ll usually get good quality value from your restaurant meals.

Restaurant meals in Switzerland cost, on average, around $30.

The average price of a restaurant meal in Austria is approx. $16.

Interestingly, though, I found that the grocery food prices are more or less the same in both countries. Switzerland is still slightly more expensive when you go grocery shopping.

However, go to a low-cost supermarket such as Lidl… the prices will be more and less the same, with Switzerland being just slightly more expensive (about $10 – $15 more expensive for the entire grocery shopping cart).

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Austria Vs. Switzerland Tourism: Which Country Is Better For You Based On Your Interests?

I encourage you to take a pen and paper and list everything you want to do during your trip.

Then go through this list and see whether Switzerland or Austria matches your preferences and interests more.

Is Switzerland Or Austria Better For Solo Travelers?

Switzerland is better for solo travelers than Austria because I’ve met so many solo travelers in Switzerland. You can meet new people, make friends, and share the country’s beauty with them. Austria is a less popular destination.

But again, it depends on your interests; if you don’t like nature and want to visit beautiful cities, Austria will be better for you as a solo traveler.

Is Austria Or Switzerland Better For Families?

Both countries are great for families. Each offers exciting activities and diverse things to do.

In terms of prices, Switzerland gives you better value than Austria. You can get a family travel pass, and your children can travel for free.

In addition, you’ll get discounts for activities and excursions.

Is Switzerland Or Austria Better For Honeymooners & Couples?

Both Austria and Switzerland are equally great for honeymooners and couples. Again, it only depends on your interests and what country you choose.

If your ideal vacation/honeymoon is to enjoy pure nature with breathtaking views, wellness resorts, and a romantic environment, visit Switzerland.

If you want to combine nature with beautiful cities, rich history, art, and culture, visit Austria for your honeymoon/couple vacation.

👉 READ ALSO: Honeymoon In Switzerland: How To Plan Your Perfect Romantic Gateway

Is Switzerland Or Austria Better For Backpackers?

Switzerland is better for backpackers than Austria. Because if you have a travel pass and a backpack, you can travel everywhere and do it all in Switzerland for a good price.

In Austria, you must pay for every ticket and spend more time planning your trip and booking single journeys. So that’s why Switzerland is better to visit for backpackers than Austria.

Is Austria Or Switzerland Better For Skiing?

Switzerland is better for skiing than Austria.

Switzerland has more and better ski resorts. You can choose from free-ride resorts to family slopes, advanced slopes, and easy slopes for beginners. The Swiss ski resorts are bigger and more diverse, with different slope types and more breathtaking views.

Austria still has great ski resorts but are not as big and diverse. The ski slopes are overall better for beginners or medium skiers. But there are not so many ski options in one resort as Switzerland offers.

Skiing in Switzerland is more expensive than in Austria by 20%.

Is Switzerland Or Austria Better For Hiking?

Switzerland is better for hiking because of two reasons. The first reason is the breathtaking views, which are better in Switzerland.

The second reason is that you can enjoy hiking in Switzerland more without suffering from hiking cliffs. You can take a cable car from a town to the mountains and hike.

While in Austria, you have to first pass through a steep or foresty section and only then enjoy hiking with breathtaking scenery.

Does Switzerland Or Austria Offer More Adventure Activities?

Switzerland offers more adventure activities. The Swiss have done a great job of creating adventure activities up on the mountains.

So you can go on thrill and cliff walks, fly above the mountains, paraglide, and enjoy Jet boats, kayaks, and more.

Austria offers many adventure activities similar to those in Switzerland. But Switzerland has slightly more exciting adventure options and unique activities.

Does Austria Or Switzerland Have More Spa Hotels & Wellness Resorts?

Both countries have many spa hotels and resorts. The main difference is that Austria has cheaper spa hotels than Switzerland. But Switzerland has more luxurious wellness resorts with better views than Austria.

So, I’d say Switzerland has slightly better wellness resorts and spa hotels than Austria.

Is Switzerland Or Austria Better For Culture & Art Lovers?

Austria is better for culture and art lovers. You can visit Vienna with its opera house, one of the world’s leading opera houses. Or explore Salzburg, where Mozart was born. Go for musicals, or make a Sound of Music tour.

Austria is perfect for cultural and musical experiences.

If you’re an art lover, visit the Albertina Museum in Vienna or small art galleries in other cities.

Is Austria Or Switzerland Better For Beautiful Scenery?

Switzerland is better for stunning scenery than Austria.

I’m gonna say this – Switzerland is the most breathtaking country (Norway is a big concurrence) regarding views. You’ll love it. The country will take your breath away in each corner.

Is Switzerland Or Austria Better For Visiting Cities?

Austria is better for visiting cities. It has more charming cities, more activities, museums, and galleries. Austrian cities are also generally more beautiful than those in Switzerland.

I highly recommend visiting Salzburg and Innsbruck, the two most beautiful cities in Austria. And Vienna has to be on your list, too.

Does Austria Or Switzerland Have Better Christmas Markets?

Austria has better and more beautiful Christmas markets than Switzerland. Austria’s Christmas markets are charming, with unique stalls and a magical atmosphere.

I especially recommend visiting Vienna and Salzburg to enjoy Christmas in Austria.

Switzerland also has Christmas markets, but they’re less beautiful than Austrian markets. If you want to visit Christmas markets in Switzerland, head to Lucerne, Zurich, or Basel.

Is Austria Or Switzerland Better To Live In?

Austria is a better place to live than Switzerland. I have lived in both countries, and Austria has better living conditions when I consider all aspects of living.

Austria is cheaper, has better groceries and cities, and the overall living situation is easier than Switzerland.

Switzerland is more expensive; you spend more going out and working than Austria, and there are not as many options for culture, art, and activities in the cities as the Austrian ones offer.

FAQs

I’ve also answered some of the most frequently asked questions. Check my answers below:

Is Austria Or Switzerland Better To Visit?

Austria is better for those who want to combine nature, art, culture, history, and cities on their itinerary.

Switzerland is better for those who want to enjoy stunning nature, hiking with breathtaking views, adventure activities, mountain excursions, and panoramic train rides.

What Is The Best Time To Visit Austria And Switzerland?

The best time to visit Austria or Switzerland is May, June, September, and the wintertime, especially December.

May, June, and September have mild temperatures, and nature is at its best beauty. These months are also less crowded.

During the winter, you can enjoy skiing and snowboarding in the mountains. Christmas markets in December are extra special times in both countries.

WRAP-UP: Switzerland Vs. Austria: Which Is Better To Visit?

This is Austria and Switzerland, their differences, benefits, and activities they offer. Both countries are amazing, yet each meets a different purpose for a visit. Austria is better if you want a more diverse itinerary with cities, art, history, culture, and nature. If you want to spend most of your time in nature, enjoying hiking, breathtaking views, excursions, and panoramic train rides, visit Switzerland.

If you have any other questions or need a customized travel itinerary, contact me at info(at)voicesoftravel.com. I’ll gladly help you.

Happy Travels!