my friend's going to switzerland!

how much does switzerland cost? more specifically, zurich and/or geneva? does anyone know how much it costs to bus between those two cities? i know it's a buttload of money.. hostels are around $40. how much does it cost per day? she's really thinking about going there and trying to dig up her family tree. what's the cheapest possible to live off everyday? thanks!

I spent a day in Zurich and that is almost all that I could afford too. It is very expensive. I don't know about the bus prices, but food wise, it will cost around $15 a day and that is just to buy some stuff from a market. Most meals there were no cheaper than $15, except for fast food (which was not exactly cheap either). Since hostels cost about $40 a day, I would say to tell your friend to budget around $70 a day at a minimum.

What kind of hostels is this girl looking at?! Every hostel I stayed at in Switzerland were on average $25 US/night. If she stays somewhere that costs more, it isn't a hostel, it's a hotel.

guess what, she invited me along!!!!

delara - what hostels were you staying at that costed $25??? i've been searching everywhere on the web and they're all $40+ hostels!

Through the BnA hostel search I found:

City Hostel Geneve for $25.77/night (found it as well on hostels.com)

Hostels in Bern: start around $24 if you decide to go there.

and according to the Hosteling International Switzerland website their Geneva HI costs $20 after the exchange rate. Their Zurich hostel is $29, but Zurich is notably more $$$.

And I do hope you will try and get to Interlaken Interlaken where your beds could cost you only $16. Though the Funny Farm is my favorite and cost a giant $23.

Many of these are high season prices and of course, not to knock the BnA hostel booker, but do double check with each hostel whether they are open when you go if you go during the off season.

Yeah, it is pricey out there...

Check the YH in Solothurn (on the way between Zurich and Geneva, with a nice, but small old town), I thought it was about 24 CHF a night, which would be around 20 bucks US.

As far as I know, there are no busses between Zurich and Geneva, you'd have to take a train...which is expensive.

Adrian

I'm hoping to be in Basel in Feruary, for Fasnacht. Are there many BnA-ers there?
(note: I'm not asking for housing - that'll be taken care of with friends)