Drinking from water fountains in Switzerland
A traveler named Yassie7 is planning a hiking trip in the Swiss Alps and wants to know if they can refill their water bottles easily along the trails. They specifically inquire about the availability of drinking water versus the need to carry extra bottles. The discussion focuses on the accessibility of drinking water while hiking.
- You can safely drink water from taps and public fountains in Switzerland, especially along popular hiking routes.
- Be cautious on hikes that don't pass through villages, as water sources may be scarce; bring enough water for those hikes.
- Look for signs that indicate 'kein Trinkwasser' to avoid drinking unsafe water.
AI-generated summary-
We read in Rick Steves 2023 Switzerland book that water (not bottled water) is plentiful and found everywhere. We’re wondering if this is true when hiking in the Alps. We each carry a liter container with us and wonder if we’ll be able to fill them up often or should we carry and fill up collapsible bottles when hiking in addition to our liter water bottle? Thanks so much! My Swiss Alps is the BEST! We appreciate all the time and knowledge you share with tourists.
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Hi Yassie7,
In Switzerland it is safe to drink water from the taps including those from various public water fountains. These water fountains are located all over Switzerland and can be found on most popular hiking trails. But if there are signs such as ‘kein Trinkwasser’, it means the water if not drinkable.
Regards,
Anna
Hello Yassie7,
There’s a lot of water available, as Anna said. But don’t count on it during hikes that don’t cross villages. You may encounter nothing at all. Better bring sufficient water in such cases.
Thank you so much for your information. It is so appreciated!
Hi Yassie,
When I went 5 years ago, I had two plastic bottles of water (one on each side of my backpack) pretty much my whole two weeks there. In both Wengen (in the small plaza between the train station and the Silberhorn Hotel) and in Zermatt (adjacent to the church) there were troughs where I filled up. Be it on my way hiking or just out of town each day. I had no problems at all. My bottles were the 20 oz bottles, which got me through the day with some sporadic refills at times. One liter bottles may be more burdensom, but that all depends on ones own comfort zone, as well as the length of ones hike. Other villages/cities I just filled up in my hotel room. Again, no problems at all. Have a great trip.
Regards,
Danielsan,
Thank you, Danielson, for responding to my post and sharing your experience. We appreciate it!
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