Car-free towns in Switzerland 

Find Switzerland’s most popular car-free villages

My other recommendations for car-free villages in Switzerland

There are more car-free Swiss villages. They’re often located in the mountains and can be reached by cable car or mountain train. Many offer superb views and are a great destination if you’re looking for peace and quiet.

1. Bettmeralp, Riederalp and Fiescheralp are three villages on the northern slopes of the Upper Rhone Valley. They can be reached by cable car. Each offers amazing views of the high peaks of the Valais.
2. Blatten and Belalp are located in the Valais. Blatten can be reached by bus from Brig. Then you board a cable car to the car-free mountain village of Belalp.
3. Braunwald is a village in the Glarus area in north-eastern Switzerland, with panoramic mountain views. A funicular from Linthal in the valley takes up up there. It’s a popular holiday resort for families in both summer and winter.
4. Gimmelwald is a tiny settlement close to Mürren. There are cable cars from Stechelberg down in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, and from Mürren which is a bit higher up.
5. Melchsee-Frutt is a settlement on a wonderful mountain lake at high altitude: about 2000 m. It’s located south-east of Sarnen, which is one of the villages close to the Brünig Pass between Lucerne and Brienz. A bus or car takes you from Sarnen to Stöckalp. That’s where cars can be parked. Then you’ll continue by cable car to Melchsee-Frutt.
6. There are a few small villages in the green hills of the Rigi area. An example is Rigi Kaltbad, to be reached by cable car from Weggis or by cogwheel train from Vitznau. Another small settlement is Rigi Scheidegg. You can get there by cable car from Kräbel.
7. The ride to the car-free village of Stoos in the canton of Schwyz is one of the most spectacular of Switzerland. A steep funicular with unique tilting cabins gets you up from the village of Schwyz to Stoos. Great views await you there, plus a lift to the Fronalpstock mountain. The area is located south-east of Brunnen on Lake Lucerne.

Swiss towns with car-free centers

Many Swiss towns have car-free centers. This means that shopping streets and historic buildings can be very well enjoyed on foot. If you come by car, you can usually park close to the center. In general, I’d recommend train and bus traveling over driving though, especially to and in Swiss cities.

Examples of towns with car-free centers are Gruyères, Gstaad, Appenzell, Rheinfelden and Olten.

All about traveling by public transport

In many cases, you’ll need public transport to reach car-free Swiss destinations. We explain how it works.

Related info for a car trip to Switzerland

Will you be visiting Switzerland by car? Our extensive tips tell you all about the obligatory motorway vignette, traffic rules, parking, car trains, and more.