Austria or Switzerland?
The practical differences, drawn from our own write-ups rather than from a brochure. We are not going to tell you which is better - they are different trips. What follows is what actually changes between them.
Places written up here 336 345
UNESCO listings among them 26 18
Cost level High Very high
Busiest month in our write-ups September June
Currency Euro (EUR) Swiss franc (CHF)
Plugs and voltage C, F - 230 V C, J - 230 V
Everyday languages German German, French, Italian, Romansh
Driving side right hand side right hand side
Region Central Europe Western Europe
Capital Vienna Bern
Austria
Formal, tidy and proud of its coffee-house pace; titles and greetings are used seriously.
What we have written up
- Achensee lake
- Admont Abbey church
- Affenberg Ossiach zoo
- Aggstein Castle castle
- Almsee lake
- Alpbach village
Worth knowing before you go
- Tipping is 5-10%, said aloud when paying
- Tap water is superb alpine water and restaurants serve it without fuss
- The Vignette toll sticker is required on motorways if you drive in
Switzerland
Punctual to the minute, quiet by agreement, and outdoors at every opportunity.
What we have written up
- Aarau Old Town old town
- Absinthe in the Val-de-Travers food district
- Adelboden village
- Agerisee lake
- Aigle Castle castle
- Albula Pass pass
All 345 places in Switzerland →
Worth knowing before you go
- Tipping is not expected - service is included and wages are real
- Tap water is superb; every village fountain with no sign is drinkable
- The Half Fare Card halves most trains, boats and cable cars - it usually pays for itself in a week
Counts describe this site, not the countries: "places written up here" means how many pages we have finished, and it keeps growing. Currency, plugs and languages are practical facts and change rarely; check anything visa-related with the relevant official source before you book.