Opening Hours
When the doors are actually open.
A consolidated reference for the museums, alpine railways and viewpoints that appear in the Field Notes. Verified at the start of each season.
Museums
| Venue | City | Hours | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kunsthaus Zürich | Zurich | 10:00–18:00 (Wed/Thu to 20:00) | Mondays |
| Swiss National Museum | Zurich | 10:00–17:00 (Thu to 19:00) | Mondays |
| Zentrum Paul Klee | Bern | 10:00–17:00 | Mondays |
| Einstein House | Bern | 10:00–17:00 (Feb–Dec) | January |
| Olympic Museum | Lausanne | 9:00–18:00 (summer); 10:00–18:00 (winter) | Mondays Nov–Apr |
| Fondation Beyeler | Riehen / Basel | 10:00–18:00 (Wed to 20:00) | None (open daily) |
| Kunstmuseum Basel | Basel | 10:00–18:00 (Wed to 20:00) | Mondays |
| Verkehrshaus (Swiss Museum of Transport) | Lucerne | 10:00–18:00 (summer); 10:00–17:00 (winter) | None (open daily) |
Note on Mondays
Most Swiss museums close on Monday, with the major exception of Fondation Beyeler and the Verkehrshaus. If your Swiss visit is short, plan culture for Tuesday–Sunday and treat Monday as a city-walking day.
Alpine railways & cable cars
| Route | Operating window | First / last car | Closure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jungfraujoch (rack railway) | Year-round | 06:35 / 17:00 (varies) | Late April annual service week |
| Eiger Express (gondola) | Year-round | 07:15 / 18:30 | Two weeks in November |
| Schilthorn (Piz Gloria) | Year-round | 07:25 / 17:55 | Mid-November to mid-December |
| Gornergrat Bahn (Zermatt) | Year-round | 07:00 / 19:24 | No |
| Pilatus cogwheel railway | May to mid-November | 08:10 / 17:45 | Mid-Nov to early May (gondola side stays open) |
| Stoos funicular | Year-round | 06:30 / 23:45 | Two-week service in spring |
National parks & protected areas
| Site | Open season | Visitor centre |
|---|---|---|
| Swiss National Park (Engadine) | Trails June–October | Zernez: daily June–Oct, weekends only winter |
| Aletsch UNESCO Region | Year-round (cable cars seasonal) | Pro Natura Centre Aletsch, June–October |
| BärenPark Bern | Year-round, free entry | None (open viewing) |
| Creux du Van | Year-round, snowshoes Dec–Mar | None |
Public holidays affecting access
Swiss holidays close most museums and reduce public transport to a Sunday schedule. The dates to plan around in 2026:
- 1 January — New Year. Almost everything closed.
- 3 April — Good Friday. Most museums closed in Protestant cantons; some open in Catholic ones (Lucerne, Ticino).
- 6 April — Easter Monday. Closed.
- 1 May — Labour Day. Closed in Zurich, Basel, Geneva, Ticino. Open in Bern, Lucerne, Lausanne.
- 14 May — Ascension Day. Closed.
- 1 August — Swiss National Day. Museums variable; transit on Sunday schedule.
- 25 December & 26 December — Christmas. Closed.
Switzerland's calendar is federalised: a public holiday in Zurich is a working day in Geneva. Always check the canton, not the country.
Last updated: May 2026. Hours are operator-published values; the editor verifies them at the start of each season.