IT · Jun–Sep
Dolomites Alta Via 1
24 operators · 61 tours · 50 departures with space
8–13 days · 125 km · 3/5 Challenging
From $112/day Next with space 13 Jun 2027
Via Alpina (Switzerland) hiking tours
16 operators run 45 Via Alpina (Switzerland) tours on Tripperoni. 16 fixed departures still have space for summer 2027, and 15 self-guided tours start on dates you choose. Dates for 23 tours from 7 operators aren't tracked here: we list them from their public details. Per-person prices run from $844 (self-guided, 4 days) to $10,495 (guided group, 10 days), a median of $281 per day.
- Days
- 19–20
- Distance
- 390 km
- High point
- 2,778 m
- Total ascent
- 23,500 m
- Difficulty
- 4/5 Strenuous
Why 4/5?
On the official stage data the route averages about 19.5 km and 1,175 m of ascent a day over 20 stages (level 3 on the averages alone, just under the 1,200 m limit), but nine of the 20 stages climb more than 1,200 m (stage 7 climbs 2,100 m over 30 km, stage 12 2,000 m, stage 19 1,850 m), the longest are rated 9 to 10.75 hours, most are marked "mountain hiking trail" with chains, ropes or wire-rope sections, and the 14 passes peak at 2,778 m, so the scale's "long days, >1,200 m ascent" clause makes it level 4, one above the TMB and Alta Via 1 (owner to confirm; 3 is the alternative if averages are used). How we grade difficulty
- Season
- Jun–Sep
- Route
- Vaduz (Gaflei) → Montreux
- Stay
- Hotels, inns & guesthouses and mountain huts
- Permit
- Not required
Departures with space
Guided group departures by start month. Self-guided tours start on flexible dates and aren't counted here.
Jun 2027
2 with space
- Available
- 2
- Limited
- 0
- Sold out
- 0
Jul 2027
92 with space
- Available
- 75
- Limited
- 17
- Sold out
- 0
- Guided group
- 6
- Self-guided
- 86
Aug 2027
98 with space
- Available
- 97
- Limited
- 1
- Sold out
- 0
- Guided group
- 5
- Self-guided
- 93
Sep 2027
41 with space
- Available
- 41
- Limited
- 0
- Sold out
- 0
- Guided group
- 3
- Self-guided
- 38
Jun 2028
1 with space
- Available
- 1
- Limited
- 0
- Sold out
- 0
Jul 2028
1 with space
- Available
- 1
- Limited
- 0
- Sold out
- 0
Aug 2028
1 with space
- Available
- 1
- Limited
- 0
- Sold out
- 0
Sep 2028
1 with space
- Available
- 1
- Limited
- 0
- Sold out
- 0
Compare Via Alpina (Switzerland) tours
Showing 1–35 of 45 tours. Column sorting covers only the rows on this page, not the full 45-tour list.
| Tour | Format | Days | Difficulty | Group | Stay | Price from | Per day | Next with space |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Via Alpina Westschweiz - Gstaad bis Montreux Alpavia · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) German-language site | Self-guided | 5 | 4/5 Strenuous | — | Hotels | CHF 745≈ $904 | $181 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Alpavia |
| Via Alpina 1 Switzerland VAS-1 Trailwise Travel · Classic Via Alpina (Vaduz or Sargans to Montreux) | Self-guided | 18 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Moderate” | — | Hotels | £2,840≈ $3,787 | $210 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Trailwise Travel |
| Bernese Oberland West 4-day Itinerary HHT10-4 Alpenventures UNGUIDED · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 4 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Physical Difficult / technical Easy” | — | Mountain huts | €750≈ $844 | $211 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Alpenventures UNGUIDED |
| Via Alpina 1 Switzerland VAS-3 Trailwise Travel · Classic Via Alpina (Vaduz or Sargans to Montreux) | Self-guided | 23 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Moderate” | — | Hotels | £3,650≈ $4,867 | $212 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Trailwise Travel |
| HHT10-5E Bernese Oberland Traverse East 5-day Itinerary Alpenventures UNGUIDED · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 5 | 3/5 Challenging Operator: “Physical Moderate / technical Easy” | — | Huts & hotels | €950≈ $1,069 | $214 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Alpenventures UNGUIDED |
| Bärentrek bis Gstaad (Meiringen-Gstaad) Alpavia · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) German-language site | Self-guided | 9 | 4/5 Strenuous | — | Hotels | CHF 1,590≈ $1,930 | $214 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Alpavia |
| Via Alpina 1 Switzerland VAS-2 Trailwise Travel · Classic Via Alpina (Vaduz or Sargans to Montreux) | Self-guided | 20 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Moderate” | — | Hotels | £3,250≈ $4,334 | $217 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Trailwise Travel |
| Hiking: Via Alpina | Eastern Switzerland 5/4 Eurotrek · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 5 | 3/5 Challenging Operator: “moderate” | — | Huts & hotels | CHF 909≈ $1,103 | $221 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Eurotrek |
| Bärentrek bis Montreux / Via Alpina Meiringen-Montreux Alpavia · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) German-language site | Self-guided | 12 | 4/5 Strenuous | — | Hotels | CHF 2,190≈ $2,658 | $221 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Alpavia |
| Hiking: Via Alpina | Vaud 5/4 (Western Switzerland) Eurotrek · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 5 | 3/5 Challenging Operator: “moderate” | — | Hotels | CHF 915≈ $1,110 | $222 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Eurotrek |
| Bärentrek bis Lenk (Bärentrek-Hintere Gasse, Meiringen-Lenk) Alpavia · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) German-language site | Self-guided | 8 | 4/5 Strenuous | — | Hotels | CHF 1,490≈ $1,808 | $226 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Alpavia |
| Hiking: Via Alpina | "Bear Trek" 6/5 Eurotrek · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 6 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “hard” | — | Hotels | CHF 1,119≈ $1,358 | $226 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Eurotrek |
| Bernese Oberland Traverse HHT10-7 (7-day standard) Alpenventures UNGUIDED · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 7 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Physical Difficult / technical Easy” | — | Mountain huts | €1,410≈ $1,587 | $227 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Alpenventures UNGUIDED |
| Via Alpina Self-guided walking holiday Alpine Exploratory · Classic Via Alpina (Vaduz or Sargans to Montreux) | Self-guided | 23 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Purple” | Up to 10 | Hotels | £3,970≈ $5,294 | $230 | Flexible start |
| Via Alpina: The Bear Trek Hut To Hut Hiking Switzerland · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 9 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “4/5” | — | Hotels | €1,865≈ $2,099 | $233 | Flexible start |
| Hiking: Via Alpina | Vaduz – Montreux 20/19 Eurotrek · Classic Via Alpina (Vaduz or Sargans to Montreux) | Self-guided | 20 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “hard” | — | Huts & hotels | CHF 3,935≈ $4,776 | $239 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Eurotrek |
| Via Alpina: Bernese Oberland Self-guided walking holiday Alpine Exploratory · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 9 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Purple” | Up to 10 | Hotels | £1,680≈ $2,240 | $249 | Flexible start |
| Bernese Oberland Traverse with Via Ferratas VF5 Alpenventures UNGUIDED · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 7 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Physical Difficult / technical Moderate” | — | Mountain huts | €1,550≈ $1,744 | $249 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Alpenventures UNGUIDED |
| Via Alpina 1 Switzerland VAS-C-2 Central Highlights Trailwise Travel · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 10 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Moderate” | — | Hotels | £1,870≈ $2,494 | $249 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Trailwise Travel |
| Hiking: Via Alpina | Central Switzerland 5/4 Eurotrek · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 5 | 3/5 Challenging Operator: “moderate” | — | Huts & hotels | CHF 1,035≈ $1,256 | $251 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Eurotrek |
| Via Alpina Trekking – Linthal to Meiringen KE Adventure Travel · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) New | Self-guided | 7 | 3/5 Challenging Operator: “Grade 6 (Moderate)” | — | Hotels | £1,390≈ $1,854 | $265 | Flexible start |
| Via Alpina Walking Holiday Collett's Mountain Holidays · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 8 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Challenging” | — | Hotels | £1,685≈ $2,247 | $281 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Collett's Mountain Holidays |
| Hiking: Via Alpina | "Bear Trek" Charme 6/5 Eurotrek · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 6 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “hard” | — | Hotels | CHF 1,419≈ $1,722 | $287 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Eurotrek |
| Self Guided Trail Running: Via Alpina Bernese Oberland in 7 Days Adventure Base · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 7 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Level C” | — | Hotels | €1,790≈ $2,014 | $288 | Flexible start from 8 Jul 2027 |
| Via Alpina: Bernese Oberland & The Jungfrau – 8 Days Auswalk · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 8 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Walking grade 5 (Challenging)” | — | Hotels | A$3,375≈ $2,349 | $294 | Flexible start |
| Via Alpina Switzerland Hut To Hut Hiking Switzerland · Classic Via Alpina (Vaduz or Sargans to Montreux) | Self-guided | 18 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “5/5” | — | Hotels | €4,965≈ $5,587 | $310 | Flexible start |
| The Via Alpina East Macs Adventure · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 10 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Moderate To Strenuous” | — | Hotels | £2,365≈ $3,154 | $315 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Macs Adventure |
| Via Alpina Trekking - Meiringen to Lenk KE Adventure Travel · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) New | Self-guided | 8 | 3/5 Challenging Operator: “Grade 6 (Moderate)” | — | Hotels | £1,895≈ $2,527 | $316 | Flexible start |
| Via Alpina: Bernese Oberland 9 Day Traverse Adventure Base · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 9 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Level B” | — | Hotels | €2,625≈ $2,954 | $328 | Flexible start from 1 Jul 2027 |
| The Via Alpina West Macs Adventure · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 10 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Moderate To Strenuous” | — | Hotels | £2,505≈ $3,340 | $334 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Macs Adventure |
| Via Alpina: Bernese Oberland 5 Day Highlights Adventure Base · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 5 | 3/5 Challenging Operator: “Level A” | — | Hotels | €1,485≈ $1,671 | $334 | Flexible start from 1 Jul 2027 |
| Self-Guided Via Alpina (East: Sargans to Grindelwald) Alpenwild · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 12 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “strenuous” | — | Hotels | $4,450 | $371 | Flexible start |
| Via Alpina: Bernese Oberland (Guided) Guided walking holiday Alpine Exploratory · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Guided group | 9 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Purple” | Up to 8 | Hotels | £2,520≈ $3,360 | $373 | 4 Sep 2027 |
| Self-Guided Bernese Oberland Traverse (Lauterbrunnen to Gstaad) Alpenwild · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) | Self-guided | 11 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “strenuous” | — | Hotels | $4,395 | $400 | Flexible start |
| Self-Guided Classic Bernese Oberland Traverse Alpinehikers · Via Alpina sections (part of the route) New | Self-guided | 11 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Moderate to Challenging (Via Alpina)” | — | Hotels | $4,490 | $408 | Flexible start |
Trail status
Season, permits, fees and closures, checked against official sources.
Closures & advisories · Elm aempaechli
Elm, Ämpächli area (stage 4, Elm to Linthal): construction and maintenance work closes the sections Älpli mountain restaurant to Ober Ämpächli, Dunggelboden to Hengstboden, Ober Ämpächli to Rietmatthüttli and Pleus Doppelmast to Steinböden (mountain station), from 4 May to 30 November 2026; follow the signposted diversions. A PDF of the current closures is linked from the notice. The 2027 position was not published on 19 October 2026.
Closures & advisories · Hasliberg gummen
Hasliberg, Gummen (stage 9, Engstlenalp to Meiringen): closure with detour for construction and maintenance work, from 1 May to 31 December 2026. The notice gives no detail on the diversion.
Closures & advisories · Kandersteg spitze stei
Kandersteg, Spitze Stei (stage 13, Griesalp to Kandersteg, last descent): the hiking trail is diverted via the Adolf Ogi Weg because of a restricted area, in force since 8 May 2023 and listed until 30 November 2026 as 'until further notice'. Expect it to apply in 2027 unless SchweizMobil says otherwise.
Closures & advisories · Le poyet grazing detour
Le Poyet (stage 19, Rossinière to Rochers de Naye): an amended routing is signposted from 2 October 2026 to 30 May 2027 to avoid grazing animals and guard dogs. Follow the signposted detour; it covers the start of the 2027 season.
Closures & advisories · Rochers de naye railway works 2026
The Montreux to Rochers-de-Naye cogwheel line (the usual way down from the summit that ends stage 19) ran with replacement buses from 14 September to 16 October 2026 because of sub-station works; trains run normally otherwise. No 2027 interruption had been published on 19 October 2026.
Closures & advisories · Truebbach alte schollbergstrasse
Trübbach, Via Alpina / Alte Schollbergstrasse (stage 1, Vaduz to Sargans): the path is closed because of falling wood and rocks, from 26 May to 27 November 2026, until the situation has been assessed and the area cleared. SchweizMobil lists it as a closure with detour but the notice gives no diversion text. This affects only the stage that Alpine Pass Route walkers skip.
Closures & advisories · Wengen allmend wengernalp
Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Allmend to Wengernalp (stage 11, Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen): closure with detour because of a major event, from 5 October to 31 December 2026 (after the walking season; the notice gives no further text).
Huts & refuges · Bluemlisalp · Booking opens
Blüemlisalphütte SAC: reservations for summer 2027 open in January 2027 (exact day not given), through the hut's online reservation system, where you can later change, add to or cancel a booking within the deadlines in the hut's terms.
Season · Bluemlisalp hut staffed
Blüemlisalphütte SAC (2,840 m, just above the Hohtürli pass on stage 13, 100 beds): staffed from mid-June to mid-October depending on the weather. Outside that period the hut is in winter closure but a winter room can be reserved online.
Guided or self-guided?
Most walkers do the Via Alpina independently. It is part of the national signposted network, waymarked in both directions, and most stages end in a village with a station or PostBus stop, so you can split or shorten the route easily. The practical work is booking a bed for each night, carrying a pack over big days, and watching conditions. Self-guided packages mostly solve the booking and add luggage transfers, which suit the long, high stages. A guide is worth considering for early-season snow on the Surenen, Sefinenfurgge and Hohtürli, for the chains and ropes on the way to the Surenen, and for the exposed forest track with wire ropes on stage 19. Tours that skip whole stages by transfer are listed as sections.
Medians are per person, per day, land only, twin share, in USD at today's rate.
About the Via Alpina (Switzerland)
Switzerland's Via Alpina is the national hiking route 1, a west-bound crossing of the northern Alps. The official figures are about 390 km in 20 stages, from the plateau at Gaflei above Vaduz to the lake promenade at Montreux, with roughly 23,500 m of climbing and 24,700 m of descent. It strings together 14 passes, among them the Foo and Richetli passes, the Klausen, Surenen and Joch passes, the Hohtürli beneath the Blüemlisalp at 2,778 m, and the Col de Chaude above Lake Geneva. Days are big: the typical stage is 6 to 8 hours, a few are 9 to 10, and the first week is mostly in German-speaking valleys before the route crosses into French Switzerland near Gstaad. You mostly sleep in village hotels and guesthouses rather than remote huts, and most stages end by a road, train or PostBus stop.
When to go
The route is a summer walk. Hut and pass conditions point to roughly mid-June to the end of September for the full route: the Blüemlisalp hut near the Hohtürli is staffed from mid-June to mid-October, and the official stage text mentions snow patches that last all year below the Surenen pass. Lower stages can be walked earlier and later, but some services may be shut, and SchweizMobil's own closure notices run from May to November. July and August are the most settled and busiest months; September is quieter with shorter days. Check the SchweizMobil closure list and the forecast the week you leave, and start early on the high stages.
Permits and booking timeline
You do not need a permit or pay a fee to walk the Via Alpina in Switzerland: access to forest and pasture is free under Swiss law, and we found no route-wide quota or toll. Nights are the constraint. Each hotel, guesthouse and hut books separately, and no single system covers the route. Pass stops with few beds, such as Urnerboden (about 25 beds in the official accommodation list), Engstlenalp and Griesalp, fill first in July and August, so book them early. For the Blüemlisalp hut at the Hohtürli, summer 2027 reservations open in January 2027. Look at the SchweizMobil closures list before you book alternatives for each stage.
Sources
Where our facts and descriptions for this trail come from. Official sources win if anything differs.
Show all 19 sources (13 official)
Official
- SchweizMobil: Via Alpina (hiking route 1), the national route page (the data above comes from the JSON the page itself loads, api/4/route_or_segment/hike/1/0 to 20) schweizmobil.ch
- SchweizMobil route data: route 1 as a whole (390 km, 20 stages, ascent and descent, stage list) schweizmobil.ch
- SchweizMobil route data: stage 1, Vaduz (Gaflei) to Sargans (the route description) schweizmobil.ch
- SchweizMobil route data: stage 13, Griesalp to Kandersteg over the Hohtürli (2,778 m) schweizmobil.ch
- SchweizMobil accommodation list: Hotel Elmer (Elm), Gasthaus Urnerboden, Blümlisalphütte SAC schweizmobil.ch
- SchweizMobil closure notice: Trübbach, Alte Schollbergstrasse (stage 1) schweizmobil.ch
- SchweizMobil closure notice: Elm, Ämpächli (stage 4) schweizmobil.ch
- SchweizMobil closure notice: Hasliberg Gummen (stage 9) schweizmobil.ch
- SchweizMobil closure notice: Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Allmend to Wengernalp (stage 11) schweizmobil.ch
- SchweizMobil closure notice: Kandersteg, Spitze Stei (stage 13) schweizmobil.ch
- SchweizMobil closure notice: Le Poyet (stage 19) schweizmobil.ch
- Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (BAFU): free access to forest and pasture (Art. 699 Civil Code) bafu.admin.ch
- SBB network page: Zürich Flughafen direct long-distance connections (IR13 towards Sargans) network.sbb.ch
Trail associations
- Via Alpina (international network, run with CIPRA): the network, the red main route and the green route to Lenk via-alpina.org
- SAC Section Blüemlisalp: Blüemlisalphütte (staffing period, 2027 reservations) sac-bluemlisalp.ch
- Swiss Alpine Club route portal: Blüemlisalphütte SAC (staffed months, 100 beds) sac-cas.ch
Other
Via Alpina (Switzerland) FAQ
How long is the Via Alpina in Switzerland?
SchweizMobil gives about 390 km in 20 stages from Vaduz (Gaflei) to Montreux, with 23,500 m of ascent and 24,700 m of descent and 14 Alpine passes. The 20 stage figures add up to 391 km, 23,550 m up and 24,760 m down, so the headline numbers are rounded. The shortest stage is 12 km and the longest 30 km.
Is it the same as the Alpine Pass Route?
Tripperoni treats them as the same route (owner decision). The Alpine Pass Route is the older name for the Sargans to Montreux walk, which is stages 2 to 20 of the official numbering: 19 stages and about 363 km. Sources differ on the details, with some quoting about 325 km, and Via Alpina route 1 or National Route 1 is the SchweizMobil name.
How hard is the Via Alpina in Switzerland?
It is demanding. SchweizMobil rates the whole route as difficult for fitness and most stages as mountain hiking trail. Averages are about 19.5 km and 1,175 m of ascent a day, but nine stages climb more than 1,200 m and the biggest day climbs 2,100 m over 30 km. The high point is the Hohtürli at 2,778 m. We grade it 4 out of 5.
Is this the same as the international Via Alpina?
Partly. The international Via Alpina is a network of trails through eight Alpine countries with 116 stages. The Swiss national route 1 uses the name and passes Lenk, but only the green trail between Liechtenstein and Lenk is described on via-alpina.org, whose main route now continues south from Lenk. This hub covers the Swiss national route 1 to Montreux only.
Do I need to book, and when?
There is no permit. You book each night separately. The Blüemlisalp hut near the Hohtürli takes summer 2027 reservations from January 2027, and it is staffed only from mid-June to mid-October. Villages such as Urnerboden, Engstlenalp and Griesalp have few beds, so book those stops first.
How do I get to the start and finish?
Stage 1 starts at Gaflei above Vaduz; SchweizMobil lists Gaflei (Klinik) and Vaduz (Post) public transport stops and Sargans station as arrival points. From Zurich Airport there are direct trains towards Sargans. The finish, Montreux, is on the Geneva to Lausanne lakeside line, and Geneva Airport has direct trains to Montreux.
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