Swiss National Trail (Route 2)

Swiss National Trail (Route 2)
Name	Swiss National Trail (Route 2)
Length km	460
Location	Switzerland
Designation	National Trail
Established	2015
Trailheads	La Roche, Geneva
Difficulty	Moderate to strenuous

Swiss National Trail (Route 2) The Swiss National Trail (Route 2) is a long-distance hiking route traversing Switzerland from west to east, linking La Roche on the Fribourg plateau to Geneva and continuing across cantons toward Zürich and the eastern border. It connects major cultural centers and alpine regions, passing through cantons such as Vaud, Valais, Bern, Graubünden, and St. Gallen, while intersecting with other national and regional routes like Via Alpina and Sentier Suisse. The trail emphasizes both natural scenery and cultural heritage, threading through urban nodes such as Lausanne, Interlaken, and Lucerne.

Overview

The route spans roughly 460 km and is designated as one of the Swiss national trails managed by the Swiss Alpine Club and the Swisstopo cartographic framework, with waymarking standards set by the Swiss Hiking Federation. It is part of Switzerland's network of national, regional, and municipal paths, interfacing with routes including the Alpine Pass Route and the Jakobsweg (Switzerland), offering varied stages from plateau walking to high-alpine traverses near passes like the Susten Pass and valleys such as the Engadin. The trail serves recreational hikers, backpackers, and cultural tourists interested in sites like Château de Chillon, Grossmünster, and the medieval townscapes of Gruyères.

Route and Itinerary

Typical itineraries divide the trail into multi-day stages linking towns and transport hubs. Western sections begin near La Roche and proceed through Fribourg, Bulle, and onto Montreux and Vevey on Lake Geneva. Midsections cross alpine corridors via Martigny, Sion, and Brig, then traverse passes or tunnels toward Interlaken and Grindelwald in the Bernese Oberland. Eastern legs pass through Luzern, Central Switzerland, St. Gallen, and finish near St. Margrethen or other eastern border points, with options to connect to Rheintal and Bodensee itineraries. Hikers commonly segment the trail into 20–30 stages, linking overnight stops such as mountain huts operated by the Swiss Alpine Club and municipal guesthouses in towns like Samedan and Appenzell.

Geography and Landscape

The trail showcases Switzerland's geomorphological diversity: glacial features of the Aletsch Glacier and Rhone Glacier regions, limestone karst of the Jura Mountains, crystalline massifs of the Pennine Alps and Bernese Alps, and the sedimentary basin of the Swiss Plateau. It traverses ecosystems from montane forests dominated by Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies to alpine meadows near passes such as Jochpass and pastoral landscapes shaped by traditional transhumance practices in valleys like the Surselva. Hydrological highlights include the Rhone River, Aare, and numerous alpine lakes such as Lake Geneva, Lake Lucerne, and Lake Thun, while cultural landscapes include terraced vineyards of Lavaux and heritage sites in Gruyères.

History and Development

The trail was formalized in the 2010s as part of a national strategy to integrate long-distance hiking with cultural tourism and sustainable mobility promoted by agencies like the Federal Office of Sport (Switzerland) and cantonal tourism boards including Valais Tourism and Graubünden Ferien. Its routing reflects historical corridors used by merchants, pilgrims on the Jakobsweg spurs, and transalpine trade routes linking Milan and Basel. Waymarking and infrastructure improvements were coordinated with organizations such as the Swiss Hiking Federation and local municipal councils, drawing on topographic resources from Swisstopo and conservation guidance from the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment.

Accessibility and Transport

The trail is well integrated with Switzerland’s public transport network: regional and intercity services operated by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB/CFF/FFS), post buses run by PostBus Switzerland, and cableways in alpine areas like Grindelwald–First and Stoosbahn provide access to stages. Major railway junctions including Lausanne railway station, Bern railway station, Interlaken Ost, and Zürich Hauptbahnhof facilitate stage planning and resupply. Many trailheads and hut accesses coordinate with timetables of Rhaetian Railway and seasonal mountain lifts, and transport passes such as the Swiss Travel Pass can reduce logistic costs for long-distance hikers.

Facilities and Accommodation

Accommodation ranges from SAC mountain huts, municipal youth hostels and B&Bs in towns such as Sion and Lucerne, to hotels in cities like Geneva and Zürich. Mountain rescue and emergency services involve agencies including the Rega air rescue service and cantonal police; many huts and alpine villages maintain contact points for emergencies. Trail signage uses the national yellow and red markers consistent with standards from the Swiss Hiking Federation and is supplemented by digital mapping via Swisstopo apps and platforms like Komoot and Outdooractive.

Safety, Regulations and Conservation

Hiking Route 2 requires awareness of alpine hazards—avalanches in winter, rockfall in high-alpine sectors near Eiger faces, and rapid weather changes near summits like Pilatus. Permits are generally unnecessary, but access to protected areas such as Swiss National Park and UNESCO sites like Lavaux Vineyard Terraces is regulated by cantonal and federal conservation rules enforced by the Federal Office for the Environment. Sustainable use initiatives by organizations like Pro Natura and local conservation groups promote Leave No Trace practices, trail maintenance, and biodiversity monitoring. Emergency procedures rely on coordination among Rega, cantonal emergency services, and mountain rescue associations.

Category:Hiking trails in Switzerland