Best of Switzerland Tours

What Best of Switzerland Tours does

Best of Switzerland Tours AG is a privately-held Swiss tour operator headquartered in Adliswil near Zurich, founded in 1998 and operating daily guided excursions across the German-speaking region of Switzerland. Its portfolio spans three product categories: standard Sightseeing Tours (city and full-day mountain excursions to Jungfraujoch, Mt. Titlis, Mt. Pilatus, Mt. Rigi, Rhine Falls, the Bernese Oberland, and Zurich), Premium Small Group Tours (maximum 16 guests in Mercedes minibuses with driver-guides), and Multi-Day Tours with overnight stays and half board or breakfast. The customer base is individual international tourists, with secondary revenue from premium small-group travelers seeking more personalized experiences.

The company runs its booking and payment stack on the Ventrata platform with Adyen for online transactions, supplemented by Datatrans for email/telephone payment links and Six Payment Services and SwissCard terminals for on-site sales at departure points. Tour operations are managed through TourOptima, and web presence is supported by Google Analytics, Matomo, and Google Tag Manager. Preferred access arrangements with the major Swiss mountain railways (Jungfraubahn, TITLIS Bergbahnen, Pilatus-Bahnen, Rigi Bahnen) and partners such as Lindt Home of Chocolate and Schloss Laufen are central to the product offering.

Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the switzerland-tours.ch website (available in English, German, Chinese, and Spanish) and through travel agencies, hotel reception desks, local tourist information offices, and a physical ticket office at Zurich Sihlquai Bus Station. Tours depart daily from Zurich, Lucerne, and Interlaken. Pricing is per-seat in Swiss francs, with adult tickets ranging from approximately 55 CHF (Rhine Falls) to 290 CHF (Jungfraujoch from Zurich), children typically at 50% of the adult price, and infants under 6 free. The company holds the Q-Quality seal, Swisstainable and Clean & Safe certifications, and operates carbon-balanced city and premium tours certified by myclimate. Ownership is management-controlled, with no disclosed external investors.

Name

Best of Switzerland Tours

Legal name

Best of Switzerland Tours AG

Website

https://switzerland-tours.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Best of Switzerland Tours is a private Swiss tour operator running daily guided excursions from Zurich, Lucerne, and Interlaken for international tourists, with a portfolio of standard sightseeing, premium small-group, and multi-day tours priced per seat in Swiss francs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tour Operator Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Escorted Coach & Bus Package Tour Operators (THAKADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Walking City Tours (Highlights & Orientation) (THAJAAAA), Hiking, Trekking & Backpacking Tour Operators (THAAADAA), Luxury Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAE)

Keywords

• Guided day tours
• Mountain excursions
• Small group tours
• Multi-day tour packages
• Sightseeing excursions

Headquarters

HQ city

Adliswil

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tour and Excursion Sales: The company sells guided tours and excursions to tourists visiting Switzerland, with daily departures from Zurich, Lucerne, and Interlaken. Revenue is generated through tour booking fees, with prices quoted in Swiss francs including VAT. Customers pay at the time of booking.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Best of Switzerland Tours operates as a Swiss tour operator selling guided day tours, multi-day packages, and premium small-group excursions departing daily from Zurich, Lucerne, and Interlaken. Core products include mountain excursions to Jungfraujoch, Mt. Titlis, Mt. Pilatus, and Mt. Rigi, plus city tours of Zurich with Lake cruises and Lindt Home of Chocolate visits, Rhine Falls tours, and Jungfrau Region alpine tours. Services are delivered with over 100 professional multilingual guides using climate-controlled coaches and Mercedes minibuses.

Product overview

Best of Switzerland Tours operates as a tour operator offering a portfolio of guided excursion products. The core offering consists of day tours and multi-day packages departing daily from Zurich, Lucerne, and Interlaken in the German-speaking region of Switzerland. Key products include mountain excursions to Jungfraujoch (Top of Europe), Mt. Titlis, Mt. Pilatus, and Mt. Rigi; city tours of Zurich with optional Lake cruises and Lindt Home of Chocolate visits; nature tours featuring Rhine Falls and Stein am Rhein; and alpine region tours covering Grindelwald, Interlaken, and Lauterbrunnen. The portfolio is organized into three main categories: Sightseeing Tours (standard day tours), Premium Small Group Tours (max 16 guests in minibuses), and Multi-Day Tours (packages with overnight accommodation). Additional services include optional activity add-ons, public transport integration, and certified carbon-balanced operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jungfraujoch - Top of Europe Full-day excursion to Europe's highest railway station at 3,454m altitude, featuring views of the Aletsch Glacier (UNESCO World Heritage), Alpine Sensation, Sphinx observation deck, ice palace, and access to Jungfraubahn railways, with departures from Zurich, Lucerne, and Interlaken.
• Titlis - Eternal Snow & Glacier Year-round glacier experience featuring the rotating Rotair cable car, Cliff Walk suspension bridge (Europe's highest), glacier cave exploration, Ice Flyer chairlift, and snowtubing at Mt. Titlis, with departures from Zurich and Lucerne.
• Pilatus - The Golden Round Trip Full-day excursion featuring Dragon Ride cable car to Mt. Pilatus, the world's steepest cogwheel railway descent at 48% gradient, and lake cruise on Lake Lucerne with optional Lucerne city tour, with full-day and half-day options from Zurich and Lucerne.
• Zurich with Cruise & Lindt Home of Chocolate 5.25-hour city tour combining guided Old Town walk, half-hour Lake Zurich cruise, visit to Lindt Home of Chocolate museum with audio guide and tasting, optional FIFA Museum admission, and 24-hour Zurich public transport ticket.
• Rhine Falls - Europe's Biggest Waterfall 4-hour morning excursion featuring Europe's largest waterfall with 700,000 liters per second flow rate, Laufen Castle, Historama exhibition, panoramic lift, and optional boat ride (April-October) from Zurich.
• Grindelwald, Interlaken & Lauterbrunnen Full-day alpine tour of the Jungfrau Region featuring Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau peaks, the glacier village of Grindelwald, 72 waterfalls of Lauterbrunnen valley, and optional activities including First Cliff Walk and Glacier Canyon, with departures from Zurich, Lucerne, and Interlaken.
• Rhine Falls & Stein am Rhein Afternoon tour combining Europe's biggest waterfall with the medieval town of Stein am Rhein, featuring Laufen Castle, panoramic lifts, optional boat rides, and a guided walk through the well-preserved old town with famous frescoes, from Zurich.
• Zurich and Surroundings City Tour 4.5-hour tour featuring Zurich Old Town, Bahnhofstrasse, Golden Coast lakeside, Lake Zurich ferry crossing, and cable car to Felsenegg viewpoint with panoramic Alpine views.
• Rigi - Queen of the Mountains Full-day excursion featuring cable car to car-free Rigi Kaltbad, Europe's first cogwheel railway to Rigi Kulm at 1,797m, views of 13 lakes and Alpine panorama, and lake cruise on Lake Lucerne with Lucerne Old Town exploration, from Zurich.
• Premium Small Group Tours Small group tours with a maximum of 16 guests conducted in Mercedes minibuses by experienced driver-guides, offering authentic experiences with hand-picked local providers at destinations off the beaten track, with carbon-balanced operations certified by myclimate.
• Multi-Day Tours Multi-day tour packages combining popular mountain excursions with overnight stays including half board or breakfast, allowing extended exploration of Swiss destinations with ample time at leisure.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 25 years of operational excellence as a Swiss tour operator
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration24 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Switzerland TourismcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial tourism partner providing marketing support and the Swisstainable certification for sustainable tourism operations
• Zürich TourismcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional tourism organization for Zurich, collaborating on visitor services and destination promotion
• Luzern TourismcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional tourism organization for Lucerne, collaborating on visitor services and destination promotion
• Interlaken TourismcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional tourism organization for Interlaken, collaborating on visitor services and destination promotion
• Jungfrau RegioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional tourism organization for the Jungfrau region including Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen
• Jungfraubahn (Jungfrau Railways)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRailway company providing transportation to Jungfraujoch with preferred access for tour operators
• TITLIS Bergbahnen (Titlis Mountain Railways)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCable car and railway operator providing access to Mount Titlis with preferred access arrangements
• Pilatus-BahnencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMountain railway and cable car operator for Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip experiences
• Rigi BahnencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCable car and cogwheel train operator for Mount Rigi tours
• Lindt Chocolate Competence FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Zurich tours including visits to Lindt Home of Chocolate museum
• Schloss Laufen (Laufen Castle)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCastle and attraction partner for Rhine Falls tours with historical exhibitions
• VentratacoreTechnology or IntegrationBooking platform provider for online tour reservations and ticketing system
• AdyencoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment service provider for processing online credit card transactions for tour bookings
• myclimatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate protection organization certifying the company's carbon-balanced tour operations
• FacebookminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSocial media platform for customer engagement and reviews
• InstagramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSocial media platform for visual marketing and customer engagement
• YouTubeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVideo platform for tour preview content and marketing
• TripAdvisorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel review platform where customers can read and leave reviews about tours
• GoogleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGoogle Maps presence and reviews for local SEO and customer discovery
• Taxi 444minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRecommended taxi partner for customers needing transportation to departure points

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GetYourGuide: Berlin-based global online tour and activities marketplace with deep Swiss tour inventory. Competes directly with Best of Switzerland Tours for the same inbound leisure travelers booking day tours and mountain excursions across Switzerland.
• Viator: Tripadvisor-owned global activities marketplace; one of the largest distribution channels for Switzerland tours and attraction tickets. Competes with Best of Switzerland Tours on Jungfraujoch, Titlis, Pilatus and city tour bookings through digital channels.
• Klook: Asia-headquartered activities and travel services platform with strong penetration among Asian visitors to Switzerland. Directly competes for the same Chinese, Indian, and Southeast Asian inbound cohorts that Best of Switzerland Tours targets via its Chinese-language site.
• Headout: Global tours, attractions, and experiences platform with curated Swiss mountain and city experience inventory. Competes for the same leisure traveler wallet at the discovery and pre-booking stage.
• Switzerland Travel Centre: Swiss tour operator and travel agency jointly established by Switzerland Tourism and hotel and rail industry partners. Sells packaged Swiss tours and rail-inclusive itineraries to the same international tourist segment as Best of Switzerland Tours.

Broad incumbents

• SBB CFF FFS: Swiss Federal Railways operates scenic rail packages and excursion products across Switzerland. Indirectly competes via rail-inclusive Swiss Travel Pass itineraries that substitute for some bus-based day tours.
• Hotelplan Group: Swiss-headquartered tour operator offering packaged Switzerland and European tours. Provides a competing portfolio of guided Swiss itineraries to international travelers though via travel agency networks rather than direct-to-consumer departures.
• Glacier Express: Swiss scenic rail operator running the St. Moritz–Zermatt panoramic train. Sells rail-inclusive multi-day packages overlapping with Best of Switzerland Tours' multi-day premium itineraries, though with a different primary conveyance (rail rather than coach).
• Kuoni (DER Touristik Suisse): Long-standing Swiss tour operator and travel agency selling Switzerland-bound package holidays and individual excursions. Competes for the inbound German-speaking market through travel agency and corporate channels.

Others

• Jungfraubahnen: Mountain railway operator that runs the Jungfraujoch–Top of Europe train, the core attraction within Best of Switzerland Tours' flagship Jungfraujoch tour. Provides themed tours and direct ticket packages that can substitute for an operator-led guided excursion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCi0yATR3GeUGHi8zDSzKGZQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Switzerland.Tours
• Instagraminstagram.com/bestofswitzerlandtours
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/best-of-switzerland-tours-ag

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Best of Switzerland Tours