Is camping in Switzerland just too expensive?

Holidaying in Switzerland can never really be called “cheap” but what about if you’re travelling in a campervan or sleeping in a tent?

Camping holidays have always had a large fan base in Switzerland, but this mode of holidaying had become even more popular during the Covid pandemic, when fewer people were willing to travel abroad in crowded planes.

As the RTS broadcaster reported back in July 2020, people who had never considered camping before, started to travel around the country in a motorhome “to make their holidays more local and flexible.”

At the time, safety from the virus outstripped the cost as the primary consideration, and a camping experience outdoors was seen as less risky than air travel.

But the fact remains that this style of ‘on the road’ travel remains popular not only among nature lovers but among money-conscious people as well.

How much does a camping holiday cost?

Like any other type of vacation, the cost varies, depending on where you set up camp and how long you stay there.

Other factors that determine the price you will pay are the site’s proximity to the most popular tourist areas, its facilities and infrastructure, as well as the size and type of the unit.

According to the 2025 price analysis compiled by Pincamp, the camping portal of Swiss and foreign motoring organisations, a night of camping in Switzerland during the peak summer season costs 57 francs on average — a 4-percent increase over last year.

(This amount is higher than the European average of 49 francs per month).

However, some Swiss camp sites cost even less: in the Jura-Neuchâtel-Fribourg-Vaud region, the per-night price average is 46 francs, even despite a 10-percent price increase this year.

In the canton of Bern, even though the price is higher, it has fallen slightly, from 55 to 53 francs.

Ticino remains Switzerland’s most expensive site for campers: 73 francs per night.

Higher prices elsewhere

In fact, Switzerland is not the most expensive place in Europe for campers.

A spot on a camping site in Croatia costs an equivalent of 63 francs, and in Italy it is 61 francs.

The cheapest places, on the other hand, are found in Germany (37 francs) and in Sweden (40 francs).

According to Pincamp, these days more campsites are dynamically adjusting their prices to demand – a practice that is similar to one used by hotels, airlines, and some Swiss ski resorts.

Therefore, people who are flexible or travel during the off-season can save up to a third of the regular cost.

Steadfast popularity

Despite rising prices, demand for camp sites remains high in Switzerland: 4.8 million overnight stays were recorded in the country in 2024 – a new record.

Is camping in Switzerland just too expensive?

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