Getting here, Public Transport, Travel Cards, Data, Apps, Supermarkets, Hikes, excursions
Click this link on information how to get to EPFL.
Bernoulli Center ; Math Dept ; EPFL interactive plan ; EPFL campus app ; SwissMeteo ; SRF Weather
Public Transports
Public transports are reliable and frequent. Buses are integrated into the railway system, combined tickets are available. Hotels provide Lausanne transport car free of charge, allowing to travel in the great Lausanne area.
- With the apps you can purchase ticket between any two stations using mixed transport methods (e.g. from Geneva airport to the bust stop next to the library).
- Train fares are essentially additive, time-invariant. Normal ticket can be used on any trains /routes. Trains are rarely too crowded, but can upgrade to first class if it happens by paying the difference. Non-refundable fixed route ticket is available.
Mobile Data
It’s useful to have a data package.
In Switzerland: S.A.L.T. offers 1 GB data for 15 CHF:
https://www.salt.ch/en/mobile/plan/prepay#tariffs
UK: Your mobile provider may allow you to roam in EU, this may not include Switzerland. Check 1p mobile:
https://www.1pmobile.com/
Shops and Supermarkets
They are closed on Sundays, and close early compared to the UK and US. Supermarkets in Switzerland: Coop, Migros, Denner, Aldi, Lidl, Spar,…. where you can also find toothpastes, sun lotion etc. If you forgot something, in Maxi Bazar you find inexpensive products for occasional uses.
Opening hours: Close to EPFL metro: Migros EPFL – Denner EPFL
Migros Metropole Coop-above-flon Coop-Grancy
Useful Apps
SBB Mobile app is very useful even for local travel. You can buy both train and local tickets online.
Fairtiq is another app: You only need to slide open the app and stop it after the journey to get very good rate.
If you are not staying in a hotel and need to travel often, consider purchasing a monthly travelcard.
If you get a SwissPass (free from the train station, need a digital photo), this will show up on the SBB Mobile app.
Excursions and Social
- bring large amount of water, hiking shoes, sun lotion, hat, swimming gear (if close to lake). A lunchbox can be convenient.
- Walks: EPFL -Lausanne and around; From EPFL to ward east;
- Lausanne Cathedral can be visited together with a hike up to Hermitage Park;
- The lake shore of Ouchy can be combined with a stroll on the ground of the Olympic museum;
- Chillon Castle is reachable on foot from Montreux along the shore of the lake; can be combined with a walk from in La Tour-de-Peilz. You can also add a wine yard walk.
- Lake geneva, Passenger ferries picnic spot Campfire regulations
- Public grills an be found on Plaines de Vidy
- L’Isle castle (Yves Hohl, a nice cafe cake shop nearby closed till August 14th), some nice walks nearby
- Municipal swimming pools by the lake is a fun place to be, costing CHF 6 or so.
- Library, theatre, opera can be found in Lausanne or nearby towns.
Hikes
The following maps are useful for hiking, some available offline: Swisstopo is a free app with very good data; all trails has also an app; pocket earth
The Jura:
- A good hike is along the river Orbe, with its gorges and Marmite, See here for some photos.
- La Dent de Vaulion from Lac de Joux –on top you have a good view of the region.
The vine yard :
- A walk from Villette in la vaux region. On a sunny day, the vineyard can be hot. Note train stops along the shore : Pully, Lutry, Villette, Cully, Epesses, Rivaz, St-Saphorin, Vevey, la tour-de-peliz, Buler, Clarens, Montreux. The following places are reachable by nice lake side path: (1)Ouchy-Pully-Lutry, (2) Villette-Cully. There is a mini-railway in Pully, Lutry and Port de Cully are nice places to stop. Once you’ve doen the vineyard walk, you can catch a train from any of the above sops to Montreux, e.g. Saphorin to Montreux. A short walk from Montreux along the shore leads to Chillon castle. There is an upper train line from Lausanne passing La conversion and Grandvaux, where there is a lovely cafe /restaurant.
- Some of these walks are explained in all trails: From Ouchy westward along lake; from Lausanne; Hike around Montreux.