May is the month Switzerland reopens. The high passes come back one by one, the valley waterfalls run at their loudest of the year on snowmelt, the meadows flower, and the summer boat and cable car timetables restart – all before the summer crowds arrive. It also carries two long weekends that fill the country.
The numbers
The passes reopen – but not on a fixed date
This is the single most useful thing to understand about a May trip. The high alpine passes are cleared and reopened through late May and into June, and the exact dates move every year with the snowpack.
- Grimsel, Furka, Susten, Nufenen, Klausen and the Great St Bernard are the main ones. Late May to mid-June is the usual window, with the highest opening last.
- Check before you drive. A pass that is open one week can close again after a late snowfall.
- Car-carrying trains through the Furka and Vereina tunnels run regardless, and are the fallback when a pass is shut.
- The scenic railways run all year – the Glacier Express, Bernina Express and GoldenPass reach places the roads cannot yet.
Peak waterfall season
Snowmelt puts Swiss waterfalls at their strongest in late spring and early summer.
- The Lauterbrunnen valley has around 72 waterfalls, and the Staubbach and the glacier-fed Trummelbach inside the mountain are both at full volume.
- The Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen, the largest waterfall in Europe by flow, builds towards a peak in early summer.
- Giessbach, Reichenbach and Seerenbach are all running hard.
- Rivers are high and cold. Fords and riverside paths can be dangerous; take the warnings seriously.
Hiking in May: it depends entirely on altitude
- Below about 1,500 m the trails are generally open and the meadows are in flower.
- Between 1,500 and 2,000 m expect patchy snow on north-facing sections into late May.
- Above 2,000 m most routes are still snowbound, and high mountain huts open progressively from late June.
- The classic high traverses – Hardergrat, the Haute Route, most of the Via Alpina above tree line – are not May propositions.
- Alpaufzug – the cattle going up to the summer alps, decorated and belled – starts in late May in the lower valleys.
Where to go in May
- Lauterbrunnen and the Bernese Oberland for the waterfalls at their peak.
- Lake Lucerne, where the paddle steamers return to full summer timetables and the lakeside walks are open.
- Lavaux and Lake Geneva for vineyard terraces in mild, quiet weather.
- Ticino, warm enough to swim in the lakes by late May and the first properly summery part of the country.
- Appenzell and the Toggenburg, low enough to walk and at their greenest.
Two long weekends to plan around
- Ascension Day, Thursday 6 May 2027 – a public holiday in every canton. Many people take the Friday off too, so it becomes a four-day weekend and the mountains fill.
- Whit Monday, 17 May 2027 – a public holiday in most cantons, following Pentecost on the Sunday.
- Corpus Christi, Thursday 27 May 2027 – a holiday in the Catholic cantons only, and another day when much of central Switzerland and Ticino closes.
- 1 May is a public holiday in several cantons including Zurich, Basel and Ticino, but it is not a national one.
Prices and crowds
Shoulder season, and good value outside the two long weekends. Rates climb from June and peak in July and August. Booking around Ascension and Whitsun is the one thing to do early. See what travelling Switzerland costs.
What to pack
Layers and a waterproof shell. Proper walking boots with grip – spring trails are wet and can hold old snow. Sunglasses and sunscreen; May sun at altitude is strong. A warm layer for evenings and for any cable car ride above 2,000 m, where it can still be near freezing. Swimwear if you are heading to Ticino late in the month.
The May 2027 calendar
- Saturday 1 May – Labour Day, a public holiday in several cantons including Zurich, Basel and Ticino, but not nationwide.
- Thursday 6 May – Ascension Day, a public holiday in every canton and the start of a long weekend.
- Sunday 16 and Monday 17 May – Pentecost and Whit Monday, a holiday in most cantons.
- Thursday 27 May – Corpus Christi, a public holiday in the Catholic cantons including Lucerne, Zug, Fribourg, Valais, Ticino and Appenzell Innerrhoden.
- Late May – the high alpine passes begin reopening, dates varying with the snowpack.
- Through May – peak snowmelt; Lauterbrunnen, Trummelbach and the Rhine Falls at full volume.
- Late May – Alpaufzug, the cattle moving up to the summer pastures, begins in the lower valleys.
Read alongside
- Switzerland in April – the in-between month.
- Switzerland in June – the first full hiking month.
- Switzerland in July – peak summer.
- Best time to visit Switzerland – all twelve months compared.
- Switzerland travel guide – regions, trains and how it fits together.
- Switzerland in 10 days – the longer route.
- Best things to do in Switzerland – the year-round list.
- Switzerland vs Austria – which Alps to pick.
Frequently asked
When do the Swiss mountain passes reopen?
Through late May and into June, in order of altitude, with the highest last. Dates move every year with the snowpack, and a pass can close again after a late fall – always check on the day.
Can you hike in Switzerland in May?
Below about 1,500 m, yes, and the meadows are in flower. Between 1,500 and 2,000 m expect patchy snow, and above 2,000 m most routes are still snowbound with huts not yet open.
Are the waterfalls at their best in May?
Late spring and early summer are the peak, driven by snowmelt. Lauterbrunnen, Trummelbach and the Rhine Falls are all running hard.
When is Ascension Day in Switzerland in 2027?
Thursday 6 May, a public holiday in every canton. Many people bridge the Friday, so it becomes a busy four-day weekend.
Is 1 May a public holiday in Switzerland?
Only in some cantons – Zurich, Basel and Ticino among them. It is not a national holiday, which is typical of the Swiss system.
How warm is Switzerland in May?
Zurich averages about 18°C by day and 9°C overnight, and Lugano about 20°C. Above 2,000 m it is still close to freezing at night.
Can you swim in Switzerland in May?
In Ticino, by late in the month. The northern lakes are still cold, though the lidos start opening.
Is May a good time to visit Switzerland?
Very good, if your plans are valley-level. Everything is reopening, the waterfalls are at their peak, prices are shoulder-season and the crowds have not arrived.
Switzerland month by month
- January – deep winter, peak ski, and fog on the plateau.
- February – the coldest weeks, carnival, and half-term crowds.
- March – spring skiing and the first valleys thawing.
- April – snowmelt, closed passes, and a country in two seasons.
- May – waterfalls at full volume and the passes reopening (this page).
- June – alpine flowers and the first full hiking month.
- July – peak summer, festivals and long days in the mountains.
- August – warm lakes, National Day and the busiest trails.
- September – the best hiking month and the cattle coming down.
- October – autumn colour, clear air and the passes closing.
- November – the quietest and cheapest month of the year.
- December – Christmas markets and the season opening.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
