Doing my due diligence on this year’s trip to Switzerland, I checked all the relevent guidebooks in local bookstores. Finally settled on this book over the similar Lonely Planet one. This one wins out for all the bonus info it manages to squeeze into its numerous sidebars. I am especially impressed by its mini-history of counterculture in Bern and Zurich – throws a monkey wrench into the usual Swiss stereotypes. It labors to do justice to the many less-well-known charms of Switzerland, and to a large degree seems to succeed (e.g. a full section on CERN – birthplace of the web), while still remaining compact and useful (as opposited to Michelin)

However, there are still a few shortcomings:
* No coverage of the major scenic trains of the Swiss Railway (Golden Pass, Glacier Express, William Tell Express, etc.) A major omission, since they are well-known, excellent experience in themselves, and make for a great backbone to hang your entire visit.
* More generally, not enough help for new visitors to pick and choose all these sights and put together a sensible itinery, e.g. scenic routes, top-10 experiences, and sample 7-day or 14-day itineries (although very few guidebooks do this). In particular, the book should help me take advantage of the best rail system in the world to maximize my stay. Swiss Rail deserves a section all its own.
* Not enough web addresses are supplied for hotels, attractions etc. where usually only phone #s are given. URLs are much more useful than phone #s for trip-planning (esp. hotels).
* A general problem for Swiss guidebooks, but still annoying: On Lake Leman and Maggiore, coverage stops at the border, as if the other French and Italian halves don’t exist. C’mon – borders are for politicians. When I am at Lake Maggiore, I want to know what’s there around the _whole_ lake, and how to enjoy them all. Just give me the info and I’ll deal with the technicalities. In the case of Lake Leman, the French side on the south may well be on another planet – cuz it’s too small for the French guides to cover!
* In Jungfrau region, it overlooks the small town of Gimmelwald – currently the exclusive scoop of the Rick Steves book

This book will help you decide where is best to spend your vacation in Switzerland. There are clear critical descriptions of all the regions and great general info on getting around in Switzerland.

If you aren’t interested in “roughing” it and staying in lower priced hotels.. the guides are still very useful in rating attractions, and areas in which to stay… but you will need another book to look at more moderate and luxury hotels.

I would definitely read this book before going to Switzerland.