Transportation to Switzerland
The closest airport to Lausanne is Geneva Airport (GVA), but connections are more limited. Other options include Zürich International Airport (ZRH) and EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg (BSL, EAP, MLH).
Transportation to Lausanne from any of the above airports is carried out via train. A train from Geneva Airport to Lausanne takes 45 to 60 minutes, while the trip from Zürich International Airport lasts approximately 2.5 hours. The journey from Basel Airport is 3 hours long, and you will need a bus to reach the train station.
Transportation to Lausanne
Trains in Lausanne are operated by SBB railways and are very frequent (at least one train per hour to every destination from 5 am to 11.59 pm) and punctual, but long trips from Zürich or Basel to Lausanne may be unavailable after 9 pm. We strongly recommend that you prepare for your trip with this information in mind. You can consult the SBB official website or download the SBB Mobile app on your mobile phone. There are machines available at each train station to purchase tickets, but you can also do this through the SBB app, where you can always check the schedule, save your journey, and buy train and local bus tickets.
The main ticket type is the point-to-point ticket, which is valid for the calendar day specified at the time of purchase. The period of validity starts at midnight and ends at 5 am the following day, covering all trains to the specified destination during this period. The price remains the same regardless of when you book the ticket. There is also the option called the Saver Day Pass, which allows you to travel throughout Switzerland for a day on all routes in the GA area (all of Switzerland) starting at CHF 52 (without a Half Fare Card). For more details, check the SBB Saver Day Pass page.
The train prices right now to Lausanne range as follows.
Geneva-Lausanne gare: The point-to-point ticket for a single trip is 29 CHF. There is also an option called super saver ticket that needs to be booked at least one day before the trip and is valid only for the specific train it was booked for. The price varies (with a discount sometimes up to 70% on the point-to-point ticket price), and it becomes lower the earlier you book it.
Zürich-Lausanne gare: The point-to-point ticket for a single trip is 82 CHF.
Basel-Lausanne gare: The point-to-point ticket for a single trip is 74.6 CHF.
The saver day pass may be a cheaper option from Zürich or Basel.
Reaching EPFL
The Hotel Continental is right across the train station at Lausanne-Gare. There are two options to reach the EPFL campus: using a bus or the metro. Both options will be approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
Metro: You can use the M2 line at Lausanne Gare (direction Croisettes) and disembark at Lausanne-Flon, which is just one stop later. From there, you should change to the M1 line (there is only one direction towards Renens-Gare) until you reach the EPFL stop.
Alternatively, you can use bus number 1 from Lausanne Gare to the EPFL campus.
You can see the map of the EPFL campus at https://plan.epfl.ch.
We warn participants who arrive on Sunday that almost all shops and many restaurants will be closed for the entire day. A convenience store is located inside Lausanne Gare (Coop Pronto Lausanne Gare, Pl. de la Gare 5A, Lausanne) and can be used for food or other necessities.