Key facts
Switzerland is a country located in Western Europe. There are 5 countries (Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein) that Switzerland shares its borders with. As for languages, the country’s residents speak German, French and Italian. Although English is not the official language, a large number of people in Switzerland are fluent English speakers.
In the EF English Competency Index (EF EPI), which assesses the language proficiency of non-native speaking countries, Switzerland was ranked 25th out of 100 countries in 2021.
The national currency in Switzerland is Swiss franc (CHF). The franc (CHF) is subdivided into 100 rappen (Rp.).
With today’s currency rate, 1 EUR is worth 0.95 CHF and 1 USD is worth 0.87 CHF.
Swiss
Banknotes
CHF10CHF20CHF50CHF100CHF200CHF1000
Swiss
Coins
5Rp.10Rp.20Rp.50Rp.CHF1CHF2CHF5
Check with your bank before your trip to find out if there are any fees for using your card abroad. Some banks do not charge fees when you use a foreign ATM or pay in foreign currency, but others may charge a fixed cost for each transaction or allow a limited number of free withdrawals. The travel card provided by Wise.com, Revolut or Monose might be an excellent option to cut down on transaction fees.
Ookla® Speedtest The average fixed internet speed in Switzerland is 312.49 Mbps and mobile is 165.56 Mbs.The global average is 171.07 Mbps and 126.25 Mbps respectively.
ATM Density Switzerland has more ATMs than most other countries.91.65 ATMs per 100,000 people.The global average is 39.49.
SIM Registration In order to purchase a SIM card in Switzerland, a passport or ID is required as identification.
Socket types
There are 2 socket types used in Switzerland. Type C is a popular socket type throughout Europe (except the United Kingdom), Russia, and certain Asian countries.
The sockets’ shapes and voltage differ from country to country and a travel plug adapter may be required. Portable devices, such as phones, notebooks or tablets, usually handle the entire range of voltages used across the world (110-240V).
Public holidays
In the year 2023, Switzerland will celebrate 4 national public holidays. Furthermore, there are 15 holidays that are only celebrated in certain parts of Switzerland. The next one Immaculate Conception will take place on December 8.
| Date | Holiday name | |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2023 | New Year’s DayNeujahr | |
| January 2, 2023 | St. Berchtold’s DayBerchtoldstag | Regional holiday |
| January 6, 2023 | EpiphanyHeilige Drei Könige | Regional holiday |
| March 19, 2023 | Saint Joseph’s DayJosefstag | Regional holiday |
| April 7, 2023Moving holiday | Good FridayKarfreitag | Regional holiday |
| April 10, 2023Moving holiday | Easter MondayOstermontag | Regional holiday |
| May 1, 2023 | Labour DayTag der Arbeit | Regional holiday |
| May 18, 2023Moving holiday | Ascension DayAuffahrt | |
| May 29, 2023Moving holiday | Whit MondayPfingstmontag | Regional holiday |
| June 8, 2023Moving holiday | Corpus ChristiFronleichnam | Regional holiday |
| August 1, 2023 | Swiss National DayBundesfeier | |
| August 15, 2023 | Assumption of the Virgin MaryMaria Himmelfahrt | Regional holiday |
| September 7, 2023Moving holiday | Geneva PraydayJeûne genevois | Regional holiday |
| September 17, 2023Moving holiday | Federal Day of ThanksgivingEidgenössischer Dank-, Buss- und Bettag | Regional holiday |
| September 18, 2023Moving holiday | Federal Fast MondayBettagsmontag | Regional holiday |
| November 1, 2023 | All Saints’ DayAllerheiligen | Regional holiday |
| December 8, 2023 | Immaculate ConceptionMariä Empfängnis | Regional holiday |
| December 25, 2023 | Christmas DayWeihnachten | |
| December 26, 2023 | St. Stephen’s DayStephanstag | Regional holiday |
Sources
- EF English Proficiency Index (EF Education First)
- Speedtest Global Index® (Ookla®)
- Automated teller machines (ATMs) (per 100,000 adults) (The World Bank Group)
- Registration Policies Per Country (Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki)
Tourism
What hotel chains are present in Switzerland?
There are Mariott hotels in 3 cities.
The Hilton hotel chain operates in Switzerland.
The IHG hotel chain operates in Switzerland.
The Best Western hotel chain operates in Switzerland.
There are Radisson hotels in 5 cities.
The Accor hotel chain operates in Switzerland.
What fast food chains are present in Switzerland?
The McDonald’s chain operates in Switzerland.
The KFC chain operates in Switzerland.
The Burger King chain operates in Switzerland.
The Subway chain operates in Switzerland.
The Domino’s Pizza chain operates in Switzerland.
The Starbucks chain operates in Switzerland.
Sources
- Country by National Dish (Samson Daniel)
Weather
What is the weather like in Bern?
Weather data for Bern (capital city) by Open-Meteo.com
Transport
Railways There are passenger trains , and some of them are high-speed trains.
Subway Systems The subway system is available in Lausanne.
Sources
- List of high-speed railway lines (Wikipedia)
- List of metro systems (Wikipedia)
- Left- and right-hand traffic (Wikipedia)
- The Global Enabling Trade Report 2016: Road connectivity (World Economic Forum)
Safety
Emergency phones in Switzerland
Sources
- Switzerland Travel Advisory (United States: Department of State)
- Travel Advice for Switzerland (United Kingdom: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
- Mortality caused by road traffic injury (The World Bank Group)
- Corruption & Economic Crime (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Smoking & Alcohol
Smoking ban Smoking is prohibited in all public places excluding entertainment and restaurants. Local limitations may apply in some areas.
Cananbis legality Recreational usage is decriminalized, and medical use is legal.
Alcoholic drinks are defined as beverages with an alcohol concentration by volume of less than 0.5 percent.
Alcohol allowance
- 1L of alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content by volume of over 18%
- 5L of alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content by volume of under 18%
Tobacco allowance
- 250 cigarettes or 250g of other tabacco products
Sources
- Duty-free allowances: foodstuffs, alcohol and tobacco (Federal Customs Administration)
- List of smoking bans (Wikipedia)
- Legality of cannabis (Wikipedia)