Switzerland

Switzerland has a history reaching far back into the Roman Empire times, when the tribes inhabiting it were called "Helvetians" by Roman sources. You can find many references to "Helvetia" or "Helvetic" in the naming of Swiss organisations and companies, and on postage stamps. A quarrel between Julius Caesar and the Helvetians is one of the first things to be described in detail in Caesar's De Bello Gallico, which is still read by Latin students all over the world.

The Helvetians and their successors have adopted various forms of democracy and devolution to govern their lands, rather than feudalism or autocracy prevalent in the rest of Europe, thus conserving and in a sense modernising Germanic traditions otherwise only found in the Nordic countries. Functioning as a (initially very loose) confederation for centuries, the country has grown to become one of the most diverse in Europe, while also vividly celebrating their national and local identity and the direct democracy employed to make a wide range of civic decisions. Swiss independence was a gradual process and for a long time the only document all cantons had signed was an alliance with France, but by 1648 after the Westphalian Peace, the Holy Roman Empire officially acknowledged that it had lost any right to sovereignty over the territory of the Swiss Confederacy (as well as that of the Dutch Republic), and Swiss fortunes started to diverge from those of other Alemannic states in southwestern Germany or Alsace. Swiss romantic nationalism of the 19th century would project a unity only really achieved after the 1848 Sonderbundskrieg backwards and mythologize the "Rütlischwur" an oath of mutual aid supposedly sworn on the Rütli meadow by representatives of the first three cantons: Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden. While the exact date is not known, tradition associates it with a document from 1291 which supposedly documents this first act of Swiss unification. The tale of Wilhelm Tell (also converted into a stage play by German playwright Schiller) who rebelled against Habsburg overlordship is also dated to this era.

Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland has not been involved in any international war since Napoleonic times and has been at peace internally since the 1850s. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbours. However, the country did not become a UN member until 2002 and maintains a more or less neutral position in foreign relations. Unlike all of its neighbours (bar Liechtenstein), Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, but is strongly integrated with it, in particular by being part of the Schengen Area.

The Swiss climate is temperate, but varies significantly with altitude in the Alps – in average about 6.5° C every 1000 m – and among the four major climatic regions : the northeastern and western parts of the Central Plateau, southern Switzerland, and within the Alps.

There are four clearly defined seasons which bring changes mainly in temperature and time of sunshine: rainy or snowy cold winters with short days from December till February, snow-melting and flower-blowing springs from March till May, moderately warm to sometimes hot, but also occasionally quite rainy summers with long days from June till August, and colourful and often quite dry, sometimes still astonishingly warm, but sometimes also already quite cold and foggy Autumns from September till November with days getting shorter and shorter. And each season or month can be quite different year by year .

Switzerland has cold, on the low Central Plateau often cloudy, rainy or snowy winters, and moderate to warm summers with very changeable weather which can change quite quickly, especially on hot summer days and in the mountains; in extreme cases within minutes. In some years you can experience cloudy, rainy, humid summer days, however on other days or even the next year very sunny, or sometimes even hot summer days with only occasional showers. Approximately every third day throughout the entire year is a rainy day with either a short shower, or constantly drizzling rain throughout the whole day. And a rainy period can endure from less than one hour to three weeks whatever season. Weather forecasts for more than six days ahead are scientifically fundamentally unreliable.

The most convenient and therefore the most visited months are from late May till early October with a particular, often overcrowded high from July to August. You can enjoy its fabulous landscapes either on a hike, a cruise, a train, or a bike ride. You will be able to discover the High Alps, its blacknose sheep, and glaciers. The summer season allows to combine the supposed incompatible, namely beach holidays on the lakes and some, though limited summer skiing. In winter, tourists and locals extensively enjoy many kinds of winter sport, and an enchanting Christmas atmosphere before, and a funny carneval season after the end of the year.

Switzerland showcases three of Europe's most distinct cultures. To the northeast is the clean and correct, 8-to-6-working, more stiff Swiss-German-speaking Switzerland; to the southwest you find the wine drinking and laissez-faire style known from the French; in the southeast, south of the Alps, the sun warms cappuccino-sippers loitering in Italian-style piazzas; and in the center: classic Swiss alphorns and mountain landscapes. Binding it all together is a distinct Swiss mentality. Switzerland is sometimes called a "nation of choosing" as the Swiss are one nation not because of ethnicity or language, but because they want to be a nation and want to be distinct from the Germans, Italians and French around them. Even though conflict sometimes arises between the different groups, the common Swiss identity is usually stronger than the dividing factors.

While most of the cantons, save for the small Romansch-speaking regions, use languages in common with neighbouring countries, the language spoken there is not necessarily just the same as across the national border. In particular, Swiss German is very different from any of the variations of German spoken in Germany or Austria, with its own peculiar pronunciation and vocabulary. Even fluent speakers of standard German (Hochdeutsch) may have a hard time understanding the regular Swiss-German spoken on the street or in mass media. Fortunately for visitors, most German-speaking Swiss are perfectly capable of speaking Hochdeutsch, English, and at least one other national language (e.g. French). Even in its written form, Swiss Standard German differs notably from its German and Austrian counterparts, though most differences are minor and the one you are most likely to notice is the fact that Switzerland doesn't use the letter "ß", replacing it with "ss", which however doesn't affect pronunciation. Swiss French and Swiss Italian differ only lexically from their counterparts spoken in other countries. Romansch is, however, only spoken in remote Alpine communities, where most people speak at least one other Swiss language as well.

Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labour force, and a per capita GDP higher than that of most of the big European economies. The Swiss, long recognised for financial expertise, have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness, and ensure smooth trade with their biggest trading partner, the EU. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Both of these have been called into question, as the Swiss franc has risen to almost parity with the euro due to being seen as a "safe haven" and the famous Swiss bank secrecy is more and more under attack from fiscal offices in America, Germany and elsewhere, with many high profile cases of tax evasion via Swiss banks ending up in court. Even so, unemployment has remained at less than half the EU average. This together with the exchange rate (especially to the euro) make Switzerland one of the priciest destinations in the world.

Switzerland is also known for its relatively low income tax rates, making it a popular tax haven for the world's richest people.

Public Holidays are regulated on a cantonal level (except for the First of August) and may vary greatly. However, these are the ones observed (almost) everywhere (excluding the ones always taking place on Sundays):

• New Year's Day (1 January)
• Good Friday (2 days before Easter, not a public holiday in the cantons of Ticino and Valais)
• Easter Monday (1 day after Easter, legally not recognized holiday in Valais)
• Ascension (39 days after Easter)
• Whit Monday (1 day after Pentecost, legally not recognized holiday in Valais)
• Swiss National Day (1 August)
• Christmas Day (25 December)
• St Stephen's Day (26 December, not a public holiday in the cantons of Geneva, Jura, Valais, Vaud and parts of the canton of Solothurn)

General Holidays observed by timetables by public transportation companies, in particular by SBB CFF FFS and PostBus, are: 1 and 2 January, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Ascension, Whit Monday, 1st August, 25 and 26 December. Business times of local offices and timetables of local transportation companies will sometimes also follow local holidays.

Switzerland has a federal system of government, and is divided into 26 cantons, with each canton having its own constitution, government and police force. The federal government is in its federal city, Bern.

The Federal Assembly serves as Switzerland's federal legislature, with each canton also having its own legislature. The Federal Council with its seven members is Switzerland's federal executive branch. Unlike other countries, Switzerland does not have a single person as head of state or head of government; rather, the entire Federal Council fulfills both roles collectively. The position of President of the Swiss Confederation rotates among the seven councillors on a yearly basis, with the year's vice president becoming next year's president. Apart from being the ceremonial chair of Federal Council meetings, though, he or she is a primus inter pares, having no power above and beyond the other six councillors.

Swiss citizens normally vote four times a year on many different issues on each of three different political levels: federal, cantonal, and municipal. Between January 1995 and June 2005, Swiss citizens voted 31 times on federal only issues, to answer 103 federal questions besides many more cantonal and municipal questions (during the same period, French citizens participated in only two referendums). The populace can request any issue, including constitutional laws, or contradict any parliamentary decision. The most frequent themes are social issues (e.g. welfare, healthcare, and drug policy), public infrastructure (e.g. public transport and construction projects) and environmental issues (e.g. environmental and nature protection), economics, public finances (including taxes), immigration, asylum, and education, but also about culture and media, state systems, foreign affairs, and military issues — again on any of the three political levels! Perhaps not surprisingly for a country called to the polls so often, turnout is not always all that high by Central European standards.

Some major instruments of this system known as popular rights include the right to submit a federal initiative (initiated by private people, public groups, or political parties) and raise constitutional or legislative referendums on any issue, both of which may overturn any parliamentary decisions. The results are always binding on the governments — "The populace has the final decision!" This gives Switzerland a very high degree of popular input on all political levels leading to some calling it "the world's only direct democracy". However, more than once an initiative which was later seen as an embarrassment even by some of those who voted for it was "creatively interpreted" or even outright revoked by a later referendum. There are some sub-national jurisdictions that have similar levels of "popular legislation" to Switzerland, and Switzerland, while not an EU member, is bound by many bilateral treaties with the EU, which are however subject to the same possibility of referendum as any other law.

The richness of Swiss democracy is also expressed in its many, more than thirty political parties, of which 12 parties delegate members to the two federal parliament chambers, the National Council and the Council of States, and the four largest parties collaboratively executing the seven-head Federal Council. Swiss politics has been free of Putsch (originally a Swiss-German word) and political violence since 1848 when the conservative-catholic cantons forming a "Sonderbund" lost a short civil war against the liberal majority. Since that time, there has been a tendency to make political decisions not by mere majority vote but by compromise. For example the composition of the federal government — for decades made up of the same parties — is determined by a "magical formula" which did not change from the 1950s to the early 21st century.

• My Switzerland website. (updated Feb 2024)

Switzerland is a member of the Schengen Agreement. See Travelling around the Schengen Area for more information on how the scheme works, which countries are members and what the requirements are for your nationality. In summary:

• There are normally no immigration controls between countries that have signed and implemented the treaty.
• There are usually identity checks before boarding international flights or boats entering the Schengen Area. Sometimes there are temporary border controls at land borders.
• A visa granted for any Schengen member is valid in all other countries that have signed and implemented the treaty.

Switzerland is not a member of the EU, however. Therefore, travellers entering Switzerland are subject to customs controls even if there are no immigration controls, and persons travelling elsewhere in the Schengen Area will also have to clear customs.

As a tourist: Personal goods worth a total of more than Fr.5,000 and cash and all cash equivalents in excess of Fr. 10,000 have to be declared. Also some amounts of foodstuffs, alcohol and tobacco. The importation of animal products coming from countries other than EU states and Norway is prohibited. When you enter Switzerland, personal effects, travelling provisions and fuel in the tank of your vehicle are tax and duty-free. For other goods being carried, VAT and duty will be levied depending on their total value (over Fr. 300) and according to the quantity. Also take care if you want to travel with your pets. And generally comply with bans, restrictions and authorisations regarding protected species, plants, cash, foreign currency, securities, weapons, pyrotechnic articles (fireworks), narcotics and drugs, transfer of cultural property, product piracy, counterfeits, medicines (medicinal products) and doping, radar warning devices, and citizens' band radio (CB radio).

Unaccompanied minors (travellers under the age of 18 years) are strongly advised to have a note of consent from their parents/guardian, as well as a copy of the parents' or guardian's valid passport or ID card. For more information, visit the FAQ section of the website of the State Secretariat for Migration (under the 'Border-crossing/Travel documents' heading).

Major international airports are in Zurich ZRH ^IATA, Geneva GVA ^IATA and Basel (for the Swiss part: BSL ^IATA) , with smaller airports in Lugano LUG ^IATA and Berne BRN ^IATA. Some airlines fly to Friedrichshafen, Germany which is just across Lake Constance (the Bodensee) from Romanshorn, not too far from Zurich.

Basel airport is a peculiar case, as it also serves neighbouring Mulhouse and Freiburg and has three different IATA codes, as well as different customs procedure (and sometimes even airfares) depending on whether you fly to "Basel" or "Mulhouse". The airport also has an area code for the "metro-area" EAP ^IATA that should get you flights for both destinations.

Almost all major European airlines fly to at least one Swiss airport. The flag carrier of Switzerland is Swiss International Airlines, a member of Star Alliance and the Lufthansa Group. Together with their subsidiaries, charter/holiday airline Edelweiss Air, they offer connections to most major airports across Europe, as well as many intercontinental destinations.

Additionally, some smaller Swiss-based airlines also offer connections to Switzerland: Etihad Regional mainly from Geneva and Lugano, Helvetic Airways from Zurich and Berne.

The major European low-fare airlines, however, have very limited presence in Switzerland, usually offering a singular flight from their home hub to either Zurich or Geneva. The exception is EasyJet, who has a dedicated subsidiary, EasyJet Switzerland, and offers flights to and from Basel, Geneva and Zurich within its usual low-fare business model. Ryanair flies to Basel.

In the winter season, many airlines specialising in charter and holiday flights offer connections to Swiss airports to cater to the skiing and winter sport markets.

Depending on where you want to go to in Switzerland, it can make sense to fly to an alternative airport:

• To the north: Friedrichshafen (FMM ^IATA), Memmingen (FMM ^IATA), Munich Airport (MUC ^IATA), Stuttgart (STR ^IATA), Strasbourg (SXB ^IATA) and Baden-Baden (FKB ^IATA)
• To the west: Lyon (LYS ^IATA), Chambéry (CMF ^IATA) and Grenoble (GNB ^IATA)
• To the south: Milan airports and Turin (TRN ^IATA)
• To the east: Bolzano (BZO ^IATA) and Innsbruck (INN ^IATA)

Due to the excellent train connections (see below) you might also conceivably fly into Frankfurt Airport (FRA ^IATA) and take the train from there.

Switzerland boasts the world's densest public transportation system. The Swiss Travel System includes a rail network of 29,000 km, including several popular rail lines. Trains arrive from all parts of Europe. Some major routes include:

• The TGV Lyria (Train à grande vitesse, French/Swiss high-speed railway connection), with several trains daily from/to Paris, Dijon, Lyon, Valence, Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Toulon, Cannes, Antibes, and Nice.

Examples of travel time: Paris-Geneva 3 hr, -Lausanne 3½ hr, -Basel 3 hr, -Bern 4 hr, -Zurich 4 hr;

and Geneva-Lyon 2 hr, -Avignon 3 hr, -Marseille 3½ hr, -Nice 6½ hr;

and Basel-Marseille 5 hr

• Hourly EuroCity (EC) trains to/from Milan with connections to all parts of Italy.

Examples of travel time: Milan-Bern 3 hr 12 min, -Basel 4 hr, -Geneva 4 hr, -Zurich 3 hr 36 min;

once a day: Milano Centrale-(Simplon Tunnel)-Brig 2 hr, -(Lötschberg Base Tunnel)-Spiez 2½ hr, -Bern 3 hr 25 min, -Basel 4 hr 25 min, -Freiburg i.B. 5 hr, -Karlsruhe 6 hr, -Mannheim 6 hr 45 min, -Frankfurt a.M. Hbf 7½ hr;

once a day: Frankfurt a.M. Hbf-Mannheim 45 min, -Karlsruhe 1 hr 12 min, -Freiburg i.B. 2 hr 15 min, -Basel 3 hr, -Luzern 4 hr 15 min, -(Gotthard Base Tunnel)-Bellinzona 5 hr 48 min, -Lugano 6 hr 18 min, -Milano Centrale 7½ hr

• Regular ICE (InterCity Express, German high-speed trains) from Chur, Zurich / Interlaken via Berne, Basel to Freiburg i.B., Offenburg, Baden-Baden, Karlsruhe, Mannheim, Frankfurt a.M. (main railway station or airport) in Germany, many continuing toward Cologne and Dortmund, or Hannover and Hamburg, or Berlin, or Amsterdam.

Examples of travel time: Frankfurt Airport-Basel 3 hr; Frankfurt a.M. Hbf-Berne 4 hr, -Interlaken 5 hr, -Zurich 4 hr, -Chur 5 hr 24 min;

or Interlaken Ost-Bern 52 min, -Basel 2 hr, -Freiburg .i.B. 3 hr, -Frankfurt a.M. Hbf 5 hr, -Berlin Hbf 9½ hr (twice a day)

• 2-hourly IC trains between Zurich and Stuttgart, travel time 3 hr
• Regular EuroCity (EC) trains between Zurich and Munich, travel time 4 hr
• Regular RailJet (RJ) trains between Zurich and Innsbruck (3½ hr), Salzburg (5½ hr), Vienna (8 hr) in Austria, and further to the east
• Sleeper trains operated by ÖBB under the brand name Night Jet

• Flixbus who've all but cornered the German domestic market also provide service to/from Switzerland as well as through Switzerland to neighboring countries. Flixbus is prohibited by law from carrying passengers domestically in Switzerland and you cannot book domestic routes with them or alight inside Switzerland when you boarded inside Switzerland.

• There are several bus companies serving the Bosnian diaspora, which provide a cheap way of getting to the Balkans. Turistik Prošić runs from various destinations in the Federation of Bosnia and Hercegovina to Switzerland.

Any Swiss city and many common tourist destinations within Switzerland are quite easily reachable by car, e.g. Geneva from central eastern France, and Zurich from southern Germany. However, some tourist destinations, especially some smaller, quintessentially Alpine villages such as Zermatt or Wengen are car-free.

Although Switzerland is now part of the Schengen agreement, it is not part of the EU customs/tariff union. Therefore EU/Swiss border posts will focus on smuggling, etc., and checks on roads on or after the border stay in place. Delays are usually short but cars may be stopped and no reason needs to be given, even for searches inside Switzerland.

Some delay may be caused by congestion at busy times and there are often queues lasting hours to use the tunnels under the Alps from Italy such as Mont Blanc, St. Gotthard etc. Swiss motorway vignettes (40 Swiss Francs) can and should be purchased at the border if your car does not already have a valid one for the current year and you intend to use the Swiss motorways which is almost unavoidable. Most cities do not have free parking; expect to spend Fr. 25-40 for a day's parking. Some cities are entirely off-limits to cars but easily reachable by public transport, so strongly consider arriving by train instead if your final destination is one of these places.

When using mountain roads, bear in mind that they are also used by buses – most relevant on hairpin bends, which they will occupy entirely in order to get around. And most mountain roads are frequently used by the yellow Swiss PostAuto bus. If you see a postal bus, or hear it approaching a bend by its distinctive three tone horn, hold right back (before the bend!) and let it pass, they always have priority and their drivers count on your cooperative driving (see also mountain road hints)!

From Italy: There are two main routes:

• Direction Zurich / Lucerne / Basel / Bern: A8 Milano-Chiasso, then A2 towards Gotthard
• Direction Lausanne / Geneva: A5 Aosta-San Bernardo Tunnel, then cantonal road to Martigny and A9 motorway

There is a third possibility that serves the Canton of Valais and passes from the A26 to Gravellona Toce, then along the Statale 33 and the Simplon Pass to Brig. The pass is always open and is a wide three-lane road. From Iselle there is a shuttle service with the train that takes you directly to Brig.

The Basel tramway system extends across the border into Germany (Weil am Rhein) as well as into France (Saint-Louis). The lines are popular with locals who shop across the border, and as Switzerland is not part of the EU customs area, there may be customs spot checks, so don't carry anything in excess of allowed imports. Similarly the Geneva tram system also extends into neighbouring France. There are plans for further cross border extensions of both tram networks, including a possible link to EuroAirport from Basel.

As Switzerland has probably the most well-developed public transportation system in the world, and the country's airports are not that far apart anyway, there is very limited domestic air traffic. The connections offered by Swiss International Airlines and Etihad Regional include Zurich-Geneva, Zurich-Lugano and Geneva-Lugano. In most cases taking the train, sometimes combined with bus or other means, will be a cheaper option, and often it may prove just as fast and convenient as flying. If you arrive on an international flight to Flughafen Zürich (in Kloten) or Genève Aéroport (in Cointrin), you may take a direct train or bus from stations integrated into the airport terminals. From there, easy connection with several means of transportation including only one or two swift transfers will bring you to many destinations

Main article: Rail travel in Switzerland

The Swiss will spoil you with fantastic transport – swift, disturbingly punctual trains, clean buses, and a half dozen different kinds of mountain transport systems, integrated into a coherent system. The discount options and variety of tickets can be bewildering, from half-fare cards to multi-day, multi-use tickets good for buses, boats, trains, and even bike rentals. In general there's at least one train or bus per hour on every route; on many routes trains and buses run every 30 or even 15 minutes. Inner-city transit often runs every 5-7 minutes during rush hour, but less frequently during weekends, particularly on Sundays and public holidays in more sparsely populated areas.

Authoritative information, routes, fares and schedules for almost all public transport can be found online on Swiss Federal Railway's (SBB CFF FFS) nation-wide coherently integrated timetable, or from posters and screens at any stop, or from a ticket window in any railway station. This timetable is also available as a free smart phone app. At any railway station of any provider you can get information and tickets (at manned ticket counters) for any of the many members of the railway network of Switzerland and most bus systems, in particular PostBus Switzerland which provides online timetable as well with the same data.

Bus and train are legally not allowed to compete each other in Switzerland, rather quite the opposite, they are complementary to each other – besides being coordinated timetable-wise. That way, almost all inhabited village and town in Switzerland can be reached by public transport. This is actually constitutionally demanded by the Public Service regulations of the Swiss Confederation; Public Service is a particular Swiss term loosely referring to all kinds of laws, acts, and ordinances, which define the basic supply of public services and infrastructure in particular concerning postal services, telecommunication, electronic media, public transport and road infrastructure.

There are about twenty regional fare networks throughout the country, which incorporate many kinds of public transport (city bus, tram, metro, any kind of train, PostBus, boats, funiculars and others) by many different providers around urban centers into one single fare system, such as ZVV in the canton of Zurich, or unireso (see also: Geneva's tpg) in the canton of Geneva and its French adjacent area, or mobilis around Lausanne in the canton of Vaud at the northern shore of Lake Geneva, passepartout in the cantons of Lucerne, Nid- and Obwalden (keyword: Titlis). Usually these networks sell zone-based tickets valid for a particular time frame (instead of point-to-point tickets) for journeys within their fare network borders. Many of these networks and transit operators provide their own free smartphone apps; sometimes to be found at the major city's transit company website.

Even if there is no train or city transit available, the comprehensive PostAuto/CarPostale/AutoPostale network gets you there. Where applicable, PostBus Switzerland is part of regional fare networks. You find all timetable information on SBB's online timetable, but PostBus Switzerland also provides their own free app with the same information as by SBB as well as many additional features.

Further information about the railway network in Switzerland and the Switzerland-wide countryside bus network is also available.

As good as the Swiss train system is, if you have a little time, and you only want to travel 1-320 km, you could try downloading the free swisstopo-App with the world's best footpath maps (paper copies can also be purchased) and walk 16-31 km a day over some of the most wonderful and clearly-marked paths, whether it is in a valley, through a forest, or over mountain passes. There are more than 60,000 km of well maintained and documented hiking trails and cycling routes.

The trails are well-planned (after a number of centuries, why not?), easy to follow, and the yellow trail signs are actually accurate in their estimate as to how far away the next hamlet, village, town or city is — usually given in terms of time, not distance. Once you've figured out how many kilometres per hour you walk (easy to determine after a day of hiking), you can adjust these estimates up and down for your speed.

There are plenty of places to sleep in a tent; but don't pitch one on a seemingly pleasant, flat piece of ground covered by straw – that's where the cows end up sleeping after a lazy day of eating, and they'll gnaw at your tent string supports and lean against your tent sides. And definitely don't do this during a rainstorm!, lots of huts on mountain tops, B&Bs on valley floors, or hotels in towns and cities. You could even send your luggage ahead to the next abode and travel very lightly, with the necessary water and Swiss chocolate!

Main article: Cycling in Switzerland

Cycling is a popular, everyday means of transport in Switzerland.

Since there is a network of straightforward cycling routes around Switzerland, it is a good place for cycling whether you're going cross-country or travelling around one of the cities. You can get information about cycling routes from Swiss Singletrail Maps and Veloland Schweiz.

Cycling in cities is safe and very common, and includes plenty of options like electric vehicles and free "rentals". If you decide to cycle in a city, understand that you will share the road with public transport. Beware of tram tracks which can get your wheel stuck and send you flying into traffic, and of course keep an eye out for the trams themselves and the buses, which make frequent stops in the rightmost lane and always have right of way.

According to Swiss traffic law, a bicycle is considered as a road vehicle, therefore it is prohibited to cycle on sidewalks and foot paths, except for when explicitely indicated otherwise! As a bicycler you have to follow the same rules (and rights) as any other traffic member, such as cars and lorries. Therefore make sure you know the extensive Swiss traffic rules and traffic signs.

Besides the main types of transport, the adventurous person can see Switzerland by in-line skating. There are three routes, measuring over a combined 600 km (350 mi) designed specifically for in-line skating throughout the country. They are the Rhine route, the Rhone route, and the Mittelland route. These are also scenic tours. Most of the routes are flat, with slight ascents and descents. The Mittelland route runs from Zurich airport to Neuenburg in the northwest; the Rhine route runs from Bad Ragaz to Schaffhausen in the northeastern section of the country. Finally, the Rhone route extends from Brig to Geneva. This is a great way to see both the countryside and cityscapes of this beautiful nation. Information about the routes can be found in the skating section of SwitzerlandMobility

Main article: Driving in Switzerland

If you like cars, Switzerland can seem like a bit of a tease. It offers some of the greatest driving roads in the world, but you can literally end up in jail for speeding, even on highways. Traffic rules are strictly enforced. If you stick to the road rules and especially the speed limits, the back roads/mountain roads will still be a blast to drive on, while making sure you are not fined or arrested. Driving can be a good way of seeing the country and the vista from some mountain roads makes it worth the cost and hassle.

Driving on mountain roads requires special skill: be sure to read the in the "mountain road tips" in the Driving in Switzerland article.

The usual speed limits in Switzerland are 120 km/h (75 mph) on motorways, 100 km/h on expressways, 80 km/h (50 mph) on main roads outside towns and in tunnels, and 50 km/h (31 mph) limit in villages and towns. You may see different speed limits signposted, including 30 km/h (19 mph) and 20 km/h (12 mph) in built-up areas.

Most drivers will need to buy a vignette, a sticker which costs Fr. 40 that allows you to use motorways and expressways as much as you like for the entire year.

Motorists in Switzerland are required to switch on their headlights or daytime running lights at all times while driving or risk a Fr. 40 fine.

• The 🌍 Château Chillon: a castle near Montreux
• The 🌍 Lavaux vineyards: on the shore of Lake Geneva
• The 🌍 Castles of Bellinzona: in the southern canton of Ticino
• The 🌍 Abbey of St. Gallen
• The 🌍 Top of Europe and the Sphinx observatory: a "village" with a post office on the 3,500-metre-high Jungfraujoch above Wengen
• The 🌍 Grande Dixence: a 285-metre-high dam, south of Sion
• The 🌍 Landwasser viaduct: on the railway between Chur and St. Moritz

• The 🌍 Matterhorn: seen from Schwarzsee, the Gornergrat or simply from the village of Zermatt
• The northern walls of the Jungfrau and Eiger: two of the most celebrated mountains in the Alps, they can be seen from the valley of Lauterbrunnen or from one of the many surrounding summits that can be reached by train or cable car
• The 🌍 Aletsch Glacier: the longest in Europe. The Aletsch forest sits above the glacier, which is best seen from above Bettmeralp
• The 🌍 lakes of the Upper Engadine: in one of the highest inhabited valleys in the Alps near the Piz Bernina, the lakes can all be seen from Muottas Muragl
• The 🌍 Lake Lucerne: seen from Pilatus above Lucerne
• The 🌍 Oeschinensee: a mountain lake above Kandersteg
• The 🌍 Rhine Falls: the largest in Europe, where you can take a boat to the rock in the middle of the falls

Switzerland's currency is the Swiss franc (or Franken, or franc, or franco, depending in which language area you are), denoted by the symbol "Fr." or sometimes "SFr." (ISO code: CHF) It is divided into 100 Rappen, centimes, or centesimi. However, some places – such as supermarkets, restaurants, tourist attraction ticket counters, hotels and the railways or ticket machines – accept euro bills (but no coins) and will give you change in Swiss francs or in euro if they have it in cash.

Since Switzerland is surrounded on all sides by the eurozone and cross-border commuting is common, euros are also widely accepted and many price lists contain prices both in francs and in euros. Usually in such cases the exchange-rate is the same as or very close to official exchange-rates, but if it differs significantly you will be notified in advance. Money can be exchanged at all train stations and most banks throughout the country, and all ATMs accept foreign cards, so getting cash should not be a problem.

Switzerland is more cash-oriented than most other European countries, but credit card payments are common and you can easily travel for days without ever needing cash. If you do opt for cash, it is perfectly acceptable to use Fr. 200 and even Fr. 1000 banknotes.

Banknotes are found in denominations of 10 (yellow), 20 (red), 50 (green), 100 (blue), 200 (brown), and 1000 francs (purple). They are all the same width.

• Ninth series
• Fr. 10, front
• Fr. 10, back
• Fr. 20, front
• Fr. 20, back
• Fr. 50, front
• Fr. 50, back
• Fr. 100, front
• Fr. 100, back
• Fr. 200 Front
• Fr. 200 back

As of April 2021, only the ninth series banknotes (pictured above) are legal tender. If you have older notes, they can be exchanged at face value at the Swiss National Bank head offices in Zurich and Berne as well as designated cantonal bank agencies in major cities.

Coins are issued in denominations 5- (brass coloured), 10-, and 20-Rappen/centimes, ½-, 1-, 2- and 5-francs (all silver coloured). One-Rappen/centime coins are no longer legal tender, but may be exchanged until 2027 for face value. Two-Rappen/centime coins have not been legal tender since the 1970s and are, consequently, worthless. Most exchange offices do not accept coins and the biggest coin (5 francs) is worth roughly about US$5 or €5, so spend them, give them to charity before leaving or keep them as a souvenir.

Quite a few Swiss establishments will print your entire credit card number onto the receipt, raising identity theft concerns. Using your credit card you should check this and discard the receipts safely.

Switzerland has been renowned for its banking sector since the Middle Ages. Due to its historical policy of banking secrecy and anonymity, Switzerland has long been a favourite place for many of the world's richest people to stash their assets, sometimes earned through questionable means. Although current banking secrecy laws are not as strict as they used to be, and anonymous bank accounts are no longer allowed, Switzerland remains one of the largest banking centres in Europe. Opening a bank account in Switzerland is straightforward, and there are no restrictions on foreigners owning Swiss bank accounts—except for US citizens. Since the latest sanctions by the US, many Swiss banks refuse to open a bank account to US citizens or anyone having connections to the US. In some cases, even existing accounts have been closed.

The largest banks in Switzerland are UBS and Credit Suisse (since June 2023 a brand of UBS).

Swiss service personnel enjoy a relatively highly set minimum wage compared to other countries, so tips are rather modest. By law, a service charge is included in the bill. Nevertheless, if you feel satisfied, especially in restaurants, you may round up the bill and add a few francs with a maximum of 5–20 francs depending on the kind of establishment, regardless of bill size. If you were not happy with the service, you needn't tip at all. If you just drink a coffee, it is common to round up the bill to the nearest franc, but some people are still quite generous. Tipping is always your personal contribution and never legally requested.

Switzerland is an expensive country with prices comparable to Norway. Apart from soft drinks, electronics and car fuel, many things cost more than in the neighbouring countries, particularly groceries, souvenirs, train tickets and accommodation. In fact, many Swiss people living near the borders drive into neighbouring countries to purchase fuel and groceries, as it is usually significantly cheaper; a trend that has only increased with the Franc soaring in exchange rate compared to the euro. Whilst, there are no systematic immigration controls thanks to the Schengen agreement, there are random custom checks, even inside the country, since Switzerland is not part of EU Customs Union, so you must clear customs. Therefore make sure you comply with Swiss custom regulations for importing goods.

Switzerland is famous for a few key goods: watches, chocolate, cheese, and Swiss Army knives.

• Watches — Switzerland is the watch-making capital of the world, and "Swiss Made" on a watch face has long been a mark of quality. While the French-speaking regions of Switzerland are usually associated with Swiss watchmakers (like Richard Mille, Rolex, Omega, and Patek Philippe), some fine watches are made in the Swiss-German-speaking region, such as IWC in Schaffhausen. Every large town will have quite a few horologists and jewellers with a vast selection of fancy watches displayed in their windows, ranging from the fashionable Swatch for Fr. 60 to the handmade chronometer with the huge price tag. For fun, try to spot the most expensive of these mechanical creations and the ones with the most "bedazzle!"
• Chocolate — Switzerland may always have a rivalry with Belgium for the world's best chocolate, but there's no doubting that the Swiss variety is amazingly good. Switzerland is also home to the huge Nestlé food company. If you have a fine palate (and a fat wallet) – you can find two of the finest Swiss chocolatiers in Zurich: Teuscher (try the champagne truffles) and Sprüngli. For the rest of us, even the generic grocery store brand chocolates in Switzerland still blow away the Hershey bars. For good value, try the Frey brand chocolates sold at Migros. If you want to try some real good and exclusive Swiss chocolate, go for the Pamaco chocolates, derived from the noble Criollo beans and accomplished through the original, complex process of refinement that requires 72 hours. These are quite expensive though; a bar of 125g (4 oz) costs about Fr. 8. For Lindt fans, it is possible to get them as cheaply as half the supermarket price by going to the Lindt factory store in Kilchberg (near Zurich). Factory visits are also possible at Frey near Aarau, Läderach in Bilten and Cailler in Broc.

• Cheese — many regions of Switzerland have their own regional cheese speciality. Of these, the most well-known are Gruyère and Emmentaler (what Americans know as "Swiss cheese"). Be sure to sample the wide variety of cheeses sold in markets, and of course try the cheese fondue! Fondue is basically melted cheese and is used as a dip with other food such as bread. The original mixture consists of half Vacherin cheese and half Gruyère but many different combinations have been developed since. If you're hiking, you will often come across farms and village shops selling the local mountain cheese (German: Bergkäse) from the pastures you are walking across. These cheeses are often not sold elsewhere, so don't miss the chance to sample part of Switzerland's culinary heritage.
• Swiss Army knives — Switzerland is the official home of the Swiss Army knife. There are two brands: Victorinox and Wenger, but both brands are now manufactured by Victorinox since the Wenger business went bankrupt and Victorinox purchased it in 2005. Collectors agree Victorinox knives are superior in terms of design, quality, and functionality. The most popular Victorinox knife is the Swiss Champ which has 33 functions and costs about Fr. 78. Most tourists will purchase this knife. The "biggest" Victorinox knife is the Swiss Champ 1.6795.XAVT- This has 80 functions and is supplied in a case. This knife costs Fr. 364 and may be a collector's model in years to come. Most shops throughout Switzerland stock Victorinox knives, including some newsagents and they make excellent gifts and souvenirs. Unlike the tourists' knife, the actual "Swiss Army Knife" is not red with a white cross, but gray with a small Swiss flag. The Swiss Army issue knife is also produced by Victorinox. It is distinguished by having the production year engraved on the base of the biggest blade, and no cork-screw because the Swiss soldier must not drink wine on duty. Swiss Army Knives cannot be carried on board commercial flights and must be packed in your hold baggage.

Ski and tourist areas will sell many other kinds of touristy items: cowbells, clothing embroidered with white Edelweiss flowers, and Heidi-related stuff. Swiss people love cows in all shapes and sizes, and you can find cow-related goods everywhere, from stuffed toy cows to fake cow-hide jackets. If you have a generous souvenir budget, look for fine traditional handcrafted items such as hand-carved wooden figures in Brienz, and lace and fine linens in St. Gallen. If you have really deep pockets, or just wish you did, be sure to shop on Zurich's famed Bahnhofstrasse, one of the most exclusive shopping streets in the world. If you're looking for hip shops and thrift stores, head for the Niederdorf or the Stauffacher areas of Zurich.

Swiss employment law bans working on Sundays, so shops are closed. An exception is any business in a railway station, which is deemed to be serving travellers and so is exempt. If you want to find an open shop on a Sunday, go to the nearest big railway station. If a business is a family owned, hence small shops, such as bakeries namely, can also open on Sundays in most cantons.

Swiss supermarkets can be hard to spot in big cities. They often have small entrances, but open out inside, or are in a basement, leaving the expensive street frontages for other shops. Look for the supermarket logos above entrances between other shops. Geneva is an exception and you usually don't have to go very far to find a Migros or Coop.

The most important supermarket brands are:

• Migros — This chain of supermarkets (a cooperative) provides average-to-good quality food and non-food products and homeware. However, they do not sell alcoholic beverages or cigarettes. Brand name products are rare as the chain does their own brands (quality is good). Migros stores can be spotted by a big, orange Helvetica letter "M" sign. The number of "M" letters indicates the size of the store and the different services available - "M" is usually a smaller grocery store, "MM" may be larger and sells other goods like clothing, and a "MMM" is a full department store with household goods and possibly electronics and sporting goods. Offers change weekly on Tuesdays.
• Coop — Also a cooperative. Emphasis on quality as well as multi-buy offers, points collection schemes and money off coupons. Sells many major brands. Come at the end of the day to get half-priced salads and sandwiches. Coop City is usually a department store with a Coop grocery store inside, a multi-floor layout provides space for clothing, electrical items, stationary, paperware as well as beauty products and perfume. Offers change weekly (some exceptions - fortnightly), on Tuesdays.
• Denner — A discount grocery store, noticeable for their red signs and store interiors. Relatively low priced. Offers change weekly, usually from Wednesday. Denner is owned by Migros.
• Coop Pronto — a convenience store branch of Coop, usually open late (at least 20:00) seven days a week. Usually has a petrol, filling-station forecourt.
• Manor — the Manor department stores often have a grocery store on the underground level.
• Globus — in the largest cities the Globus department stores have an upscale grocery store on the underground level.

Coop offers a low-price-line (Coop Prix-Garantie) of various products, and in Migros you can find the corresponding "M-Budget" products. Sometimes it's exactly the same product, just for cheaper price. They also offer cheap prepaid mobiles some of the cheapest call rates.

The German discounters Aldi and Lidl are also present in Switzerland. The prices are a little lower than at the other supermarket chains, but still significantly higher than in Germany.