Switzerland Travel Tips: 12 Things to Know Before You Go

Switzerland is one of the easiest countries in Europe to travel: safe, spotless, and run with a precision that borders on art. But a handful of local quirks trip up first-timers and cost them money. Here are the twelve worth knowing before you arrive.

1. Pay in francs, not your currency

Switzerland keeps the Swiss franc despite being ringed by the eurozone. Cards work almost everywhere, but watch the terminal: when it offers to charge you in your home currency, decline and pick CHF. That on-the-spot conversion, dynamic currency conversion, uses a bad rate and adds a few percent to every payment. Some border shops take euros but return change in francs at their own rate, so cards are usually the better call.

2. Four languages, and where each is spoken

There is no single Swiss language. The country runs on four: German (the majority, spoken as Swiss German dialects), French in the west around Geneva and Lausanne, Italian in the south around Lugano, and Romansh in parts of Graubünden. You do not need to juggle them: English is widely spoken in cities and tourist regions. A “grüezi” (hello) in the German areas or “bonjour” in the French ones is warmly received.

3. Trains run to the minute, by sector

Swiss trains are famously punctual, and that cuts both ways: they leave exactly on time, so being thirty seconds late means watching yours pull out. On the platform, long-distance trains are split into sectors A, B, C, D marked overhead. Your reserved coach, or the first-class carriages, stop at a specific sector. Stand at the right one and you board straight into your seat instead of sprinting down the platform.

The flip side of the punctuality is that connections are timed to work, even when they look impossibly tight. A four-minute change between trains is normal and deliberate, so trust the plan, walk to the right sector, and you will make it. And you rarely need to reserve a normal train, so you can travel spontaneously and simply hop on the next departure.

4. Tipping is optional

Service is included by law, so you are never obliged to tip. In restaurants it is normal to round up or leave 5 to 10% for good service, and that is it. No one expects the generous percentages common in North America. The same relaxed rule covers taxis and cafés: round up if you like, but nobody will bat an eye if you do not.

Related habit: Switzerland is close to cashless, so cards and phone wallets work almost everywhere. Keep a little cash for mountain huts, farm stalls and the odd paid toilet, but you will rarely need a fat wallet of francs.

5. Skip the station kiosks

The convenience shops inside train stations charge a noticeable premium on drinks, snacks and sandwiches. Buy the same items at a Coop or Migros a street away and you pay a fair Swiss price rather than a captive-audience one.

6. Drink from the fountains

Public drinking fountains are everywhere, over 1,200 in Zurich alone, and the water is clean, cold and safe unless a sign says otherwise. Carry a refillable bottle and you will save several francs a day on a country where a small bottle of water can cost 3 to 5 CHF.

7. The motorway vignette

If you drive, you need a vignette to use the motorways: a 40 CHF sticker (or e-vignette) valid for the whole calendar year, sold at borders, petrol stations and post offices. It is easy to forget when arriving by rental car from France or Italy, and driving the motorway without one brings a hefty fine. There is no short-term version, so even a two-day trip pays the full 40 CHF.

8. Customs and tax outside the EU

Because Switzerland is not in the EU customs union, there are duty limits when you cross the border, including for meat, alcohol and value of goods. It also means non-resident shoppers can often reclaim VAT on larger purchases at the border on the way out. Neither is a big deal for most visitors, but it is worth knowing the frontier is a genuine customs line where checks do happen.

9. Sunday and quiet hours

Sundays are quiet by law and by habit: most shops close, and many buildings observe quiet hours, including a ban on loud activity at night and, in some places, on Sunday afternoons. Plan your grocery run for Saturday, and expect a peaceful, slow Sunday rather than a shopping day.

10. Emergency numbers

Save these before you set off: 112 for general emergencies, 144 for an ambulance, 117 for police, and 1414 for Rega, the air-rescue service that operates in the mountains. Rega matters if you hike: it is the number to call for an alpine emergency, and it works far better with a live phone connection than without.

11. Plugs, altitude and the water

Switzerland uses its own Type J plug. Standard European two-pin plugs usually fit the recessed sockets, but three-pin and chunkier plugs may not, so pack an adapter. And remember the altitude: even a summer day trip up a cable car can be 15°C colder and windier than the valley, so carry a layer.

Two more small things that smooth a trip. The tap and fountain water is superb, so a refillable bottle is worth its weight, and it saves you the 3 to 5 CHF a bottled water costs here. And Swiss punctuality applies to more than trains: shops, tours and restaurants open and close on time, and Sundays are genuinely quiet, so plan your shopping and big meals around the calendar rather than assuming everything runs late into the night.

Bonus: safety, health and the little things

Switzerland is one of the safest countries you can visit, with very low crime and clean, reliable public services. Standard sense still applies in busy stations and tourist crush points, but you will rarely feel uneasy. For health, no special vaccinations are needed, tap water is safe to drink, and pharmacies are excellent for minor issues.

Two mountain-specific notes matter more than usual here. First, weather turns fast at altitude, so check a forecast the morning of any high hike and turn back if it sours. Second, if you hike, know that 1414 reaches Rega, the air-rescue service, and that a working phone is what turns a bad situation into a rescued one. That single fact is reason enough to sort your connectivity, which is the last tip.

12. Staying connected outside the EU

The tip that saves the most surprises: Switzerland is not in the European Union, so the EU roam-like-at-home rules do not apply automatically. A mobile plan that behaves seamlessly across France or Germany can start metering your data the moment you cross into Switzerland, and travellers have been hit with charges of several euros per megabyte on standard tariffs.

Sort it before you leave. Rather than gamble on roaming or queue for a local prepaid SIM (around 20 CHF, bought in person with ID), activate an eSIM for Switzerland ahead of the trip. The price is fixed in advance and you are online the instant you land, which matters for train times, maps and, if you head into the mountains, reaching help.

Thanks to Orange’s negotiated roaming agreements, your phone connects across the strongest local networks, dependable in cities, valleys and on the main rail lines, tunnels included. High passes and remote trails are the exception, so download offline maps first. With Orange, the service from a provider with more than 300 million customers: 200+ destinations covered, 24/7 support, and 100% refunded if you do not use your eSIM.