{"id":6668,"date":"2026-08-11T09:00:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T07:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/switzerland-travel-tips"},"modified":"2026-08-11T09:00:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T07:00:18","slug":"switzerland-travel-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/en\/switzerland-travel-tips","title":{"rendered":"Switzerland Travel Tips: 12 Things to Know Before You Go"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.sayna-article .quick,.sayna-article .tip{background:#f4f7fb;border-left:4px solid #467AFF;border-radius:8px;padding:14px 18px;margin:20px 0}.sayna-article .tip{background:#fff7ef;border-left-color:#ff7900}.sayna-article .h{font-weight:700;font-size:1.05em;margin-bottom:6px;color:#0a0a0b}.sayna-article table{border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;margin:18px 0}.sayna-article th{background:#eef1f7;text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;font-weight:700;border-bottom:2px solid #dfe3ec}.sayna-article td{padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #eef1f7}.sayna-article .faq details{border-bottom:1px solid #e5e8ee;padding:4px 0}.sayna-article .faq summary{font-weight:600;cursor:pointer;padding:9px 0}.sayna-article .cta-box{background:#fff5ec;border:1px solid #ffd8b0;border-radius:12px;padding:22px;text-align:center;margin:26px 0}.sayna-article .cta-box a{display:inline-block;background:#ff7900;color:#fff;padding:12px 26px;border-radius:8px;text-decoration:none;font-weight:700;margin-top:8px}<\/style>\n<div class=\"sayna-article\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n<span class=\"tag\">Travel tips<\/span><br \/>\n<span>Updated 1 July 2026<\/span><br \/>\n<span>\u00b7<\/span><span>9 min read<\/span><br \/>\n<span>\u00b7<\/span><span style=\"color:var(--ok);font-weight:700\">\u2714 Facts checked by the team<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"quick\">\n<div class=\"h\">\u26a1 In short<\/div>\n<p>Before you go to <strong>Switzerland<\/strong>: it uses the <strong>Swiss franc<\/strong>, not the euro, so pay in CHF at every terminal. It has <strong>four national languages<\/strong>, but English works fine in cities. Trains are punctual to the minute and board by platform sector. There is a <strong>40 CHF road vignette<\/strong> for motorways, and because the country sits <strong>outside the EU<\/strong>, sort your mobile data before you cross the border.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\"><span class=\"h\">Stay connected on arrival<\/span> Set up your <a href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/switzerland\">eSIM for Switzerland<\/a> before you go: 100% online activation, no physical SIM to swap.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<nav aria-label=\"Contents\" class=\"toc\">\n<div class=\"h\">Contents<\/div>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#currency\">1. Pay in francs, not your currency<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#language\">2. Four languages, and where each is spoken<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#trains\">3. Trains run to the minute, by sector<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#tipping\">4. Tipping is optional<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#kiosk\">5. Skip the station kiosks<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#water\">6. Drink from the fountains<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#vignette\">7. The motorway vignette<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#customs\">8. Customs and tax outside the EU<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#quiet\">9. Sunday and quiet hours<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#emergency\">10. Emergency numbers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#plugs\">11. Plugs, altitude and the water<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#safety\">Bonus: safety, health and the little things<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#connected\">12. Staying connected outside the EU<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"currency\">1. Pay in francs, not your currency<\/h2>\n<p>Switzerland keeps the <strong>Swiss franc<\/strong> 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 <strong>pick CHF<\/strong>. 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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"language\">2. Four languages, and where each is spoken<\/h2>\n<p>There is no single Swiss language. The country runs on four: <strong>German<\/strong> (the majority, spoken as Swiss German dialects), <strong>French<\/strong> in the west around Geneva and Lausanne, <strong>Italian<\/strong> in the south around Lugano, and <strong>Romansh<\/strong> in parts of Graub\u00fcnden. You do not need to juggle them: English is widely spoken in cities and tourist regions. A &#8220;gr\u00fcezi&#8221; (hello) in the German areas or &#8220;bonjour&#8221; in the French ones is warmly received.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Language<\/th>\n<th>Where it is spoken<\/th>\n<th>Hello<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>German<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Centre, east and north (Zurich, Bern, Basel, Lucerne)<\/td>\n<td>Gr\u00fcezi<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>French<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>West (Geneva, Lausanne, Neuch\u00e2tel)<\/td>\n<td>Bonjour<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Italian<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>South (Ticino: Lugano, Locarno)<\/td>\n<td>Ciao \/ Buongiorno<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Romansh<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Parts of Graub\u00fcnden<\/td>\n<td>Allegra<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 id=\"trains\">3. Trains run to the minute, by sector<\/h2>\n<p>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 <strong>sectors A, B, C, D<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n<p>The flip side of the punctuality is that <strong>connections are timed to work<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"tipping\">4. Tipping is optional<\/h2>\n<p>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 caf\u00e9s: round up if you like, but nobody will bat an eye if you do not.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"kiosk\">5. Skip the station kiosks<\/h2>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"water\">6. Drink from the fountains<\/h2>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"h\">\ud83d\udca1 Swiss codes at a glance<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Currency:<\/strong> Swiss franc (CHF). Always pay in CHF at the terminal.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Trains:<\/strong> board by platform sector A\/B\/C\/D, and be on time to the second.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tap water:<\/strong> free and drinkable from public fountains almost everywhere.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Driving:<\/strong> 40 CHF motorway vignette, valid for the calendar year.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Emergencies:<\/strong> 112 general, 144 ambulance, 117 police, 1414 for alpine rescue (Rega).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"vignette\">7. The motorway vignette<\/h2>\n<p>If you drive, you need a <strong>vignette<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"customs\">8. Customs and tax outside the EU<\/h2>\n<p>Because Switzerland is <strong>not in the EU customs union<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"quiet\">9. Sunday and quiet hours<\/h2>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"emergency\">10. Emergency numbers<\/h2>\n<p>Save these before you set off: <strong>112<\/strong> for general emergencies, <strong>144<\/strong> for an ambulance, <strong>117<\/strong> for police, and <strong>1414<\/strong> for <strong>Rega<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"plugs\">11. Plugs, altitude and the water<\/h2>\n<p>Switzerland uses its own <strong>Type J<\/strong> 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\u00b0C colder and windier than the valley, so carry a layer.<\/p>\n<p>Two more small things that smooth a trip. The <strong>tap and fountain water is superb<\/strong>, 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 <strong>Sundays are genuinely quiet<\/strong>, so plan your shopping and big meals around the calendar rather than assuming everything runs late into the night.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"safety\">Bonus: safety, health and the little things<\/h2>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Two mountain-specific notes matter more than usual here. First, <strong>weather turns fast at altitude<\/strong>, so check a forecast the morning of any high hike and turn back if it sours. Second, if you hike, know that <strong>1414 reaches Rega<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"connected\">12. Staying connected outside the EU<\/h2>\n<p>The tip that saves the most surprises: <strong>Switzerland is not in the European Union<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n<p>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 <a class=\"cta-inline\" href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/switzerland\">eSIM for Switzerland<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks to Orange&#8217;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 <strong>more than 300 million customers<\/strong>: <strong>200+ destinations<\/strong> covered, <strong>24\/7<\/strong> support, and <strong>100% refunded<\/strong> if you do not use your eSIM.<\/p>\n<div class=\"cta-box\">\n<p>Land in Switzerland already connected, no border surprises.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/switzerland\">Discover the Orange Travel Switzerland eSIM<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<section aria-label=\"Frequently asked questions\" class=\"faq\">\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>What language do they speak in Switzerland?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Switzerland has four national languages: German (the majority), French in the west around Geneva and Lausanne, Italian in the south around Lugano, and Romansh in parts of Graub\u00fcnden. English is widely spoken in cities and tourist areas.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>Do you tip in Switzerland?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Service is included by law, so tipping is not obligatory. It is normal to round up the bill or leave 5 to 10% for good service in a restaurant, but nothing more is expected.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>Do I need a visa for Switzerland?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Switzerland is in the Schengen Area. EU and UK citizens do not need a visa for short stays; a valid passport or national ID card is enough. Many other nationalities can visit visa-free for up to 90 days. Check your own status before travelling.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>What currency does Switzerland use?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">The Swiss franc (CHF), not the euro, even though Switzerland is surrounded by eurozone countries. Cards are accepted almost everywhere. Some border shops take euros but give change in francs at a poor rate.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>Do I need a vignette to drive in Switzerland?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Yes. To use the motorways you need a vignette (road tax sticker) costing 40 CHF, valid for the calendar year, available at borders, petrol stations, post offices and online as an e-vignette. Driving the motorway without one risks a heavy fine.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":6667,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_titles_title":"Switzerland Travel Tips: 12 Things to Know Before You Go | Orange Travel","_seopress_titles_desc":"Switzerland travel tips: 12 things to know before you go, from paying in francs and platform sectors to languages, tipping and the road vignette.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/en\/switzerland-travel-tips","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6668","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-turism","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":6668,"fr":6666,"es":6670},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6668","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6668"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6668\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6725,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6668\/revisions\/6725"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6667"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6668"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6668"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6668"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}