Basics

Time: Local time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March and the Saturday before the last Sunday in October).
Electricity: Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. Plugs are of the linear, rounded three-pin type, but rounded two-pin lugs will fit the outlet.
Money: The official currency is the Swiss franc (CHF) divided into 100 centimes. Although not part of the EU many prices are nonetheless indicated in Euros and some merchants may accept Euros. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are widely accepted and ATMs are widespread; many are equipped with the Cirrus or Maestro system. Banks offer the best exchange rates for travelers cheques and foreign currency, but it is also possible to exchange money at major hotels, main train stations and airports. Banks are open Monday to Friday.

 

Note: This is not updated daily and should be used as a guide only.

Language: The three official languages are Swiss German, French and Italian. A few people speak Romansch, but this is confined to the southeastern corner of the country. Most people know at least three languages, including English.
Entry Requirements for Americans: US passport holders require a valid passport, but a visa is not necessary for stays of up to three months.
Passport/Visa Note: Travelers must have all documents necessary for their next destination and passports or passport replacing documents must be valid at least three months beyond period of stay if a visa is required.
Health: Swiss medical facilities and health care are among the best in the world, but very expensive and health insurance is recommended. Immunization certificates are only required if the traveler has been in an infected area within two weeks prior to arrival in the country. There is a reciprocal health agreement with the UK and most EU countries, whose citizens are entitled to free emergency medical treatment on presentation of a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Medical insurance is advised for other nationalities. A duck on Lake Geneva was confirmed to have died from the deadly strain of bird flu and tests are being carried out in other parts of the country on dead birds, but no human infections have been reported. The risk to travelers from bird flu is very low, but close contact with live birds should be avoided, and all poultry and egg dishes well cooked as a precaution.
Tipping: A 15% service charge is normally included in all hotel, taxi, bar and restaurant bills, and further tipping is not necessary, but is appreciated for outstanding service.
Safety: Switzerland has a low crime rate compared to other European countries and is generally a safe country to travel in, however there has been a recent increase in petty theft and visitors should be alert to pickpockets and thieves, particularly in the city centers and on public transport. Be aware of robberies on overnight trains.
Business: Punctuality is vital for business meetings throughout Switzerland. However, styles of business negotiations vary from the Swiss-German to the Swiss-French/Swiss-Italian side. Swiss-German business meetings are rarely over food and are often as brief as possible with little small talk. But the Swiss-French and Swiss-Italians often meet over lunches and talk is not restricted only to business. But prior arrangements and preparation is essential for both and it is important to dress smartly; business suits are the norm for meetings. Handshakes are common for addressing both men and women. Business hours are generally 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 6.30pm Monday to Friday.
Communications: The international country dialing code for Switzerland is +41. The outgoing code is 00, followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). City/area codes are in use e.g. (0)22 for Geneva. Mobile phone GSM 1800 and 900 networks operate throughout the country. Visitors who wish to use a prepaid sim card from Swisscom Mobile (NATEL easy) will be required to register with the service provider and produce identification. Internet cafes are available in the main towns and resorts; some public phone booths also have Internet and email access.
Duty Free: Travelers to Switzerland over 17 years do not have to pay duty on the following items: 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco; 2 liters alcohol up to 15% and 1 liter alcohol over 15%. The maximum allowance of wine is 20 liters, but duty will be payable on this quantity. A reasonable amount of personal effects and gifts (including perfume) to the value of Sfr 200 for residents of Switzerland and Sfr 100 for other travelers. Restricted items include meat and meat products from selected countries. Prohibited items include firearms and ammunition without prior permission for regional police departments; also prohibited are absinth and anesthetics.
 

Activities

Glacier Express

Advertised as the 'slowest express train in the world', the Glacier Express is also the most panoramic, and is a breathtaking way to experience the magnificence of the Swiss Alps. The seven and a half hour journey begins daily from Zermatt. The red mountain train crosses more than 291 bridges, winds its way through 91 tunnels and seven valleys and over the 6,670ft (2,033m) Oberalp Pass to the resort of St Moritz, in a spectacular feat of mountain engineering. The train is equipped with large windows for clear viewing and the scenery, including mountain panoramas, quaint villages and wooden chalets, forests and alpine pastures, is stunning. A dining car provides lunch and the mini-bar contains tilted wine glasses to counter the lean of the carriages along the steep mountainous route. The train can be taken in either direction, and if time is short it is possible to travel along a short section of the route, but either way it is advisable to make advance bookings as the train is very popular. There are several departures a day during summer and one a day in winter.

 

Zurich

While browsing in the elegant boutiques along Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse, one of the most beautiful shopping areas in Europe, you'll notice that the streets may not be paved with gold, but you can be certain that a couple of metres below, unimaginable treasures are lying in underground vaults. Zurich is the world's banking capital, but as well as being a city of fat cats parading in pin-stripes, glued to their mobile phones and swinging patent leather briefcases, you'll also discover that this is the city that gave birth to the avant-garde Dadaist movement, and where James Joyce wrote Ulysses. The city's Museum of Fine Arts houses one of Europe's most extensive collections from 15th century religious iconography to the modern art works of Dali, Arp, Hockney, Cezanne, Monet, Gaugin, Munch and Picasso. Visitors can spend days exploring Zurich's cobbled streets, wandering through its museums, exploring its flea markets or walking away with free gifts from its chocolate factories. The quays, with their promenades, are made for walking, especially along the shores of the lake. With an active café culture, it's ideal for people-watching, and Zurich has a lively, multi-ethnic population to rival any other major European city. The exacting order of the Swiss, with their passion for neatness and precision may create an impression of rather a prim and staid society, but visitors will discover quite the opposite when exploring Zurich's nightlife. With more bars, clubs and restaurants than you can shake a stick at, as well as a calendar packed full of street parades and festivals, Zurich can exhaust even the most energetic party animal.

 

Street Parade Every August thousands of revelers flock to what has become the biggest techno-music street party in the world, modeled on the Berlin Love Parade. People from all over the world join together in a 'demonstration for love, peace, freedom and tolerance' to the beat of house and techno music. The city's biggest party is a weekend of colorful floats, or Love Mobiles, costumed dancers and loud music, as well as numerous parties and festival events that take place before and after the parade. Date: 11 August 2007. Time: 3.15pm to 8.30pm.

Fraumünster Church Of the church spires that characterize Zurich's skyline, the thin blue spire of Fraumünster is the most graceful. Overlooking the historic old square of Münsterhof, the former pig market, the church was founded in 853 and its convent inhabited by German noblewomen until the 13th century. Important architectural features include the Romanesque choir and the enormous elaborate organ, but its chief attractions are the five beautiful stained glass windows designed by the 83-year-old Marc Chagall in 1970. Opening Time: 9am to 6pm (May to September); 10am to 5pm (October); 10am to 4pm (November to March); 10am to 5pm (March to April). The church is closed between noon and 2pm daily, on Sundays it is closed until 2pm. Admission: Free.

The Rhine Falls An excellent day trip from Zurich and close to the town of Schaffhausen, the Rhine Falls (Rheinfall) is the largest and most powerful waterfall in Europe, impressive not so much for its height of 75ft (23m), but more for the mighty volume of water thundering over its broad breadth. This magnificent natural wonder is especially remarkable during late spring when the snowmelt adds to its volume. On the hill above the falls is a medieval castle, Schloss Laufen, housing a restaurant, shops and a youth hostel. Rainbow-colored mists rising from the forest and encircling the castle create an enchanting atmosphere. In summer one of the highlights of a visit to the falls is a boat trip across the white-water of the cataracts to the Centre Rock, with a short climb up some stairs to the top for an exhilarating view of the rushing water. Breathtaking views can also be enjoyed from three different lookout platforms along a path leading from the castle. The Känzeli Lookout, with a protruding platform at the base of the falls, is the most spectacular. The Rhine Falls is host to the fantastic fireworks display held on Swiss National Day (August 1) that attracts thousands of spectators every year. Transport: Train from the main station in Zurich (Hauptbahnhof) to Neuhausen, alighting at the Rheinfall stop, and then a short walk to the falls. From Schaffhausen buses (No.1) and train departs regularly for the falls.

Swiss Alps

The Alps contain some of Switzerland's most dramatic landscapes, in a country already well endowed with spectacular scenery and fabulous alpine vistas. Situated at the heart of the Alps, Switzerland shares the mountain range with France, Italy and Austria and provides winter and summer time enjoyment for skiers, snowboarders, walkers and climbers. Switzerland boasts the first ever ski resort, and since then over 200 first class resorts have attracted thousands of Swiss and international downhill and cross-country skiers as well as snowboarders. The tradition of skiing goes back two centuries. Today, with more than 1,700 mountain railways and ski lifts, renowned ski schools and instructors, the best ski equipment in the world, and outstanding slopes and facilities catering for all levels of ability, it deserves to be called 'Europe's winter playground'. The ideal resort for beginners or families is Grindelwald in the Jungfrau region, while intermediates and snowboarders head for the twin resorts of Davos and Klosters, with miles of excellent ski terrain and acclaimed to be one of the top snowboarding destinations worldwide. Expert skiers can enjoy the challenge of 7,200 ft (2,700m) vertical drops on the Klein Matterhorn at Zermatt, and the ski valley of Verbier is ideal for shoulder-season skiing as its location provides early snow that lingers late into the spring. The stylish resort of St Moritz offers the most energetic and varied nightlife out of all the Swiss resorts. The ideal ski season runs from January to late March, but is most crowded during the Christmas holidays and the month of February. Climbers and walkers head to the Alps between June and September when the weather is warmer and more settled. There are more than 40,390 miles (65,000km) of well-marked and maintained hiking trails as well as longer treks across the country that will reveal miles and miles of unspoiled beauty. Grindelwald has long been the capital of summer hiking in the Bernese Alps, and more recently added a network of groomed trails for winter hikers. Climbers have long been lured by the challenges of the Matterhorn and there are some memorable hikes up to the cliffs below the summit. The Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) is the best source of information on mountaineering. The most accessible and visited alpine area is the magnificent Bernese Oberland region in the centre of the country with classic Swiss scenery - picturesque peaks, quaint wooden chalets and charming mountain villages, green pastures, lakes and the tinkle of cow bells. This is a fabulous area for walking and provides exceptional winter sports.

 

Gstaad

Bernese Oberland's most glamorous resort and the place for glittering socialites to be seen is the chic town of Gstaad, known for its high society, luxury hotels, fine dining and expensive boutiques. It has been the favored destination of the rich and famous for years, entertaining the likes of Roger Moore, Paris Hilton, Elle Macpherson and Tina Turner, among others. The picturesque village is traditional in style with delightful alpine chalets, a pedestrian-only centre and spectacular scenery, and lies at the centre of the Gstaad Super Ski Region, one of the largest ski areas in Europe.

 

Davos

Davos was one of the first ski resorts to be created and is the largest in Switzerland: an alpine city with major thoroughfares and hotel blocks lining the streets. Despite its lack of character it is a premier European resort, offering not only accommodation with a reputation for excellence, an endless array of winter and summer recreational activities, crisp mountain air and a health spa, but also five separate ski areas ensuring a superb variety of skiing and snowboarding for all abilities. Nearby is the little sister resort of Klosters, a small traditional village with a quiet and unobtrusive atmosphere that shares the large Parsenn ski area.

 

St Moritz

St Moritz is the original Swiss winter resort, an extravagantly fashionable mountain resort world famous for its skiing, fantastic scenery, the curative waters of its Health Spa and the social life. Although not the classic image of a Swiss mountain resort, the setting and spectacular scenery more than makes up for its lack of charm. Consisting of two villages, St Moritz-Bad on the lake and St Moritz-Dorf on the hillside above, its romantic setting in the wildly beautiful corner of the southeastern Swiss Alps is a combination of forests, mountain and lake. St Moritz boasts some of the most reliable and abundant winter snowfall in the country and the miles of downhill runs offer some of the finest intermediate skiing anywhere. The area also encompasses a network of cross-country ski trails, legendary toboggan and bobsled courses and an Olympic ski-jump. The spa section of this exclusive and exciting town, St Moritz-Bad, offers the long-time tradition of mineral baths, mud baths and spa therapies for a relaxing spa vacation. The nightlife at St Moritz is renowned as the most energetic and expensive of all the alpine ski resorts.

 

Interlaken

Interlaken, meaning 'between the lakes', is the tourist capital of the Bernese Oberland. As a popular vacation spot it is superbly situated between the lakes of Thun and Brienz, offering a variety of water-based activities during summer, and access to an endless amount of winter sports in the surrounding mountains of the Bernese Alps and its valleys. Linked to numerous resorts and villages by a series of mountain railways and cablecars, it offers a myriad of slopes and trails in many different areas offering skiing, snowboarding and hiking, as well as connecting to the famous cog railway leading to the plateau of the Jungfrau mountain. During winter skiers can take advantage of the town's low prices, avoiding the in-season costs of higher altitude nearby ski resorts, and together with its many fine hotels, nightlife and dining opportunities, numerous excursion possibilities and first class transport connections, Interlaken is an ideal all-round destination for winter and summer, for skiers and non-skiers alike.

 

Airports

Geneva Cointrin International Airport (GVA)

Location: The airport is situated three miles (5km) north of Geneva. Time: GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March and the Saturday before the last Sunday in October). Contacts: Tel: +41 22 717 7111. Transfer to the city: Public buses leave for the centre every few minutes from the departures and arrivals levels. A free hotel shuttle transports passengers to major hotels. A train leaves for Cornavin RR Station in the city centre every 10 minutes, from where connections can be made to destinations throughout Europe. Taxis are also available outside Arrivals and cost between CHF 30 and 35 to the centre of Geneva. Car rental: Car rental companies include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and National. Travellers should ensure they hire their car on the French side of the border if they are going to France, and vice-versa. Facilities: Luggage lockers can be found in the Train Station Mall and on the arrivals level. A Skycom Airport Business Centre and Business Corner offer a range of business facilities. Other amenities include banks, bureaux de change, ATMs, bars and restaurants, tourist information, a hotel reservation desk, post office and shops, including duty-free. Facilities for disabled passengers are good; those with special needs should contact their airline in advance. Parking: Long and short-term parking, and valet parking is available. Eurocard, American Express or Visa cards can be used to pay for parking in parking lots; cards are inserted in automatic machines on entry to record the date and time, and inserted again on exit to calculate the relevant fee. Departure tax: None. Website: www.gva.ch

Zurich Airport (ZRH)

Location: The airport is situated eight miles (12km) north of Zurich. Time: GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March and the Saturday before the last Sunday in October). Contacts: Tel: +41 43 816 2211. Transfer to the city: Swiss Rail (SBB) provides fast and efficient transport to the city centre, taking only ten minutes to Zurich's Hauptbahnhof (central station). The station is located below Arrivals and trains leave every 15 minutes for Zurich and other destinations. There are also taxis or a hotel shuttle is available. Taxis take around half an hour to the city centre. Car rental: Car rental companies include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Europcar and Hertz. Facilities: Facilities include banks, bureaux de change, bars and restaurants, postal services, shops including duty-free, business facilities and a crèche. Facilities for disabled passengers are excellent. Parking: Short and long term parking options are available. Departure tax: None. Website: www.zurich-airport.com

Berne Belp Airport (BRN)

Location: The airport is situated six miles (9km) southeast of Berne. Time: GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March and the Saturday before the last Sunday in October). Contacts: Tel: +41 31 964 0919. Transfer to the city: Trains travel regularly between the city and the airport. Taxis are also available. Car rental: Car rental companies include Avis, Budget, Dollar, Europcar and Hertz. Facilities: Facilities include banks, bureaux de change, bars and restaurants, tourist information and hotel reservations, duty-free shopping and business facilities. Facilities for disabled passengers are excellent; those with special needs should contact their airline in advance. Parking: Short and long term parking options are available. Departure tax: None.
 

Climate

The temperature is moderate with no extremes of hot and cold, so Switzerland can be visited at anytime of year. Summer is warm lasting from about June to September, and although good for outdoor activities it is also the most crowded time for a holiday. Ski resorts open in late November and remain so until the snow begins to melt in April.