Switzerland

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Quick Facts

[edit]

Local name

Confoederatio Helvetica (Latin)

Capital

Bern

Largest City

Zürich

Government

Federal Republic

Nationality

Swiss

Population

7 612 800 ^[1]

Languages

French, Swiss German, Italian, Rheto-Romansch

Religions

Christianity (Catholic, Protestant)

Currency

Swiss Franc (CHF) SFr

Calling Code

+41

Time Zone

CET (UTC+1)

Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

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Introduction

View from the Planurahütte SAC over the Brunnifirn

© All Rights Reserved Uozu

Switzerland is a country as famous for its pocket knives as it is for its chocolate. But to travellers, Swiss fame is largely focused on its Alpine landscape. Beautiful and majestic, many visitors prefer to take in the scenery through activity, rather than mere sightseeing: skiing, hiking, hang-gliding and rafting are only a number of the outstanding opportunities the Alps award.

Swiss culture and history afford interesting cities and monumental castles, for those visitors able to tear themselves away from the mountains. Cities like Zürich, Bern and Lucerne all feature medieval streets and housing, giving travellers that pleasant sense of stepping back in time which so many great European cities offer. Modernity has also struck, as the nation has elevated its economic status to become one of the world's richest nations; but fortunately, developers have had the good sense to retain Switzerland's priceless historic heritage.

Brief History

Geography

Switzerland is a landlocked country, sharing borders with Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria, Italy and France. Switzerland is known for its tall mountains, in particular the Swiss Alps. However, it also has a more accommodating landscape of rolling hills, lakes and plains at the feet of these mountains. Dufourspitze is its highest point, at 4,634 metres.

Regions

Switzerland is divided into 26 so called cantons, which can be grouped into the following geographical regions.

• Northern Switzerland - Basel-Stadt (city), Basel-Landschaft (Land), Jura, Solothurn, Aargau, Zürich, Schaffhausen, Thurgau
• Eastern Switzerland - Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, St. Gallen, Glarus, Graubünden
• Southern Switzerland - Tessin/Ticino, Wallis/Valais
• Central Switzerland - Bern, Uri, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Schwyz, Lucerne, Zug
• Western Switzerland - Freiburg/Fribourg, Neuenburg/Neuchâtel, Waadt/Vaud, Genf/Genève

Cities

• Basel
• Bern, the country's capital.
• Davos
• Geneva, set on beautiful Lake Geneva.
• Interlaken
• Lausanne
• Locarno
• Lucerne
• Lugano
• Zürich is the country's largest city and its economic centre.

Sights and Activities

Skiing

In winter and even at some parts in summer, Switzerland is one of the finest countries in Europe to go skiing. Although it is more expensive than its alpine counterparts Austria, Italy and France, it offers great pistes, views, delicious food and the most beautifully located resorts. These include Zermatt (with the famous Matterhorn in the background), Davos and Sankt Moritz.

Hiking and trekking

Hiking and trekking are very popular leisure activities in Switzerland. Lots of hiking tips with descriptions, maps, webcams, some with GPS are available online free of charge:

• Myswitzerland: Hiking and walking tips from Swiss tourist office.
• Wandersite: Private hiking and trekking website in German, some information in English.
• GPS-tracks: Cycling and hiking tracks with GPS.

Areas to go hiking are abundant but both Valais (or Wallis in German) and Ticino (Tessin) offer the most spectacular mountain sceneries of them all. The are around Interlaken and Graubünden are almost equally as good though and for beginners there is the less high and less spectacular but still rewarding Jura region.

Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn

Fiesch - Glacier ALesch

© All Rights Reserved skteddy

The Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn region is a magnificent area with high mountain ranges, glaciers and is actually the most glaciated part of the European Alps. Visiting this area can be done relatively easy by car and if you want to go up, by train up to 3400 meters above sea level, the highest train ride in Europe, the Jungfrau Railway is very impressive (and expensive!). The area is on the UNESCO World Heritage list because of its unique and wide range of flora and fauna and geological importance regarding the creating of the High Alps. It is located in the Bernese Oberland Alps and for exploring this stunning mountain area your best bet is to base yourself in the adrenaline capital of the country: Interlaken.

Matterhorn

Matterhorn Sunrise 2

© All Rights Reserved tracebc

Although it is not the highest mountain in the Alps, the Matterhorn is considered to be one of the landmarks on this mountain range. The distinct pyramid-like summit is its claim to fame. It is part of the Pennine Alps and it overlooks the towns of Zermatt (in Switzerland) and Cervinia (in Italy). However, it is the image from the north side that is most well-known to the world.

The Matterhorn is one of the hardest mountains to climb in the Alps because of its steep ascent and the weather conditions. In the last 150 years, over 500 climbers have lost their lives on this mountain. For tourists, it is probably better to enjoy the view from the top of the Gornergrat Railway that leads up to a height of 3089 metres, or from the top of the Klein Matterhorn cable car lift at 3820 metres. The cable car is the highest in Europe.

Monte Rosa

Along the Swiss Italian frontier between Zermatt and Alagna Valsesia lies a group of ice clad peaks containing the highest mountain in Switzerland and Europe's highest mountain hut. In fact the next 4 highest peaks in the Alps - after Mont Blanc - are situated here. The massif is known collectively as Monte Rosa though on some maps that name is given to the central peak of Signalkuppe - the 3rd highest of the group at 4554 metres. The highest point is Dufourspitze at 4634 metres which lies just to the North. The main features of Monte Rosa are the vast Gorner Glacier which sweeps down from the northern ice fields towards Zermatt and the 2000 metres high East Face - the so called Mirror Wall - which towers above the Italian Macugnaga valley and is the highest mountain face in the Alps. Ascents of the Monte Rosa peaks can be made from both the Swiss and Italian sides with the easiest routes being uncomplicated for a mountain of this size, though all involve glacier crossings so should be done with a guide. The route to Signalkuppe topped by the Margherita Hut - Europe's highest - is long and without dfficulty while Dufourspitze is slightly more technical on account of rock sections to climb in the latter stages.

Lake Geneva

Lake Geneva is one of the bigger lakes in Western Europe and is located in the west of the country. Cities along the lakes shores to be visited are Geneva and Lausanne, among many other smaller ones. Geneva is the international capital of the country with hundreds of companies, banks and governmental organisations located here. Although a trendy place for the rich and famous it also has a small but fine historical centre.

Bern

The old historical city of Bern, apart from being the capital, is on the UNESCO World Heritage list because of its fine examples of building styles of different periods.

Other Sights and Activities

• Ticino: explore the Italian region of Switzerland and admire cities and towns like Lugano and Locarno and enjoy Lake Lugano and fine Italian cuisine.
• Jungfrau Railway from Interlaken or Grindelwald

Europe's biggest waterfall: Reinfalls

© All Rights Reserved JingJing

• The Rhine Falls are among the most impressive plain falls in the world. Not being very high (just over 20 meters) they still are a major sight for travellers to the country and their width is very impressive: almost 150 meters.

Events and Festivals

• The Zürich Street Parade is one of the largest street parades in the world and a popular attraction for techno music fans. In 2008 it will be held on Saturday, 9 August.
• The Carnival of Basel (Basler Fasnacht) is Switzerland's largest carnival, taking place between February and March. Thousands of dressed up Fasnächtlers take to the streets and rule the Old Town for the 72 hours of the festival.
• In July, Montreaux, on the banks of Lake Geneva, hosts the world-famous Montreux Jazz Festival.
• National Day takes place on August the 1st.
• The Zibelmarit (English: Onion Market) is held on the fourth Monday in November in Bern.
• Fete de Geneve The festival 'Fete de Geneve' takes place along the lake in August every year with musics, bands, processions and fireworks etc. It is a week long festival which is attended by people from all over the world. It is difficult to find a place in hotel during this week.

Sport

Thanks to its mountainous landscape, skiing is very popular in Switzerland. In February, schools have special skiing holidays. Famous Swiss ski sport champions include Bernhard Russi, Pirmin Zurbriggen, Didier Cuche.

Tennis is a pretty popular sport in Switzerland, especially since Roger Federer's rise to the top of men's tennis. Somewhat surprisingly, Switzerland also has a famous sailing team called Alinghi.

Weather

Switzerland generally has warm summers and cold winters, though much depends on the area of the country, because the moutains can get much colder and wetter.
Summers last from June to September with between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius during the day, though 27 south of the Alps in Ticino, for example Locarno and Lugano.
Winters are cold, though generally above zero in the lower parts. In the mountains, temperatures are below zero from December to March and there are sometimes huge amounts of snow, up to 4 or 5 meters a year. This is a popular place to go skiing.
Precipitation is quite evenly distributed throughout the year, though somewhat higher in summer when heavy showers and thunderstorms can occur.

Getting There

By Plane

Swiss International Air Lines is the national airline of Switzerland, based at Zürich Airport (ZRH). International flights include Amsterdam, Athens, Bangkok, Barcelona, Belgrade, Berlin, Boston, Brussels, Bucharest, Cairo, Copenhagen, Dar es Salaam, Delhi, Douala, Dubai, Dublin, Florence, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hamburg, Hanover, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Jeddah, Johannesburg, Lisbon, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Malabo, Malaga, Miami, Milan, Montréal, Moscow, Mumbai, Munich, Muscat, Nairobi, New York-JFK, Nice, Palma de Mallorca, Paris, Riyadh, Rome, Santiago de Chile, St. Petersburg, São Paulo, Singapore, Sofia, Stockholm, Tel Aviv, Thessaloniki, Tokyo, Tripoli, Valencia, Vienna and Yaoundé.

Edelweiss Air AG and Belair use the airport for charters flights to and from sunny destinations throughout Europe and the Caribbean.

Other international airports in the country are Geneva Cointrin International Airport (GVA) and EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL).

By Train

Switzerland is well connected by train to many countries in Europe, though most of the trains go to Italy, France and Germany, from where you have to connect to another train. Some trains though go direct to countries like the Netherlands and on some of them you are allowed to take your car. These trains are especially popular during the winter and summer high season.

By Car

Switzerland shares borders with France, Germany, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. Well maintained highways connect Switzerland with these countries, but there are many other more scenic routes to take as well. To and from France and Italy you can choose to take the direct roads which include passing some tunnels to prevent taking high passes in the Alps. The more scenic routes usually go over these passes but some of them are not advised to take if you have never driven under these circumstances. Just check before you go.

By Bus

Eurolines operates buses to dozens of destinations throughout Europe. These include but are not limited to Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal and Spain. For longer routes it is advised to take trains though, which are usually faster and more comfortable, though more expensive if you don't have a European railpass.

By Boat

Germany
The Schweizerische Bodensee-Schiffahrtsgesellschaft car ferry travels across Lake Constance between Romanshorn in Switzerland and Friedrichshafen in Germany, taking around 40 minutes one way.

Getting Around

By Plane

There are domestic flights between Switzerland's major cities, operated by SWISS and Darwin Airline. The public transport options in Switzerland are so good though, that air-travel is not a frequent choice.

By Train

Trains in Switzerland are clean, frequent and reliable and operate on a network covering 5,000 km. Some of the world's most spectacular train trips, including the famous Glacier Express, are an added incentive to hop aboard.

The Swiss Federal Railways (SBB-CFF-FFS) is Switzerland's national railway company. If you plan to travel around the country at any length, it would be worth looking into one of their rail passes: ^[2]

• A Half-Fare Card will give you half price travel on the SBB network, as well as most private and mountain railways. The card costs CHF 150 for one year.
• Gleis 7 (English: Track 7) is a youth card (ages 16-25) that allows free travel on the network after 7pm. A Gleis 7 card for one year costs CHF 99. A combo Gleis 7 + Half-Fare Card costs CHF 249 for a year.
• If you plan to do some extended travelling, then the General Abonnement might just be the ticket. It will allow you unlimited travel on SBB's network, as well as numerous private railways. The pass also covers postbuses, lake and riverboats and trams and buses in most Swiss cities. Many mountain railways don't include unlimited travel, will give special discounts to General Abonnement holders. The ticket is CHF 350 for a second class individual card for one month. There are discounts for families, seniors and youths.

Reservations are not usually required on trains, but sometimes might be recommended. Dogs (on leashes) are allowed on trains for an extra fare. ^[3]. Bicycles accommodated for on most trains with special hooks and are also subject to an additional fare. ^[4]

By Car

Switzerland has an excellent paved network of highways and also the minor roads are generally in a very good condition. There are car rental companies at airports, railway station and cities and you need a national driver's licence to rent one. Note that there are hefty fines for speeding so take it easy and enjoy the beautiful landscapes.
Some mountain passes are impassable after heavy snow but most roads are open year round. You need chains and snow tyres in winter though.

By Bus

The Postbus will take you to almost any corner of the country, but most are local and regional buses and long distance services are almost absent.

By Boat

There are a number of lakes where at least a leisurely cruise is a great way of viewing Switzerland from the water surface. Lake Geneva, lakes around Neuchatel and Interlaken are probably the most popular spots. As a traveller, you won't take many regular passenger services in the country as other modes of transportation are better.
CGN has boats from Ouchy (near Lausanne to destinations around Lake Geneva. From late May to late September there are frequent departures to most major tourist areas, including the French side. There are no car ferries though.
Up to 14 boats daily shuttle to and from Evian-les-Bains (France) in July and August (40 minutes), and to seven to nine boats during the rest of the year. There are less-frequent boats to places like Montreux (1½ hours) and Geneva (3½ hours).

Red Tape

As of December 12, 2008, Switzerland is now part of the Schengen Zone and will now be issuing Schengen visas.

For travellers travelling into Switzerland from other European countries, border identity checks for travellers have been lifted for land borders. For air travellers, the controls will be lifted on 29 March 2009.

• See http://www.bfm.admin.ch/bfm/en/home/themen.html for more (official) information on swiss visa and immigration policy

Money

See also: Money Matters

Switzerland uses the Swiss Franc (CHF). One franc is divided into 100 centimes (French) (German: Rappen). Banknotes come in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 1000 francs. Coins come as 5, 10 and 20 centimes and 1/2, 1, 2 and 5 francs.
Switzerland also accepts Euro as currency but the balance amount will be returned in CHF only. Tourists are advised to keep this in mind while paying by cash.

Work

Study

Language

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Health

See also: Travel Health

There are no great health risks travelling to Switzerland. The water is safe and dining out is hygienic, thanks to strict controls. No immunizations are required, unless you have been in an infected area within the previous 14 days.

Safety

See also: Travel Safety

Switzerland has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. Reasonable precautions should always be taken; keep your wallet in a safe spot and keep a close eye on your luggage when in busy places.

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

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