Switzerland (CH)
Switzerland is a landlocked federal republic of 26 cantons at the heart of Europe, bordered by Germany, France, Italy, Austria, and Liechtenstein.
Daily Life
Practical day-to-day information for living in Switzerland.
🛒 Supermarkets
The largest Swiss retailer and a cooperative with 2M+ members. Cheaper own brands (M-Budget). Famously does NOT sell alcohol or tobacco — founder's rule. Close to 700 stores nationwide.
Second-largest retailer and Migros rival. Sells alcohol. Strong fresh food and Pro Specie Rara regional products. Coop Supercard loyalty programme gives points.
Discount chain owned by Migros. Cheaper everyday goods and Swiss wine. Smaller selection.
German discounter with Swiss branch. Prices ~20–30% below Migros/Coop on many staples. 220+ stores.
German discounter with 170+ Swiss stores. Weekly "Südtirol," "Italienische Woche" theme weeks popular.
Part of Manor department stores. Premium selection, imported brands, excellent fresh counter.
Luxury food hall within Globus department stores in Zurich, Basel, Geneva, Lucerne. Premium imported and gourmet products.
Rural and village grocery stores (often the only shop in small villages). Part of Fenaco cooperative.
Opening Hours
Typical shop hours: Monday–Friday 08:00/09:00–18:30/19:00 (some until 20:00), Saturday 08:00–17:00/18:00, Sunday CLOSED. In major cities late-night shopping "Abendverkauf" extends one weekday to 20:00/21:00. Supermarkets at major train stations (Zurich HB, Geneva Cornavin, Bern, Lausanne, Basel SBB) open Sunday 06:00/08:00–21:00/22:00 — a legal exception for travellers.
Sunday Rules
Sundays are strictly quiet. All normal shops are closed (federal law + Bundesgesetz über die Arbeit). Exceptions: petrol stations, airports, main train station shops, hospitals, museums, restaurants, bakeries until noon. Public life remains active — hiking, skiing, visiting — but DIY, shopping, gardening, drilling, lawn mowing, or loud housework are socially unacceptable and often illegal. Religious quiet is also respected in some conservative rural cantons.
Recycling
Switzerland has one of the highest recycling rates in the world (~53% of municipal waste). The core principle is "pay-per-bag" for household waste (Kehrichtsack): you must use the official municipal bag (Züri-Sack, Bern-Sack, etc.) costing CHF 2–3 per 35L bag — this funds waste disposal. Recyclables (PET, glass, aluminium, paper/cardboard, textiles, batteries) are collected FREE at supermarkets or dedicated containers. Bio-waste requires a "Grüngut" subscription fee or official green bag. Illegal disposal (wrong bag, missing tax-paid sticker) carries CHF 80–300 fines — and authorities DO open bags to identify you from envelope addresses.
Dining Out
Restaurants are expensive by international standards — a basic main course is CHF 25–35, a pizza CHF 18–28, a beer CHF 6–8, a coffee CHF 4.50–5.50. Tap water is free on request ("Leitungswasser bitte" / "une carafe d'eau, s'il vous plaît"). Reservations strongly recommended on Friday/Saturday evenings. Ticino has lower prices. "Menu du jour" lunches (CHF 18–25) are excellent value. Tipping is not expected but appreciated with small change.
Utilities & Internet
Electricity is sold by the canton's utility — no national market. Prices vary widely (CHF 0.22–0.40/kWh depending on canton). Average 2-person apartment pays CHF 80–130/month for electricity. Water is metered and billed quarterly or half-yearly. Gas (where available, mainly in cities) is separately contracted. Radio/TV licence fee (Serafe) is MANDATORY for every household: CHF 335/year (2026). Internet/fibre is separate (Swisscom, Salt, Sunrise, Init7): CHF 50–100/month.
Cultural Tips for Expats
- → Language regions differ strongly: Swiss-German (67%), French (Romandy, 23%), Italian (Ticino, 8%), Romansh (Graubünden, 0.5%). Do not assume everyone speaks English — try the local greeting first.
- → Swiss-Germans speak dialect (Mundart) amongst themselves, which is NOT the High German you learn in courses. TV and written communication are in High German. Locals will switch to High German or English when addressed.
- → Direct democracy is real — citizens vote 4 times per year on federal, cantonal, and municipal issues. Vote pamphlets (the "Abstimmungscouvert") arrive in every household's mailbox.
- → Privacy is deeply valued. Do not photograph people, houses, or private gardens without permission. Discussing salaries, wealth, or politics is considered intrusive until you know someone well.
- → Noise rules are strict and enforced: no lawnmowing, drilling, or loud music after 22:00 (earlier in some buildings) and not at all on Sundays and public holidays. Expect a polite visit — or a written Abmahnung — from neighbours who catch you violating.
- → The postwar Swiss concept of "Eigenverantwortung" (personal responsibility) shapes everything. You are expected to read the rules, follow them, and not bother others.
Quiet Hours
Quiet hours (Ruhezeiten / heures de repos) are protected by federal work law, cantonal nuisance law, and nearly every building's Hausordnung (house rules). Violations are socially unacceptable and may trigger rent-contract warnings or fines from the Kantonspolizei. The Swiss take this seriously.
No vacuuming, no washing machine/tumble dryer in most buildings, no loud conversation audible outside your flat, no playing instruments (check Hausordnung), no showers before 06:00 in older plumbing setups.
No power tools, mowing, loud outdoor activity, drilling, or hammering. Common in residential buildings and neighbourhoods.
No mowing, power tools, drilling, hammering, car washing in the building car park, laundry (in some buildings), loud sports in courtyards. Even noisy recycling (breaking glass into the Glascontainer) is prohibited on Sundays and legally enforceable.
- •Running the tumble dryer or washing machine after 22:00 — every shared laundry room has a posted schedule and breaching it triggers passive-aggressive notes.
- •Flushing a noisy toilet or running a shower between 22:00 and 06:00 in older buildings — a real issue documented in Swiss rental law.
- •Ignoring Sunday quiet: mowing, vacuuming, DIY, or inviting 10 friends over for loud drinks.
- •Not checking the building's specific Hausordnung — rules can be stricter than cantonal default.
- •Underestimating neighbour vigilance — noise complaints to the building administration or police are common.
First offence: friendly visit or note from neighbour. Second: written warning from Hausverwaltung (Abmahnung). Third: formal warning preparing for eviction (Abmahnung mit Kündigungsandrohung). Police intervention: CHF 80–300 on-the-spot fine, possible night in the cell for severe disturbance. Persistent violation can lead to a Kündigung (lease termination).
Postal Services
Die Schweizerische Post / La Poste Suisse / La Posta Svizzera is the national postal service, providing letters, parcels, banking (PostFinance), and buses (PostAuto). Delivery is reliable — A-Post (Priority) arrives next working day; B-Post arrives within 3. Each canton has a dense network of Post branches and automated kiosks inside Migros, Coop, and Volg stores.
PickPost (formerly "My Post 24") is the Swiss Post parcel locker network — over 300 locations at stations, post offices, and shopping centres. Register a free PickPost ID online at post.ch and redirect parcels to a locker. Parcels wait 7 days before return to sender. Private networks: DPD PickUp points, Quickmail lockers.
YellowPassID (previously SuisseID) and the federal e-ID (launching 2026) are the emerging digital identity standards. In-person ID verification at a Post branch takes 5 minutes with a passport — used for banking onboarding, mobile contract activation, and some federal e-services. Most Swiss digital services still accept Mobile ID from mobile operators.
Einschreiben / envoi recommandé: CHF 6.30 for standard registered domestic post. Requires signature on delivery; left at Post office with pickup slip if nobody home, to collect within 7 working days. Official letters from tax office, Migration Office, courts, and insurers are always registered — always pick them up. Deadlines (e.g., objection periods) start from delivery attempt.
Nachsendeauftrag / demande de réexpédition at post.ch: CHF 30 for 3 months, CHF 40 for 6 months, CHF 60 for 12 months. Set up online or at any Post branch. Essential when moving house (including within Switzerland) or travelling abroad long-term. Separate "Rückbehalt" service holds your mail at the Post office for up to 2 months (CHF 20) if you are away.
- →Download the Post app — track parcels, manage forwarding, buy stamps, find branches, and redirect deliveries to PickPost.
- →Register a PostFinance account if you plan to stay in Switzerland — it is the only 100% no-paperwork online bank account for new arrivals, accepted by every Swiss employer for salary payment.
- →The yellow postbox (Briefkasten) is the default sending method — letters drop in, collected daily. Packages require a Post branch or PickPost.
- →Sunday and public holidays: no mail delivery or pickup. Monday delivery may be heavier as a result.
- →If a registered letter (eingeschriebener Brief) pickup slip appears in your letterbox, do NOT ignore it — deadlines from tax office, Migration Office, or courts often start running even if you never physically collected.