SWITZERLAND TRAVEL TIPS: Top 10 things to know before you visit Switzerland!
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- čas přidán 22. 08. 2024
- Hi guys! Planning a trip to Switzerland? In this video we'll go through 10 things you need to know before visiting! Switzerland is a small European country that isn't part of the EU, doesn't use the Euro - and has a lot of things that are specific just to Switzerland! Watch this video when planning your trip and you'll know how to travel Switzerland like a pro!
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Bienvenue & Willkommen! We are Lex & Louis - and together we are The Traveling Swiss. We're an international couple (USA + Switzerland) who have recently moved from NYC to Switzerland. Come travel with us - we'll give you tips and guides, and hopefully have a few laughs along the way. Our goal is to show you that borders are meant to be crossed!
Keep up with us!
→ Instagram: / thetravelingswiss
→ Email: thetravelingswiss@gmail.com
This channel is a labor of love, if you enjoyed the video please make sure to subscribe!
xx Lex & Louis
We’ve started offering custom Switzerland itineraries and/or 1:1 consultations due to popular demand. If you need some extra guidance for your trip to Switzerland just send us an email or DM us on Instagram!
Hansueli Ryser
Hi Alexis. I am Swiss, grew up in Zurich but now living in Colorado. I truly enjoyed seeing your videos and you are mostly correct. My wife (born US citizen) and I visit Switzerland (or "CH") every year (except last year due to Covid). You touched on so many cultural differences that I would like to emphasize on a couple of your tips:
- Electrical plugs: Yes, the Swiss electrical plug is different to the plugs needed in other European countries. The diameter of the prongs are smaller. Therefore, the Swiss plug can be used in many other countries but not the other way around.
- 220 Volts: Be careful to operate a US gismo in Switzerland if it does not say on a label that you can operate it at voltages from 110 to 240 Volts
- Shoes on chairs: This is absolutely a no-no. I mean, what lady in a nice summer dress would like to sit down on a chair where the folks before had their dirty shoes on....
- Alexis, you mentioned that all grocery stores and retail stores are closed on Sundays. This is one small exception. Switzerland has a law called 'Das Ladenschluss-Gesetz" or the business-closing law. The only exceptions to this regulation are the Train-stations. They are exempt. Just visit the Zurich main-train-station. Below the station is a large shopping area called "Shopville" where you can purchase stuff on Sundays.
- Drinking water: Somebody commented on the water or specifically, that it is safe to drink from many fountains throughout Switzerland. It is pure and good drinking water. I remember years ago there was a study done by an independent laboratory about the purity and health aspect of all major bottled water brands as well as the water that comes out of the household faucets in Zurich. The best score had the tap water out of the faucets. The worst were many of the most famous brands....
- Swiss German vs High German: Well, going to school in Zurich, one of the first topics you learn is High German, because Swiss German is not a written language. Thus, we must learn how to speak High German in order to have a writing tool. Though, some folks enjoy writing in Swiss German, that means to write all words phonetically. My recommendation is not to learn Swiss German necessarily but rather High German that you can use in Switzerland as well as in Austria and Germany.
- Driving in Switzerland: If you have to stop at a red light, do not turn right just because there is no traffic approaching the intersection from the left. This is allowed In most (not all) cases in the US but could cost you temporarily your driver's license in Switzerland plus a juicy fine. Also, there is an other funny specialty relating to speed limits. Speed limit in most towns is 50 kmh. This is signaled with a traffic sign, number in black on white background surrounded by a red circle. When you get out of town you will most likely see a sign with black strips diagonally across a white background. This sign stands for "Freie Fahrt" or free travel or "no speed limit...." NOT SO, but what is the speed limit???? Again, the speed limit is 50 kmh in cities (unless otherwise posted) and on Autobahns (freeways) it is 120 kmh however, between the cities and the Autobahns, the speed limit is 80 kmh, but there is no sign for that.
In traffic roundabouts, you are requested to set the right blinker when you want to exit the roundabout.
Not in the US, but in Switzerland you are allowed to park on a left side parallel parking spot.
Beware that the DUI (alcohol when driving) limit in Switzerland is 0.050% whereas in the US it is 0.100%. The Police is rather strict about drunk driving. By the way, the Swiss express the alcohol concentration in permille as opposed to percent. Thus, 0.050 percent is 0.500 permille.
- Expensive Switzerland: Yes, that is true. However, there are thing less expensive in Switzerland compared to the states. Like skiing, cheese, often wine, etc. But we must keep one thing in mind, it is a relatively expensive country when you compare your purchases to what it would have been in the states. But working and earning money in Switzerland, the salaries are accordingly higher as well.
Sorry for this long chat. Again, thank you Alexis for your great videos!!!!!
Wow! Thank you SO Much for the comment. Really appreciate all of your detailed notes!
- I had no idea about Das Ladenschluss-Gesetz and the exception I had always assumed it was more of a custom versus a requirement/law, but this makes sense why the train stations always have store openings!
- I had moved to Switzerland with a B2 in high German but was a bit overly confident that it would allow me to understand the Swiss German dialect. After a year in Zurich I'm getting better at understanding Swiss German but haven't gotten anywhere with speaking it unfortunately. I think high German is much easier for foreigners, but unfortunately makes truly integrating a bit of a challenge
- I've recently switched my US drivers license to a Swiss one and have been driving with my Swiss husband as much as I can, I'm definitely still getting used to the speed limits, different signage, etc. I didn't know at first that "freie fahrt" was actually 120.. I was going quite a bit over that and was confused why everyone was driving quite a bit more slowly! This is making me think I should make a video on driving in Switzerland and the different road signs, etc.!
Thanks again for watching!
alter grössti schwizer kommentar womer cha mache, richtig tüpflischisserig ;)
quite useful. Thank you :)
Why do I like travel guides about my own country
Swiss here
You can actually use Euros to pay, but only bills. And yes, the conversion rate is 1:1, you will loose money.
Don't go to Starbucks for a Coffee. You can get a decent one (Coffee cream) for about 4.50 at any restaurant.
Jaywalking is actually more common than you think and you can see it if you know where to look. We try to avoid it when children are looking.
About the shoes: Just ask if you should take off your shoes. We consider it polite and you can score some easy points with us.
Groceries can be bought on gas stations too, but it tends to be more expensive there.
About the water: you can even drink water marked as non drinkable (paquette somewhere on the fountain, crossed out tap on it usually). They just put it there because they don't check it regularly and that means there could be a small chance that there are some trace bacteria left and the community does not want to face legal issues in case someone gets an upset stomache from it. But it is still springwater from a well somewhere nearby underground, just unsupervised.
And if you travel to a valley called "Puschlav" in Graubünden you will find a lot of fountains marked with warnings about some radioactivity in the water. It sounds worse than it is. We changed the safetylimits for certain water constituents two years ago and these fountains are now considered to be low key radio active. But people still live there, there are no hightened cancer cases, it's just a safety thing
Shoes off makes so much sense👍👍👍 if it is raining or snowing you don't want to bring all that outdoor mud inside to your cosy living room
My husband and I are traveling to Switzerland for 3 weeks this June! (2023) You have been IMMENSELY helpful. I have been binging you guys all day :) Thank you so much!
Hi!Are you purchasing the swiss travel pass or the swiss half fare card?
Living in Switzerland I feel like planning takes up most of my time 😁
I’m understand why is the amazing country I like for their rules
I have been to Switzerland. All of your tips are very thoughtful. We loved the water fountains there. We were so happy filling our bottle up when we saw one. Thanks for sharing.
Great tips Lex! 👍
You can actually be fined if the SBB people catch you with your feet on the seat.
Some EU actually fit into the Swiss ones, but not all. You can also get a converter at the Coop or Migros and is much much cheaper than in those touristy shops. If I remember correctly it costs around 4-6chf. You can probably get it cheaper online, but if you’re already in Switzerland and desperately need a new one.
thanks for watching!! :)
I haven't been able to find the Swiss to North American convertors in Coop/Migros too easily - they always have the EU convertors though - so I guess it just depends on which type you need. The first time I visited I had to go to one of those super tourist places to find a US one, I think it was like 15CHF lol
@@TheTravelingSwiss Always a pleasure. 😉
Uff, 15 CHF? That's such a rip-off! Then I guess it really depends on the type of converter that you need. I always needed the EU ones and they were usually in stock. 😀
After watching your amazing videos, Switzerland is now on our bucket list.
Great tips we will need to keep in mind.
even if I never make it there, your descriptions paint an interesting picture
Given the tip you gave about not expecting to shop on Sundays in Switzerland, if a business lists their hours as "daily", does that mean M-F or every day of the week including Sunday? For example, the Ballenberg Open Air Museum lists their hours as "Opening hours season 2023, 6 April to 29 October 2023, Daily from 10 am to 5 pm". Your videos have been pure GOLD for helping me plan my trip!
Nice videos. I can only recommend the water bottle tip to everyone, but one small note; Especially in the mountains / mountain cantons, the water is sometimes of higher quality than any other mineral water you can buy (e.g. Valais & Graubünden).
Yes!!! We were just on a hike this weekend in Flims and the water was absolutely amazing! Love this comment :) (no more plastic water bottles everyone! you don’t need it!)
I'm looking for croup tours please
Every country has its own rules. Great info
Some Swiss trains even have designated railway cars where phone calls and conversations are not allowed. Why? Because many commuters take the train to work (sometimes for an hour or more) and want to be able to read or study some documents. In the designated "quiet" cars, these people are given this important piece of travel quality as advertised on the car. If other people want to talk, they can take a seat in one of the normal railway cars on the same train.
So smart to have designated quiet cars, I wish I saw that more often in other places - very nice option especially as I've been working remotely, it's nice to have the option to quietly be on your computer and get some work done in peace :)
@@TheTravelingSwiss on some trains there are the opposite: family coaches they have a built in playground and needless to say a higher noise level is acceptable even to us stern Swiss ;)
Thanks for sharing New Yorker, I am from Pennsylvania, in AZ and Florida for thee pass several years, would love to visit Switzerland, I get the rules, respect them, have heard it cost, like anything else and look forward to enjoying the journey! Stay blessed and let's go! 💆💆💆💆💆💆
So much fun to watch and great information. It so interesting all the things that you notice when you live in a new place. Thank you so much. I feel prepared for when we inevitably get to Switzerland
It’s a great one about the water ! I remember going in the French West Indies and paying so much just to drink some water. Thanks for all the tips. I will have this video at my fingertips if I go to Switzerland.
wow...thanks for this tips my friend.. i will visiting swiss someday..
Hi I just found ur channel. And u are very informative! I'd love to visit Switzerland somedaaaay.
if you put your feet up in the train, take one of those free newspapers and put it below so you dont touch the seat with your shoes. at least thats what i did when i traveled alot by train. well and obviously only do it when the train is not full :P
We are neighbors ... but unfortunately I have never been to Switzerland. I think you have a very pleasant narrative voice, you could moderate news. Switzerland is really expensive, but very beautiful.
Thanks so much!😊 yes, Switzerland is very expensive which can definitely be discouraging for tourism! But with a bit of planning there are ways to do it within most budgets
It is true that we do not speak High German if we speak with each other. But everyone in the german part of Switzerland understand and can speak High German since it is the language we read and write and everyone learns it a day one in school. Sometimes it sounds a little bit funny if a Swiss speaks High German depending on the education and the language skill of the person. So if you can speak German and you like to practise it, do not hesitate to use it. And do not get irritate if the person will answer in english, since also the Swiss likes to practise their English whenever they can. Generally we appreciate if someone tries to speak in the local language since that shows respect and that is always welcome. Btw. Also the Germans have their dialects which may differ quite a lot to the High German (i.e Bavarian, Cologne, South-Germany ...)
This is a really good video with great tips! The prices have definitely changed since I was there many years ago. I used to cross the border to shop in Switzerland because it was cheaper!
must've been in the 60s then
The most common problem I have faced most of the times and I don’t even thought about that before was the adapters issue!!! And I am always saying....how didn’t think about that before ?😂
Totally! it can be such a headache if you don't realize until you travel that your adapters won't work!
Thank you for the tips👍🏻 Big help for those planning to visit switzerland.
I love the "quiet wagons"
swirzteeland is my dream the montains really beautiful
Great vlog❣️
As Switzerland is on my lovely list of countries to go - I find your tips very helpful and interesting!☺️ Thank you🙌
Planning a winter holiday to Switzerland this year and your videos are so helpful! Thanks! 😍
I hear Switzerland is very expensive. Thank God that restaurant workers make more. I think they need more to live there. Lot's of great information in this one. Thank you.
The thing about taking your shoes off is so and so, most peopel who go to someone else's house will ask if they need to take their shoes off to enter the house, I say most people will say they dont have to, but most people will still take their shoes off out of respect to the homeowner. Usually people who require you to take off your shoes will have some extra "house shoes"/slippers for guest
As a Swiss I'd probably round a Fr 43.50 restaurant bill up to 45.-- definitely not 50.--
I am Swiss too and would definitely round it up to 50.- I don't have much money but I heard that people with little money tip more than rich ones.
@@nothingbutwahala Trained service personnel have salaries of roughly Fr. 4,500.-- in their first year. Do you also round up your bill at Migros or Coop or at the Tankstellenshop by 15%? The cashiers there get the same salary or even slightly less.
Omg I heard about the tipping before but I just didn’t feel right about tipping so low but apparently it is fine to round up! Thanks for saying this.
You're mostly right. But there is some cheep stuff, like beer out of the supermarket, but not in the bars. And you can drink it everywhere you like. You can jaywalk, but it depends on the time and the surrounding. I kind of always do it unless there are kids around. And of course i do it at night
It is a lovely video . You have covered some new places which I surely wasn't aware of
Very useful my dear. But the adaptors. I forget them always lol
The Tipp in a restaurant is included in to everysing that you are paying for in Switzerland. The Tipp that we are giving to the waiter ist to show him or her that they worked good and we are happy with their service.
Greetings from Scotland. New connection here. Thanks for sharing the tips. Switzerland would be high up on our bucket list.
We absolutely love Scotland! Hope to visit again once were able to travel internationally! Thanks for watching!
Your video is always informative. I haven't visited Switzerland yet so this is what I will pack with when I plan to visit. I heard that things in Switzerland is quite expensive. Thank again for sharing.
I just went on a trip to France Switzerland and Italy and my European plugs worked just fine in Switzerland
Thanks for the tips! We still have to do a tour in La Suisse so we can use the tips 😉🥰
Very informative! I look forward to going back to Switzerland!!
Visiting Switzerland in two weeks. As with our France England trip, we will frequent the grocery stores.
Hello! Loving your vlogs! For the past few days i have been binge watching your videos. However i am hoping you can do tips or advise videos for family/people moving to Swtizerland. Like how is your family life like in Switzerland. Thank you and looking forward to more Swiss vlogs🤗
Let me know if there is anything particular you want to know about living here!
@@TheTravelingSwiss want to see like an everyday life in Switzerland with a toddler. Or like bring us with you the next time you go grocery shopping or to the mall.☺️ im curious as well as to which cantons or cities are great place to live if you have a family. Or just how it is like having a family in Switzerland🥰
This is a really great video and info thank youuuu for the tips❣️❣️
very useful tips 😃 ! My uncle lives in Zurich !
yolo tip: If you buy a 3-way adapter (the one with 3 "spikes") and it doesn't fit in some sockets, just cut off the lower middle spike with a metal saw and it'll fit and work in all sockets since it's just the optional grouding (will also work in EU countries like Germany etc.)
😂
Some remarks: Apart from the different power outlets, it should be mentioned, that Europe countries use 230 Volts and 50Hz apart from the 120 Volts and 60Hz in the US!
Regarding tipping: We tip more in the original sense of a tip. If we feel we have been treated well, we tip, if we were treated badly, we certainly don't. Also, In expensive restaurants it's kinda expected to tip around 10%
In regards to the tipping, it's also generally why we get better service in the US since the compensation of service staff is directly linked to the quality of service provided. If the priority is customer service, then it's a better form of compensation versus a higher base wage. Whatever the case may be, it shouldn't be the gov't who decides what's best for the business and employees. Same applies with the compulsory closing times.
Dear Alexis, I am from Brazil ( city called Sao Paulo) and I started watching your videos today. Thank you very much for this valuable information. I will arrive in Zurich on Sept 5th and stay 14 days sightseeing (Zurich, Schaffhausen, Lucern and Interlaken). It will be my first time in this beautiful country. Best Regards, Ms. Priscilla Nascimento
Hi Priscilla! I'll be going to Switzerland on the first two weeks of September, staying in Zug but want to visit Zurich, Lucern and Interlaken). Maybe we can coordinate in case we match some days? :)
- Stephanie from Peru
paying to use the restroom is so weird for me. i am from brazil and there it is free everywhere so when i moved to europe i was like “what do you mean I have to PAY to do a basic human necessity”
Great content! Glad I found you guys! We are Florida CZcamsrs here. You guys gained a new subscriber in us! We might see you down the road!
My wifes family are from kanton Schaffhausen. Being close to the German border euros are pretty much interchangeable with Swiss francs in cafes, restaurants and many shops.
Great video. Like your content 😍 Thanks for sharing just prices are hurting in Switzerland 😂
Ha! For sure, definitely some of the prices can be shocking here!
Kitchens and restaurants in 95% of places will not close at 9pm. Im a kitchen chef so I know this, most places you can get food till 10pm, that doesnt mean go in the restaurant at 10pm and try to eat because depending on location and season there is a 50 50 chance they will serve you.
thank you for the tips! i will be moving from Australia to Switzerland I will be moving to Ollon this December for school (Aiglon College) and its great to know that the adaptors are different and the toilets cost money.
2:22 if you put something under your feet. like a jackt or newspaper then its okey.
Just as soon as your shoes touch the fabric of the seat its not okey anymore. but if you have a spare jacket or even your backpack, its more acapebeal thhen with bare shoes. i had a incounter with a trainconductor and she said that if i put something under my shoes then its okey.
good information. Planning on a trip in september.
Thank you for this, very helpful!
Hi Lex this is my first video of u... nicely explained some tips.. hope u will be explaining & share your experiences in near future. Have a nice day 🤩🤟
Hey guys i am in Niederurnen, i just watched your top 10 things you must try in Switzerland and about the fondue. Could you guys advice me on a good fondue restaurant within a hour of Glarus? And maybe even what i should try? You guys seem super stoked about the fondue so i am excited to try it! 🤩
Excellent tipa! Thanks! Visiting in Sept. 2022.
Really interesting, would love to go to Switzerland!
thank you for yours suggestion
Hi greetings from Caracas, Venezuela. Switzerland is one of my favourite countries and i would like to live there
The adapter advice is excellent 👌
Don’t plan to go there yet but great information. Keep safe 🙏👍🌈
I live in Eu and usually the 2 prong plugs are actually slimmer thus do not require a swiss adaptor. I may have to return the ones I bought.
I am exactly the same as Costa T! I always forget haha. Great mentioning it. How are you so informative? 😆👍
What a nice personality and good information!😊
You are saving my life. Cheers🥂
Recently found your channel, New sub. I love, love this video, important information! Please do more of these. My husband and I want to travel there in 2 years whenhe retires, could use your help for sure 😃
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Very good and informative video with all the information
Never heard the jaywalking or the shoe ones before, useful!
Fantastic video thank you!!!!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wonderful Switzerland video 👍👍👍👍👍 13
the thing about German/Swiss German is 100% correct, they will understand you but if they speak swiss german (which there is pretty much a dialect for each swiss german region you will not understand them). that said a good amount of people will speak english and no I have never heard someone speak Romanch (or however you write it) most of swiss people will speak german/swissgerman (most people speaking swiss german will know german or like she called it highgerman or us locals callll it hochdeutsch).
I've been in Zurich for about a year now, I'm starting to get a bit of an ear for Swiss German but even after a year its quite difficult and foreign to me! Much easier for me to speak/understand high german, but hopefully this will come with time! :)
@@TheTravelingSwiss Nice, have you ever been to Ticino?
Be careful: the black adapter you show in the video wont fit in all sockets in Switzerland, especially not in the current ones having recessed contacts.
thank you for such an insightful vlog. where can we find/buy jumbo felt slippers?
Hey, very useful video, many thanks! I do plan on visiting Lauterbrunnen between 5th and 10th of May. I was wondering if it was a right decision due to the weather condition? Is it usually warm early in May? Thanks for your recommendations!
I was also wondering this, I’ll be visiting in May as well!
@@angiecrocitto have a nice trip 😃
Great information.Thanks
Excellent!, thanks 🙏
Thanks for share and looking good
Thanks for watching!
1.Train Etiquette: As it should be, its called respect, yes always wait for people inside the train or bus or whatever to leave before you board, and for putting your foot on the seat, thats just gross and awful no matter where you are.
2.Outlet: Good to know, not something to worry about, just a minor inconvenience.
3.Public Restroom: I don't see a problem with this as long as the bathroom is clean, Im willing to pay whatever to use a bathroom that is clean, as I got tired of cleaning bathrooms for the person after me.
4.Prices: Granted it is expected, considering the geography of the country.
5.Tipping: As it should be (Considering the prices).
6.Jaywalking: Everyone should just not do this like at all! (The only exception would be if the traffic light has malfunctioned or something, and even then, you should only cross when its safest to do so with caution).
7.Taking Shoes Off: Why would you not take your shoes off anywhere around the world in the first place? The shoe is filled with germs and disgusting filth from the street, if you walk inside the house after the fact with your shoes, you're just smearing all that shit from outside, INSIDE! HELL NO.
8. Limited Open Hours: Good to know but what about orders? Food orders, store order, packages, etc?
9.Languages: Where can you learn Swiss German outside of Switzerland?
10.Drinking Water: Amazing, thanks for the tip
In regards to tip 6, I think it's worth pointing out that the Germanic "respect" for rule-following has proven to be quite the double-edged sword.
@@Mythicregard How so? Can you give me an example?
@@nopelandfill You know those vaguely Semitic people that have been living with us for many decades. Well now that I'm in charge, I command all of you to treat them worse than rats. It'll be the solution to all our problems.
A healthy skepticism towards authority and their rules keeps the tyrants at bay.
I'm confused. In Singapore, I just did some shopping it keeps including Switzerland with the 2-prong plugs! I better get the 3-prong.
Great videos. Just discovered.
Video on Bern?
We have one!
Nice sharing and information while travelling Switzerland new friend here
Hey! Great tips for a person visiting Switzerland. I am not Swiss and I get so annoyed when I hear people talk on the train. Acclimatising I guess?
hahah love this! I'm still too new I think to have adjusted - the loud New Yorker in me is very strong lol!
Planning a trip in mid July. Any tips on where to start? First time visiting.
Surprised that there were no comments about the paper work required to travel around in Switzerland.
99% of times most places will be closed on Sunday, what has happened over the last 20 years si a lot of gas stations will actually be super small grocery stores, most times at a small surplus.
I live right near a Coop Pronto and feel very lucky about that! very convenient if its a sunday and I forgot something!
Thank you for doing 10. Other people are doing 50+ tips and it’s way too many.
Hi, plugs are different around Europe, but you lucky if you go in Italy most of our 🇨🇭 plugs will fit there...not all the german will fit also in Italy 😂😂 and especially in UK nothing will fit without adapter 👍👍👋👋
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Brilliant !
Thank you ! :)
Thank you lady !
thank you great review. those prices!!! like #7, I thought this was in Asia only
it's expensive here normally restaurant.
we are going to France to spend Saturday in Lyon or annecy super cheap for us