Switzerland: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive Switzerland feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 345 written places.
Punctual to the minute, quiet by agreement, and outdoors at every opportunity.
✓ Considered polite
- Greet with Gruezi in the German part, Bonjour in the French, Buongiorno in the Italian
- Be exactly on time - trains and people both
- Carry your rubbish off the mountain
- Say hello to fellow hikers on trails - it is expected
✗ Better avoided
- Make noise on Sundays - no drilling, mowing or loud music
- Expect budget anything - plan for the prices instead of fighting them
- Flush toilets or shower loudly late at night in apartment stays - quiet hours are taken seriously
- Litter - fines are real and enforced
Worth knowing
- Tipping is not expected - service is included and wages are real
- Tap water is superb; every village fountain with no sign is drinkable
- The Half Fare Card halves most trains, boats and cable cars - it usually pays for itself in a week
- Supermarket lunches are the standard local trick against restaurant prices
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
Some links on this page are Amazon affiliate links - if you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.