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SwitzerlandMap & Travel Tips.MySwitzerland.com

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Public holidays.2010

New Year January 1

Good Friday April 2

Easter Monday April 5

Ascension Day May 13

Whit Monday May 24

National Day August 1

Christmas Day December 25

Boxing Day December 26

2011

New Year January 1

Good Friday April 22

Easter Monday April 25

Ascension Day June 2

Whit Monday June 13

National Day August 1

Christmas Day December 25Boxing Day December 26

Regional and local holidays, such as

January 2, May 1 (Labor Day), Corpus

Christi, Assumption etc. are observed in

many parts of the country.

How to get there.Switzerland is a small multicultural, multi-

lingual country located in the very heart of

Europe. It shares common frontiers with

five countries Germany, France, Italy,

Austria and the tiny Principality of Liech-

tenstein. Switzerland is therefore at the

crossroads of the continent. It is a focal

point of international air, road and rail traf-

fic and easily accessible within hours from

major European cities and centres.

By air

Swiss International Air Lines is the na-

tional carrier of Switzerland serving 90

worldwide destinations in 42 countries

from its home hub in Zrich, and from Ba-

sel and Geneva international airports.

Zrich and Geneva airports are fully inte-

grated into the Swiss railroad network and

have their own railway stations. Trains to

the two city centres run every 10 to 20

minutes, with a travelling time of approxi-

mately 10 minutes. Hourly intercity and di-

General infor

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rect trains leave right from either airport

station and will connect you to many cities

and towns. In Basel, a bus service links

the airport with the downtown area. The

bus stops right outside the main railway

station. The buses leave every 30 minutes

and the ride takes 15 to 20 minutes.

www.zurich-airport.com, www.gva.ch,

www.euroairport.com

By train

Thanks to its convenient central location,

Switzerland is also served by fast reliable

inter-European rail services from at least

a dozen countries. Most trains include

dining cars, bars and a wide range of

other amenities and for night travel

comfortable sleeping compartments.

By car

For travellers arriving by road, Switzerland

is linked to Europes extensive motorway

network. Cross-border travel is trouble

free, with the minimum of delay and for-

malities.

Car rental

You rent a lot more than a car! Europcar is

the leading car rental company in Switzer-

land with more than 60 locations and a

wide range of cars. Up to 3,200 vehicles

are ready to be rented we always have

the perfect car for you on

www.MySwitzerland.com/europcar.

Electricity.The current used throughout Switzerland

is 220 volts (AC), 50 cycles. Most power

sockets are designed for three-pin round

plugs. The standard continental type plug

with two-pin round plugs, applied for

many electrical travel products, may be

used without problem. Adaptors are avail-

able in most hotels.

Telecommunications.Before setting off, check that your mobile

is activated for telephoning abroad. Your

provider will give you information on this.

You may need an adapter to recharge your

mobile in Switzerland.

ation.

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In Switzerland

The Swisscom Mobile network covers

over 99% of the populated area of Swit-

zerland. Upon entry to Switzerland the

mobile phone generally searches on its

own for a network. For example, SWISS

GSM will appear on the display. Informa-

tion on coverage of the mobile network of

Swisscom Mobile, Switzerlands leading

network provider, can be found at www.

swisscom-mobile.ch

Phoning home and within Switzerland

International calls may be made from any

public phone by dialling 00 followed by

the international dialling code. For exam-

ple, Germany +49, or France +33. The 0

of the local area code is omitted, for ex-

ample +49221123456. As a rule, the +

sign appears if you keep the 0 pressed

for a bit longer. When calling within Swit-

zerland it is not necessary to enter the

country code. However, you do need

to enter the local area code; if calling a

number in Bern, for example, you woulddial 0311234567. Phone cards can be

bought at hotel reception desks, post of-

fices and kiosks for CHF 10 or CHF 20.

Important telephone numbers.

The following numbers can be dialled for

information:

Emergency calls

117 Police in case of emergencies

118 Fire brigade

144 Ambulance (not in all areas)

Information services

1811 For numbers in Switzerland and

international numbers

140 Motoring assistance

162 Weather report

163 Conditions of traffic, roads and passes

187 Avalanche bulletin

Customs entry regulations.Duty and tax free imports per person:

Used personal effects

Used personal effects, such as clothing,

underwear, toilet articles, sports gear,

photo and film cameras, camcorders,

portable computers, musical instruments,and other articles for general use.

Provisions

Foodstuff and non-alcoholic beverages for

the day of travelling.

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Cash

In the case of the importation, transit and

export of liquid funds (cash, securities,

amongst others) with a value of more than

CHF 10,000, upon request information

must be given on the origin, the intended

use and the beneficial owner. The right is

reserved to take other measures linked to

combating crime.

Tobaccos and spirits

200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams

of pipe tobacco

2 litres of alcohol (up to 15% vol.) and

1 litre of alcohol (over 15% vol.)

Other goods

For other private goods there is a total

value limit of CHF 300 per person.

Value added tax.The VAT you pay on purchased goods in

Switzerland is 7.6%. You may ask at the

shops for your Global Refund Cheque

and reclaim the VAT. Your total purchasesin a shop must amount to more than

CHF 300 (including VAT). You must be

a resident outside Switzerland and the

goods must be exported within 30 days.

www.globalrefund.com

Three easy steps to claiming your refund

in Switzerland:

Step 1: Refund Cheque

Ask the shop staff for a Refund Cheque

when paying for your purchases.

Step 2: Customs Stamp

Show your purchases, receipt and pass-

port to Customs when leaving the country,

or at the final point of departure when

leaving the European Union, and have

your Refund Cheque stamped.

Step 3: Refund Office

Show the stamped Refund Cheque, pass-

port and credit card at a nearby Refund

Office and ask for an Immediate Refund

on your credit card. Alternatively the re-

fund can be paid in cash.

Local procedures may vary. Please refer

to Local Information for country-specific

regulations.

Money.Currency

Please note that Switzerland uses the

Swiss franc, usually indicated as CHF.

Though Switzerland is not part of the Eu-

ropean Union and thus is not obliged

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to convert to the euro, many prices are

nonetheless indicated in euros so that vis-

itors may compare prices. Merchants may

accept euros but are not obliged to do so.

Change given back to the client will most

likely be in Swiss francs.

The Swiss franc comes in the following

denominations:

Coins: 5, 10, 20, 50 cents (Rappen) and

1, 2, 5 francs

Bank notes: 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 1,000

francs

Credit cards

Eurocard/MasterCard, VISA, American Ex-

press, Diners Club

The safest and easiest forms of money are

travellers cheques and credit cards. The

cards most used are Visa, MasterCard

and American Express. Many banks in

Switzerland have equipped their ATM ma-

chines with the Cirrus or Maestro system.Many other Swiss banks offer ATM ma-

chines for cash advances with your credit

card. It is recommended to have a small

amount of cash on hand upon arrival in

Switzerland for immediate expenses, i.e.

taxies, city transportation, etc.

Places to exchange money

any Swiss bank

airports

main railway stations (Western Union)

major hotels

Swiss banks offer the best exchange rates

for your travellers cheques or cash for

foreign currencies (only bank notes). Offi-

cial exchange offices and hotels may

charge a fee for their services.

Business hours.Generally, offices are open 8am to noon

and 2 to 5pm on weekdays and closed

on weekends.

Shops

Shops in smaller towns and villages are

generally open from Monday to Friday

from 9am to noon and again from 2 to

6.30pm. In larger cities they do not close

for lunch and generally extend their hours

till 9pm on one evening of the week, usu-

ally on Thursdays. In Zurich the shops areopen till 8pm on weekdays.

On Saturdays most shops close between

4 and 6pm.

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Banks

Banks are usually open Monday to Friday

from 8.30am to 4.30pm. Once a week they

extend their hours. Please check locally.

They are closed Saturdays, Sundays and

on public holidays. However, money can

also be changed at major train stations.

Look for the Change/Cambio signs.

Many banks have automated teller ma-

chines (ATMs) that accept overseas bank

cards. Before arriving, please check with

your local bank whether your bank card is

valid in Switzerland.

Post offices

Post offices are usually open from 8am

to noon and from 2 to 5pm on weekdays,

whereas branches that are located in

shops, are usually open the same hours

as the shops, including the extended

business times that are often offered once

a week. On Saturdays, post offices in large

cities are open from 8.30am till noon, in

villages they may be closed. Please check

locally. All post offices are closed on Sun-days.

Prices for standard letters/postcards,

max. B5 (250x176mm) and max. thick-

ness 20mm.

Priority mail

Weight Europe Other countries

020g CHF 1.30 CHF 1.80

2150g CHF 2.40 CHF 3.50

51100g CHF 3.50 CHF 4.70

(October 2009)

Shopping.

Switzerlands superb products make it ashoppers paradise.

English is spoken in most shops and de-

partment stores. Any stay in Switzerland

is incomplete without buying a famous

Swiss watch. Fine watches come in an in-

finite variety and are generally less expen-

sive than in other countries. Bucherer is

the countrys biggest and most famous

watch retailer offering a wide range of

watches from CHF 50 to 100,000.

www.bucherer.ch

Chocolates come in a variety of sizes,

shapes and flavours. Excellent buys are:

textiles, embroidery, fine handkerchiefs,

linen, precision instruments, drafting sets,

multiblade pocket knives (www.victorinox.

ch), music boxes, woodcarvings, ceramics

and other handmade items as well as an-

tiques and art books.

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Gastronomy.

Regional specialities

Zrich: Minced veal in cream sauce with

rosti, the golden light Swiss version of

hash brown potatoes. Bern: Smoked pork,

sausage and sauerkraut. Geneva: Filet

of perch and lake trout. Lausanne: Local

sausage on a bed of leeks and potatoes.

Ticino: Polenta, risotto and pasta. Gener-

ally everywhere: Crusty bread, great

cheeses and preserves for breakfast...

and of course real muesli. Try famous fon-

due, raclette, or cheese tartlets. Foods

can be light the delicious taste of the

Grisons air-dried meats and freshest

lake fish. Or sumptuous feasts classic

sausages and tender meats. Try a tray

of our many cheeses, perhaps a Tte de

Moine. Indulge in desserts that bring tears

of delight!

Tipping.A service charge is normally included in

restaurant and hotel bills as well as taxi

fares. An extra tip is not expected but is

appreciated.

Passport, visa regulations.For information on visas, permanent resi-

dence as well as on work permits and busi-

ness matters, please contact the Swiss

Embassy or the Swiss Consulate located

nearest you or check www.bfm.admin.ch

Temperatures.The climate is moderate: from March

to June and September to December av-

erage temperature can vary from 5C

to 22C. From July to August the daytimetemperature ranges from 18C to 28C

and the JanuaryFebruary range is 2C

to +7C. Depending on the altitude the

temperature range may vary.

There is no excessive heat or humidity.

Southern Switzerland has subtropical veg-

etation and enjoys a year-round mild cli-

mate.

Security, health, insurance.Switzerland has one of the lowest crime

rates of all industrialized countries. But

it is always wise to keep an eye on wallets

and luggage in busy areas. Drinking andeating out is hygienic and the tap water

is safe. Immunization against contagious

diseases is only required if the traveller

has been in an infected area within 14 days

prior to arrival in Switzerland. Personal

travel insurance is strongly recommended,

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including coverage of personal accident,

sickness, loss or damage to luggage

and personal effects, and cancellation

charges.

Public transportation,

Swiss Travel System.Anyone who has ever visited Switzerland

will tell you that its public transportation

service is one of the finest worldwide.

Fast, efficient and frequent, it connects

even the most remote places. Trains,

buses, boats and urban transportation

systems weave a dense network, carrying

visitors and locals anywhere they wish

to go.

The best way to discover Switzerland

is to purchase a Swiss Pass.The Swiss

Pass entitles visitors to unlimited travel

on the Swiss Travel Systems network of

trains, buses, boats and urban transport:

it also includes free travel on most of

Switzerlands legendary scenic routes, likethe Glacier Express, Bernina Express,

GoldenPass Line or Wilhelm Tell Express.

The Swiss Pass is also valid as a Swiss

Museum Pass and gets you into more

than 400 museums in Switzerland for

free. And with a Swiss Pass you are

also eligible for a hefty 50% discount

on most mountain top rides by cable

car or cogwheel train.

There are several discount options with

the Swiss Pass like the Swiss Saver Pass

for two people travelling together or the

Swiss Youth Passfor young people under

26. For visitors who wish to stay in one

specific region of Switzerland we recom-

mend the Swiss Transfer Ticket (round-

trip airport/border destination of your

choice) or the Swiss Card (with 50% dis-

count on additional tickets) at very attrac-

tive flat rates. Children under 16 years of

age travel completely free if accompanied

by at least one parent. Swiss Travel Sys-

tem tickets will also give you discounts on

city tours in seven Swiss cities, on hotel

accommodation and with other bonus

partners.

Detailed information about the Swiss

Travel System offer is available online at

www.swisstravelsystem.co.uk.There you

will also find a list of our worldwide pointsof sale. The following rates are in EUR/CHF

and are guiding rates (in most countries

sales prices are converted into local cur-

rency). Please check your local sales point

or www.swisstravelsystem.co.uk.

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Swiss Flexi Pass (EUR/CHF). 2nd class 1st class

1 adult Saver Pass* 1 adult Saver Pass*

3 days within 1 month 161/249 137/212 242/374 206/318

4 days within 1 month 195/302 166/257 293/453 250/385

5 days within 1 month 226/349 193/297 339/524 289/445

6 days within 1 month 257/397 219/337 385/596 328/507

People up to the age of 26 can obtain the Swiss Youth Pass at a 25% discount on the full fare. Exactly the same advantagesare offered as in our Swiss Pass.*Saver Pass: valid for two to five people travelling together (rate indicated is per person)

Swiss Pass (EUR/CHF).

2nd class 1st class

1 adult Saver Pass* 1 adult Saver Pass*

4 days 168/260 143/221 252/390 215/332

8 days 243/376 207/320 364/564 310/479

15 days 294/455 250/387 441/683 375/581

22 days 339/525 289/446 509/788 433/670

1 month 373/578 318/491 560/867 476/737

Swiss Card (EUR/CHF). Swiss Transfer Ticket (EUR/CHF).2nd class 118/182 2nd class 82/127

1st class 165/255 1st class 124/192

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Top Events of Switzerland.The Top Events of Switzerland are seven world-famous events in the areas of art, film

music, golf, track and field and horse racing.

These individual summit meetings reflect a certain lifestyle and, by virtue of the quality

of the works exhibited, the presentation of exceptional filmmakers, actors, musicians,

or the participation of top athletes, clearly belong to the best in the world.

Art Basel, June 1620, 2010

In June, the cultural city of Basel becomes the hot spot of the international art scene.

Film Festival Locarno, August 414, 2010

Every year since 1946 the Italian-speaking town of Locarno on Lake Maggiore becomes

the world capital of cinema for 11 days.

Lucerne Festival, March 1928 | August 12September 18 | November 2228, 2010

The worlds leading orchestras, conductors and soloists gather in Lucerne three times

a year to shape one of the most thrilling classical music festivals on the Swiss calendar.

Montreux Jazz Festival, July 217, 2010Since its birth in 1967 as a three-day event, the Montreux Jazz Festival has become a

stupendous 16-day affair, headlined by jazz, blues, rock, world music, rap, electro, pop

and soul luminaries.

Omega European Masters, September 25, 2010

World-class golfers meet every year in Crans-Montana, drawn here by the unique ambi-

ance and the breathtaking natural scenery as well.

Weltklasse Zrich, August 19, 2010

Its not just amongst the athletes that tension mounts shortly before the starters gun

you could hear a needle drop in the stadium.

White Turf St. Moritz, February 7 | 14 | 21, 2010

Year after year the frozen surface of Lake St. Moritz provides the setting for Switzerlands

most lucrative and most exclusive horseracing events.

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Switzerland at a glance.

Capital: Bern

Cantons

(States): 26

Languages: German (64%)

French (20%)

Italian (7%)

Romantsch (1%)

others (8%)

Religions: Roman Catholic (42%)

Protestant (35%)

others or none (23%)

Area: 41,200 km2

(15,936 square miles)

Boundaries: total 1,852 km Austria 164 km

France 573 km

Germany 334 km

Italy 740 km

Liechtenstein 41 km

Distance North

to South: 220 km (137 miles)

Distance East

to West: 346 km (216 miles)

For further information about Switzerland

please visit MySwitzerland.com.

Highest point: Dufour Peak, in the

Monte Rosa mountain

range, 4,634 m

(15,203 feet)

Lowest point: Lake Maggiore (Ticino)

193 m (633 feet)

Lakes: 1,484

Glaciers: 140

Telephone

code: +41 + the number

Voltage: 220 volts, AC, 50 cycles

Population

entire country: 7,4 million

Population in larger cities (approx.):

Zrich: 370,000

Geneva: 186,000

Basel: 170,000

Bern: 125,000

Lausanne: 115,000

Winterthur: 100,000

St. Gallen: 70,000

Lucerne: 58,000

Lugano: 53,000

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Travel to Switzerland.

Scheduled flights operate from many UK and

Irish airports direct to Switzerland.

Swiss International Air Lines

Tel. 0845 601 0956

www.swiss.com/uk

British Airways

Tel. 0844 493 0787

www.ba.com

Aer Lingus

Tel. Northen Ireland and UK: 0870 876 5000

Tel. Ireland: 0818 365 000

www.aerlingus.com

Air Berlin

Tel. 0871 500 0737

www.airberlin.com

bmi

Tel. 0844 8484 888

www.flybmi.com

Darwin Airline

Summer onlyTel. +41 848 177 177

www.darwinairline.com

easyJet

Tel. 0871 244 2366

www.easyjet.com

Fly Baboo

Tel. 00800 445 445 45

www.flybaboo.com

Flybe

Winter only

Tel. 0871 700 2000

www.flybe.com

FlyGlobespan

Tel. 0871 271 9000

www.flyglobespan.com

Jet2.com

Tel. 0871 226 1737

www.jet2.com

Smaller carriers also fly from some regional air-

ports. For further details contact Switzerland

Travel Centre.

Passport and visa regulations.

Holders of a valid British passport and any

other EU nationals do not require a visa.

Travellers of other nationalities should enquire

at the Embassy of Switzerland.

Contact informationEmbassy of Switzerland

16-18 Montagu Place

London

W1H 2BQ

Tel. 020 7616 6000

Fax 020 7724 7001

swissembassy@lon.rep.admin.ch

www.swissembassy.org.uk

Embassy of Switzerland6 Ailsbury Road

Ballsbridge

Dublin 4

Republic of Ireland

Tel. 01 218 6382

Fax 01 283 0344

dub.vertretung@eda.admin.ch

www.eda.admin.ch/dublin

Embassy of Ireland

Kirchenfeldstr. 68

P.O. Box 262

CH-3000 Bern 6

www.embassyofireland.com

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Fly-Rail Baggage

Passengers flying into Zrich or Geneva can

check their baggage through from their de-

parture airport direct to many Swiss towns and

cities, for collection at their convenience. Simi-

larly, on the return journey, air travellers can

check their luggage through to their final desti-

nation airport. Currently charged at 12.00 per

item each way, this service is only available if

you travel to the airport by train. Note that some

budget airlines do not accept this service on re-

turn journeys. Visit www.rail.ch for more infor-

mation.

Arriving at Zrich or Geneva airport

Both Zrich and Geneva airports have their

own railway stations, with trains running direct

around the country. Regional railways and post-

bus services provide onward connections to all

Swiss destinations.

Rail travel

Switzerland Travel Centre can make reserva-

tions on Eurostar, TGV and other mainline serv-

ices as well as overnight trains from Paris to

Switzerland.

Switzerland Travel Centre can also reserveseats on all of Switzerlands scenic panoramic

trains, including the Glacier Express, Golden-

Pass Line, Bernina Express, Swiss Chocolate

Train and William Tell Express.

For more information about rail services to and

within Switzerland please visit

www.swisstravelsystem.co.uk

Tourist information andtravel bookings.

For tourist information, flight & rail ticket sales,

hotel bookings, package holidays and to buy

a vignette allowing you to drive on Swiss motor-

ways, contact:

Switzerland Travel Centre

1st Floor, 30 Bedford Street

London

WC2E 9ED

Freephone 00800 100 200 30

(or 020 7420 4900)

Freefax 00800 100 200 31 (or 020 7420 4922)

Opening hours public counter:

Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

Opening hours call centre:

Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 10am-2pm

sales@stc.co.uk

www.MySwitzerland.com

All prices quoted are correct at time of publi-

cation (January 2010). More detailed informa-

tion on all subjects can be found at www.MyS-

witzerland.com or by contacting Switzerland

Travel Centre.

Book your train tickets

For a world-wide list of sales points and on-

line booking facilities in the various countries

please go to the website of

Swiss Travel System.

www.swisstravelsystem.ch/wheretobuy

www.swissinfo.ch:

news and information on Switzerland

Are you interested in whats going on in Swit-

zerland? Then you have come to the right

place. www.swissinfo.ch is Switzerlands mul-

timedia news and information platform in nine

languages. Here you will find the lateston Swiss politics, the economy, society, travel

and culture as well as science.

www.swissinfo.ch

Your direct contact to Switzerland

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A commitment to constant improvement is thedriving force behind the SWISS philosophy of

delivering quality in every detail and typical

Swiss hospitality in order to make passengers

feel at home in the sky. Operating a technically

advanced fleet from its Zurich hub and the air-

ports of Geneva, Basel and Lugano, SWISS

connects Switzerland with Europe and the restof the world. The award-winning airline carries

some 13.5 million passengers annually.

SWISS.

This is what it feels like to travel the Swissway: There is a train, whenever you need one,

already at the airport. A bus, to take you farther,

or another train. And a boat, if you wish to enjoy

the beauty of the lakes. Or a little red train to

bring you up to the mountains. A whole system

of it, working like a Swiss watch. And so many

places to see, in that beautiful little country!Thats the Swiss Travel System. To have it all,

with one pass.

Swiss Travel System.

SWISS.COM

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www.zurich-airport.com

www.swisscard.ch

www.bucherer.com

www.mgbahn.ch

Partners.MySwitzerland.com/sponsors

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Europcar is the leading

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