Before You Book

PREPARING TO GO TO SWITZERLAND

 

Capital:

Bern

Religion: 

Roman Catholic (48%), Protestant (44%), others (8%)

Language in Switzerland:

German (64% of the population) in central and eastern areas, French (20%) in the west and Italian (7%) in the south, Romansch (1%), the fourth national language, is spoken in parts of the southeast. English (as a second or third language) is widely spoken.

LOCAL TIME

Central European Time (CET) is 1 hour ahead of GMT.

ELECTRICITY

230 volts AC, 50Hz. Standard European round two-pin plugs and Swiss three-pin plugs are used.

PASSPORT & VISA FEE:

A valid passport is required by all nationals. All Passengers are responsible for securing proper documentation prior to joining the tour. Please ensure that passport/s are valid for a minimum of 6 months beyond the intended date of return and contain between 2-6 blank “Visa” pages. You should have at least two free pages in your passport. Please access the Travel & Visa Requirements Section on the top of this page for the latest visa entry requirements for the country/ies you are visiting. Passports are required; in addition, travelers are also advised to check with local consulates for full details regarding visa requirements. Please note securing a valid visa for entry is the sole responsibility of the traveler.

Currency & Money

Swiss Franc (CHF; symbol SFr) = 100 cents (called centimes in French, rappen in German and centesimi in Italian). Notes are in denominations of SFr1000, 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of SFr5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 centimes.

Credit cards: 

Credit and debit cards are accepted at most places throughout Switzerland, including American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, and Visa.

ATM: 

ATMs are widely available throughout Switzerland, especially in the major cities.

Banking hours: 

Mon-Fri 0830-1630

Currency exchange: 

There are bureaux de change at train stations and banks.

Social conventions: 

It is customary to give flowers to the hostess when invited for a meal, but never give chrysanthemums or white asters as they are considered funeral flowers. Informal wear is widely acceptable. First-class restaurants, hotel dining rooms and important social occasions may warrant jackets and ties. Black tie is usually specified when required.

Required clothing:

Warm clothes and rainwear; lightweights for summer

Telephone:

Phonecards are available for use in payphones. SIM cards are available for mobile phones and the Swiss network supports many data-roaming packages.

Mobile phone:

Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good.

Internet:

Internet access is available in Internet cafés and phone booths operated across Switzerland, found in most major town and cities. In the case of phone booths, charges are payable by phonecard or credit card, whilst cafés are mostly independently run. Internet coverage is good across Switzerland.

Post office hours:

Mon-Fri 0730-1200 and 1345-1830. Saturday closing is at 1100 except in major cities.

Switzerland Food and Drink

Swiss cuisine is varied. The great speciality is fondue, a delicious concoction of Gruyère and Vacherin cheese, melted and mixed with white wine, flour, Kirsch and a little garlic. Other cheese specialities are Emmental and Tête de Moine. Pork sausages or salami come in a variety of local recipes including Beinwurst, Engadinerwurst, Knackerli, Landjäger and Leberwurst (liver pâté). A great variety of Swiss wines are available throughout the country. Swiss beer is also popular - both lager and dark beers. Bottled mineral water is an accepted beverage, with local brands including Henniez.

Specialties: 

• Viande sèchée (dried beef or pork) from Valais and the Grisons (where it is called Bündnerfleisch), served with pickled onions.
• Pieds de porc (pigs' trotters).
• Rösti (shredded fried potatoes).
• Fondue Bourguignonne (cubed meat with various sauces).
• Leckerli (spiced honey cakes topped with icing sugar), decorated in Bern with a white sugar bear.

Regional drinks: 

• Kirsch, Marc, Pflümli and Williams (spirits).

WEATHER & CLIMATE

You'll need to be prepared for a range of temperatures, as the mountains create a variety of local and regional microclimates. That said, most of the country has a central European climate, with daytime temperatures around 18° to 28°C in summer and -2° to 7°C in winter. The coldest area is the Jura, the Brevine Valley. By contrast, Ticino in the south has a hot Mediterranean climate. Summer tends to bring a lot of sun, but also the most rain, and there were terrible floods in 1999 and 2005. Look out for the Föhn, a hot, dry wind that sweeps down into the valleys and can be oppressively uncomfortable (though some find its warming effect refreshing). It can strike at any time of the year, but especially in spring and autumn.

Best time to visit:

The Alps cause many climatic variations throughout Switzerland. In the higher Alpine regions temperatures tend to be low, while the lower land of the northern area has higher temperatures and warm summers. Overall the hottest months are July and August, though these are also the busiest. Those looking to ski should visit Switzerland between December and April, when snow is good in the Alps. The months of May and September are great times to visit for those looking for sunny and mild days, but without the throngs of tourists.

Zurich: (approx)

SUGGESTED TIPPING SCALE:

Tipping is a way of showing your appreciation and will be welcomed by the recipient, although if you decide not to tip in a particular circumstance, this doesn’t mean you’ll receive a lower level of service. Ultimately, tipping is discretionary and should be done at a level that feels comfortable.

Here are some guidelines that you may find helpful:

Service                                                                                   Tipping amount per/person

1 - Drivers per/ day                                                                     EUR 10 per person

2 - Guides per/day                                                                     EUR 15 per person – private tour

                                                                                               EUR 5 per person – SIC tour

3 - Bellmen at hotels per/check in or check out                                EUR 1 per bag

4 - Restaurant servers                                                                  A percentage of the bill if its not already included

 

HEALTH & MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS & GUIDELINES

As a general recommendation, it is advisable to check with your family doctor or travel clinic for latest health information.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

It is highly recommended that you purchase travel insurance. Your home country health plan may only provide limited coverage while traveling outside of the country. Indus Travels can offer you a complete travel insurance package. Some credit cards do offer travel insurance, however they do not always provide adequate coverage. Review and understand the terms of your credit card insurance policy. Extra travel insurance can be purchased. Most insurance companies do have exclusions in their coverage. Pre-existing medical conditions are not insurable.