General Information

Capital: Bern
Time: : GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Tel. Code: 00 41 .
Official Language: 65 to 70 per cent German in central and eastern areas, 19 per cent French in the west and 8 per cent Italian in the south. Raeto-Romansch is spoken in the southeast by 1 per cent. English is spoken by many. Overlapping cultural influences characterise the country.
Currency: : Swiss Franc (SFr) = 100 rappen or centimes. Notes are in denominations of SFr1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of SFr5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 centimes.
Electricity: : 220 volts AC, 50Hz.
Religion: Roman Catholic (43 per cent) and Protestant (47 per cent).

Climate: : 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.
Required clothing: : Warm clothes and rainwear; lightweights for summer.

Airports

Zürich (ZRH) (Kloten) is 11km (7 miles) from the city (travel time - 20 minutes).
Geneva (GVA) is 5km (3 miles) north of the city.
Bern (BRN) (Belp) is 9km (5.5 miles) southeast of the city (travel time - 20-30 minutes).
Basle (BSL) (Basel-Mulhouse) is 12km (7 miles) from the city.

Departure tax: None.

Internal Travel

Air, Sea/River, Rail and Road are the modes of transportation used within Switzerland.

Travel Times

The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Zurich to other major cities in Switzerland.

• City

• Air

• Rail

• Road

• Basle

• 0.30

• 1.05

• 1.10

• Bern

• -

• 1.10

• 1.15

• Geneva

• 0.40

• 2.55

• 2.45

• Lugano

• 0.45

• 3.00

• 3.00

Passport/Visa

Passport
Passport valid for three months after intended period of stay required by all except:

• Nationals of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden holding a valid national identity card;

• Foreigners holding national Identity Cards issued by the governments of Belgium, France or Luxembourg, provided they are resident in one of these countries.

Visas :
Required by all except the following for stays of up to three months:

• Nationals of countries referred to in the chart above;

• Nationals of countries in South and North/Central America, including nationals of Caribbean island states (except nationals of Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti and Peru who do need a visa);

• Nationals of Andorra, Brunei, Bulgaria, Croatia, Fiji, Hong Kong (SAR), Iceland, Israel, Kiribati, Korea (Rep), Malaysia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tuvalu and Vatican City;

• Nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan (China, PR), Thailand and United Arab Emirates, if in possession of a valid multiple-entry Schengen visa (valid for all Schengen states);

• Holders of a travel document issued to refugees by the EU with a blue cover and two golden stripes in the top left hand corner and mentioning the agreement of 28 July 1951;

• Nationals in direct transit travelling within 48 hours providing they hold all valid documents.

Note: If staying for longer than three months, or if total length of time spent in Switzerland exceeds six months within a 12-month period, a residence permit is required. Visitors holding visas or residence permits must register with the police within eight days of arrival in Switzerland.