Timetable Switzerland: time difference and opening hours

To see / To do Switzerland

Tourist attractions and activities rarely start before 9am. Of course, a rafting trip will get you out of bed early! But for cultural visits, museums open between 9 and 10 a.m. and close between 5 and 6 p.m. And don't forget: depending on the season, there may be evening events.

You may be disappointed if you travel on Mondays. Many museums in Switzerland close on Mondays. It's best to find out beforehand. The www.museums.ch website will be a great help.

Public holidays: there are three public holidays common to the whole of Switzerland: New Year's Day (January¹⁾, Swiss National Day (August¹ ) and Christmas (December 25). Some cantons have other public holidays.

Enjoying yourself Switzerland

On weekends, brunch is very popular. In general, cafés open early around 7am and close between 7pm and midnight, depending on whether they offer evening catering. In the evenings, the "soup" is served from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. (average service hours). Lunch or "dinner" in Switzerland is taken between 12 and 2pm, as in France. In major cities, many restaurants are closed on Sundays, except in tourist areas. It's best to check opening hours beforehand.

Take a break Switzerland

Plan your outings well: restaurants close before midnight, and only night bars close around 2am. Smoothie bars, cafés and fast-food outlets are open non-stop during the day. Tearooms and chocolate shops are rarely open on Sundays or before 10am. Take your gourmet breaks during the week. At weekends, it's a good opportunity to try the brunch menus offered by leading restaurants and hotels.

(To) please yourself Switzerland

Stores are generally open from 9am to 6:30pm, sometimes 6pm on Saturdays. Supermarkets close at 7pm on weekdays. On Sundays, very few shops are open. On Sundays, you can go shopping in railway station shopping arcades. Government offices are usually open from 9am to 4pm.

Beware of public holidays, which are both federal and cantonal.

Get out Switzerland

The evenings start with happy hours, which are generally more widely organized in summer and winter during the tourist season. Generally speaking, happy hours start around 5-6pm.

In Switzerland, we "dine" or rather "soup" early. You can be served as early as 6:30 p.m. without being shocked. More generally, evening service is at 7 or 9 pm.