What do I need to know before visiting Zurich?

7 things you need to know before traveling to Switzerland

How many days is enough in Zurich? How many days should you spend in Zurich? Zurich isn’t a huge city, so 2 days is the perfect amount of time to explore all the interesting activities and beautiful sights Zurich has to offer.

Then, Is Zurich expensive for tourists? Zurich is often referred to as one of the most expensive cities to visit in Europe. In fact, the whole of Switzerland is renowned for being a costly destination. However, as like many expensive cities, there are tricks to visiting on a low budget and without breaking the bank.

Is Zurich safe for tourists? As a whole, Swiss cities are generally very safe to visit. Zurich sees very little tourist-directed crime; however, pickpocketing is common on public transportation and at airports, so keep an eye on your belongings at all times. For more safety tips, check out the U.S. State Department’s website.

FAQ

What should I avoid in Switzerland?

What you should not do in Switzerland:

• Be on the train between 7:00 – 8:00 or 17:00 – 18:00. …
• Talking loudly on the train (or bus) …
• Talking loudly in a restaurant. …
• Thinking the train (or bus) is late or waiting for you. …
• Explore the mountains with bad shoes. …
• Underestimating the weather in the mountains.

Are Swiss friendly to tourists? The Swiss scored poorly on friendliness, making foreigners feel welcome, and openness to expat friends. But Switzerland is still considered the safest country for expats, with a high quality of living and better income than is available elsewhere.

What are the dangers of Switzerland? Warnings & Dangers in Switzerland

• OVERALL RISK : LOW. Switzerland is very safe to travel to. …
• TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK : LOW. …
• PICKPOCKETS RISK : LOW. …
• NATURAL DISASTERS RISK : LOW. …
• MUGGING RISK : LOW. …
• TERRORISM RISK : LOW. …
• SCAMS RISK : LOW. …
• WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK : LOW.

What is a typical breakfast in Switzerland? In Switzerland, breakfast typically includes bread, butter or margarine, marmalade or honey, maybe some cheese or cereals, plus milk, cold or hot chocolate, tea or coffee. Lunch may be as simple as a sandwich or a birchermüesli or it could be a complete meal.

Does Switzerland speak English?

English is the most common non-national language and is regularly spoken by 45% of the population in Switzerland. English is more widespread in the German-speaking part of the country than in Italian- and French-speaking regions (46% vs 37% and 43% respectively).

Are Swiss welcoming? Just half (50%) give the general friendliness of the population a favourable rating, 20 percentage points below the worldwide average. According to a US respondent, “people in Switzerland have a culture of being reserved – they are friendly but are not actually looking for friends”.

How do you dress in Switzerland?

Switzerland clothing styles boast clean, simple outfits. Don’t get too messy with accessories and styled layers. When you do layer, do it for comfort, not for looks. People in Switzerland have a tendency to dress in dark colors, such as black, gray, and brown.

Is Swiss expensive? Switzerland is rated the most expensive country in the world to visit, with Geneva and Zurich being two of the ten most expensive cities to live in. And because visiting Switzerland so expensive, it’s easy to see why so many people skip over the country and wait until they are older and (hopefully) wealthier.

Is theft common in Switzerland?

Switzerland has a reasonably low rate of violent crime. There were 45 homicides in the country last year out of a total population of 7.95 million. The most common crimes are theft and criminal damage.

Is it safe to hike alone in Switzerland?

There are plenty of winter activities such as cross country skiing, snowshoeing and winter events that are also good for solos. Switzerland is a beautiful country to hike, and is also safe too but ensure that you stick to any hiking trails so not to damage the environment. Take any rubbish with you too.

Why is crime so low in Switzerland? The higher the level of education, the fewer people tend to be drawn into criminal activity. What is this? The Swiss are law-abiding people. They are amicable and very likely to avoid commotions.

How do you say yes in Swiss? How do I say « yes » in Swiss? As the above article points out, there is no « Swiss » language. In German « yes » is « ja » (« yaw »). In French they say « oui » (« wee »).

What is Swiss fondue?

Fondue (UK: /ˈfɒnd(j)uː/, US: /fɒnˈd(j)uː/, French: [fɔ̃dy]) is a Swiss melted cheese dish served in a communal pot (caquelon or fondue pot) over a portable stove (réchaud) heated with a candle or spirit lamp, and eaten by dipping bread into the cheese using long-stemmed forks.

Can you live in Zurich without speaking German? You do not need to speak any of the native languages in order to live and study here. However, we encourage international students to take German (the local language in Zurich) as a foreign language during their studies to feel more comfortable in the country and better understand the country and its people.

Does Switzerland have free healthcare?

The healthcare in Switzerland is universal and is regulated by the Swiss Federal Law on Health Insurance. There are no free state-provided health services, but private health insurance is compulsory for all persons residing in Switzerland (within three months of taking up residence or being born in the country).

Is it hard to get citizenship in Switzerland? A new Swiss Citizenship Act came into force in 2018 making it harder to acquire Swiss citizenship. The most notable change was that applicants need to hold a settlement C residence permit to qualify. Certain cantons may have their own specific requirements for integration into Swiss society.

Why is Switzerland so unfriendly?

And according to InterNations, the expat organisation which conducted the survey, the big reason for Switzerland’s decline is perceptions that Swiss locals are not friendly, families with children don’t feel welcomed and that it’s hard for expats to ‘settle in’ here.

Are the Swiss friendly to expats? Switzerland is particularly safe for expats, as well as being politically and economically stable, but high prices and unfriendly locals pose problems. Expats rate Switzerland the second-most politically stable country in the world. 96% of expats feel personally safe in Switzerland.

Can I live in Switzerland speaking English?

English is not recognized as an official language but is still quite commonly spoken due to widespead teaching. Zurich and Geneva especially are very international cities and you will perfectly fine using English there as well as the other major cities.

What is the main food in Switzerland? Well-known Swiss dishes include raclette and fondue (molten cheese eaten with bread or potatoes), rösti (fried grated potatoes), muesli (an oatmeal breakfast dish) and Zürcher Geschnetzeltes (veal and mushrooms on a cream sauce).

What language do they speak in Switzerland?

Over 60% of the Swiss population speak German as their main language. They do not speak standard German but rather various Alemmanic dialects collectively called Swiss German. French is the main language in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, known as the Romandie.

What food is eaten in Switzerland? Typical food

• Cheese fondue. Melted cheese with bread cubes. …
• Raclette. Melted cheese served with « Gschwellti » (jacket potatoes), cocktail gherkins and onions as well as pickled fruit.
• Älplermagronen. A kind of gratin with potatoes, macaroni, cheese, cream and onions. …
• Rösti. …
• Birchermüesli. …
• Swiss chocolate. …
• Swiss cheese.