Travel Tips to European Countries: Switzerland
About the country
Switzerland is blessed with all the bounties of nature. It is the most preferred tourist destination among all
the countries in the world. The Alps region has a cold weather most of the times, where as the summers are
warmer in the northern area. Visit Saas Fee to ski and snowboard. Dream of living in real life igloo can
come true as many resorts, like Zermatt and St Moritz (which is a celebrity resort), had them built for their
customers.
Culture
Italian, German and French are the official languages of Switzerland. Many English people can also be
found here. Unwrapped flowers must be presented to the host to show appreciation. White asters and
chrysanthemums flowers are reserved for funerals, so precaution must be taken when presenting flowers to
others, even red roses are better avoided. One can move around in casuals but it is important to dress in
warrant jackets and ties when attending social gatherings or when eating out at a fine restaurant. Swiss Franc
is the currency used here.
Shopping
Switzerland is famous for its exotic chocolates, finest handmade clocks and luxury watches. Other
specialties are embroidered linen, music boxes, wood carvings, Swiss cheese and Swiss army knives. Many
shops remain close on Monday, so shopping should be avoided on that day. Since service charge is applied
on all services, so tipping is an issue of free-will. 7.6% VAT is charged on all purchases made in
Switzerland, which can be reclaimed later by asking for a global refund check, if the purchase crosses 400
CHF.
Electricity
The standard current used is 230 volts (AC) and 50 Hz.
Getting There
Swiss airline is the national airline of Switzerland, which connects to 71 destinations all over the world.
Zurich is the most popular airport, located at a distance of 11km from the city. Every 15 minutes, trains
shuttles passengers to their destination. Fly-Rail Luggage ticket can be bought if the passengers want to
collect their luggage at the railways station rather than the airport. While leaving Switzerland, Fly-Rail
Baggage service can be availed that enables passenger to check-in their luggage at the railway station itself.
Other facilities provided here are duty free shops, banks, restaurants and car hire. Check out Geneva, Basle
and Bern airport for offers.
Since weather conditions are worst during the winters, train is an efficient and cheaper option. They are also
great if one wants to enjoy the scenic beauty of Switzerland. Swiss Pass can be purchased to visit most of
the tourist attractions in Switzerland.
High quality roads are maintained here. Roads connect to Austria, Germany, Italy and France. But in winters
things can get worse, so it is better to carry chains and snow tires. Cars should be kept to the right.
Duty Free Items
a) Visitors from European countries
200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco
2 liter of alcohol (up to 15 per cent) and 1liter of alcohol (over 15 per cent)
(b) Visitors from non-European countries
400 cigarettes or 100 cigars or 500g of tobacco
2liter of alcohol (up to 15 per cent) and 1liter of alcohol (over 15 per cent)
Meat items, narcotics and absinthe are strictly not permitted. Other items that come under the prohibited
items list are firearms and animals.
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