Travel Insurance for Switzerland
Scenic Switzerland is a top tourist destination year-round. Many travellers visit Switzerland to stay in a ski resort in the Swiss Alps or head to a large city to sample its gastronomic delights, such as chocolate or Swiss cheese. If you’re planning your next trip to Switzerland, here’s some travel safety information and some top destinations within Switzerland.
Emergency Contact Information
There are several emergency numbers you should be aware of when travelling to Switzerland. The general international emergency number is 112. Alternatively, you can call 117 to reach the police, call 118 to get in touch with the fire brigade, and call 144 if you’re having a medical emergency and need an ambulance. If you are injured while participating in winter sports, have an accident on a remote icy road, or if something goes wrong while you are alpine hiking or mountaineering, call the Swiss Air-Rescue on 1414.
For other incidents, such needing to replace a lost or stolen passport with an emergency travel document or if you need other consular services, contact the British Embassy in Berne.
Travel Safety Tips
Switzerland has a low crime rate, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t look after your belongings when you are out an about. Pickpocketing can happen in crowded places, tourist areas, airports, bus terminals, and train stations.
Switzerland has plenty of opportunities for people to get outdoors, but you should be careful when hiking, trekking, mountain biking, or doing winter sports, as you may suffer from altitude sickness, dehydration, or sunburn. There have also been reports of avalanches and landslides. Alpinists should keep an eye out for glacial hollows.
If you want to drive your own car in Switzerland, you’ll need a UK sticker. You’ll need a e-vignette or a vignette sticker on the inside of your windscreen to use the Swiss motorway. Be careful when driving outside of the city as some of the roads are narrow. Roads in snowy areas may be icy, so make sure you fit your car with snow tires if you plan to drive in colder areas.
Switzerland is a part of the Schengen area. British citizens do not need a visa to travel to Switzerland for 90 days in a 180-day period.
All tourists should have travel insurance that covers every aspect of their trip. You can get travel insurance add-ons that will cover winter sports and other sports and activities. Ensure you can receive state healthcare while in the EU by getting a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). For more travel and safety tips, check out the FCDO travel advice for Switzerland.
Places to Visit in Switzerland
Whether you desire to travel past glaciers by train, relax in a cabin by a lake, or tour some museums to learn about Swiss heritage, Switzerland is a fantastic destination for people with all sorts of pursuits. Here are some of our favourite places to visit in Switzerland.
Geneva
Geneva is considered by most to be the home of Swiss watchmaking, which you can learn more about at the Patek Philippe Museum. Some other interesting museums you should visit are the Musée Ariana (a glass and ceramic museum), the International Museum of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and the Voltaire Museum. Don’t forget to check out the Reformation Wall, the Jet d'Eau fountain, and the Bains des Pâquis (public bath). Geneva has some stunning outdoor areas, such as the Bois de la Bâtie park, the Conservatory and Botanical Garden of the city of Geneva, the Parc des Eaux-Vives, and the Jardin Anglais in Geneva Old Town where you can find the flower clock. Geneva is the perfect location to get to some of Switzerland’s best mountains, such as Mont Blanc and Salève. Because Switzerland and France are next door neighbours, you can travel to the ski resorts of Chamonix, Flaine, and Portes du Soleil in 90 minutes or less.
Vevey
Just on the other side of Lake Geneva, is Vevey. Though this town is significantly smaller, it’s worth a stay. Some people visit Vevey because it has been romanticised in literature and others stay here because it’s were milk chocolate was invented. There aren’t many chocolatiers remaining in Vevay, but you can sample some incredible Swiss chocolate at Läderach and David Chocolatier, and you can take a tour of Nestlé Headquarters. If you want to take a chocolate-tasting tour of the area, it only takes a few minutes on the train to get to Montreux and Lausanne. Another reason to visit Vevey is its fascinating museums. The Alimentarium (the food museum), the Musée suisse de l'appareil photographique (the Swiss Camera Museum), the Musée Jenisch (the fine art museum), and Chaplin’s World (a museum in Charlie Chaplin former home). Discover some of the nearby vineyards and enjoy the views by taking the Mont-Pèlerin Funicular to the village of Chardonne.
Basel
If you want to discover Swiss culture, Basel is the place to go. Basel is full of museums and galleries, such as the Kunstmuseum Basel (fine arts museum), the Museum für Gegenwartskunst (the Museum of Contemporary Art), the Museum Tinguely, the Basel Paper Mill, the Toy Worlds Museum Basel, the Vitra Design Museum, and the Fondation Beyeler. Take a tour of the city to see Basel Munster, the Tinguely Fountain, Pfalz terrace, the Spalentor (Gate of Spalen), and the Merian Gärten. Set aside some time during your trip to Basel to take a boat ride on the Rhine. If you want to take part in some of Basel’s main events, visit in February and March to got to the Basler Fasnacht (Carnival of Basel) or in July to see the Basel Tattoo parade.
Zürich
Zürich is Switzerland’s largest city. Here, you’ll find the Swiss National Museum, the Kunsthaus Zürich (the Zürich Art House), the Zurich Tram Museum, and the Beyer Clock and Watch Museum. For those who wish to catch a glimpse of Zürich’s history, there are prehistoric pile dwellings near the Sechseläutenplatz (Sechseläuten Square). Take a tour of the old Lindenhof district to look at the medieval buildings and roman ruins and do the 5-minute walk from Augustinergasse (Augustinian Street) to Münsterhof Square. Book some seats at Schauspielhaus Zürich (Zürich Theater) and Zürich Opera House. Get the tram to Bahnhofstrasse (Railway Station Street), one of Zürich’s main streets, for an afternoon of shopping. Zürich is the best spot for a day trip to see the Rhine Falls, Laufen Castle, the Schwarzwald (the Black Forest), Titisee Lake, and the summit of the Üetliberg mountain.
