SWITZERLAND. Travel Documents, Health Care, Vaccinations, Electricity, Telephones and Internet, Money and Banks, Shopping, Typical Products

USEFUL INFORMATION FOR A TRAVEL TO SWITZERLAND

SWITZERLAND

Documents: For EU citizen a valid national identity card is required. Every other traveler must have a valid passport. Visa are required for a continuous stay of more than three months and for nationals of some countries. This applies to citizens of the following countries: countries of the American Continent (except Belize, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Peru), Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Health: The level of health service is excellent. Personal travel insurance is strongly recommended, including coverage of personal accident, sickness, loss or damage to luggage and personal effects and cancellation charges.

Telephones: Country Dialing Code 0041.

The Swiss phonecard, called Taxcard, allows cashless phone calls to be made from public payphones which are equipped with card readers. PTT-Taxcards are on sale at post offices, newsagents, railway stations, etc.

Mobile Telephones:

Swisscom Mobile is the leading mobile network provider in Switzerland. The Swisscom Mobile network covers 99% of the inhabited parts of the country. Travellers from USA and Japan: Phoning in Switzerland requires a triband device that works on both American and European networks.

Mobile Telephone Companies: Swisscom Mobile, Orange, Sunrise.

Internet: Most airports, train stations, public libraries and hotels will offer the service of computers with Internet access. There are also various cafés with internet terminals in most cities.

If you are traveling with a WLAN-capable Notebook, you can use the more than 1000 public wireless LAN hotspots available throughout Switzerland for high-speed surfing on the Internet.

Money and Banks: Switzerland currency is the Swiss franc, usually indicated as CHF. The Swiss franc comes in the following denominations: Coins: 5, 10, 20, 50 Cents and 1, 2, 5 Francs Bank notes: 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 1000 Francs.

Many banks in Switzerland have equipped their ATM machines with the CIRRUS or MAESTRO system. Many other Swiss banks offer ATM machines for cash advances with your credit card. The cards most used are Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Personal cheques only within the Euro cheque system are accepted. Pound Sterling, US Dollar, Euro or Swiss Franc Traveller's cheques are accepted at airports, railway stations and banks.

Banking Hours: The standard working hours of banks are from Monday to Friday from 0830-1630 hrs

Electricity: the current used throughout Switzerland is 230 Volts (AC), 50 cycles. Most power sockets are designed for three pin round plugs. The standard continental type plug with two round pins, applied for many electrical travel products, may be used without problem.

Shopping hours: Shops in smaller towns and villages are generally open from 8.30 am-12 noon and again from 2-6.30 pm. In larger cities they do not close for lunch. In larger cities, shops generally extend their hours till 8 pm on one evening of the week, usually on Thursdays.

Cuisine: Typical products known worldwide, are cheese and chocolate. The most characteristic Swiss dishes are "Kalbfilet" veal fillet; "Rindfilet" fillet of beef; "Schweinschnitzel" pork-chop; "Lederpiessli, grilled liver. Among the recipes cheese based, is "Fondue" cheese with pieces of bread and "raclette" slices of cheese accompanied by potatoes and pickles. Excellent braised beef, polenta, risotto and desserts. SWISS CUISINE RECIPES.

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