Your 7 Days in Switzerland: Zurich, Lucerne & Mt. Rigi

“The Swiss are beyond punctual when it comes to closing hours. So if a museum is supposed to close at 17:00, expect that at 16:47 you will be asked to leave and if you point out that closing hours are still 13 minutes away you might get expelled. If you arrive after 16:31, you'll more than likely be denied entrance. The same applies to shops and pretty much every public activity with a schedule. Lunch hour at most restaurants ends at 14:00 (and last orders at 13:45 for the more strict ones) with dinner service starting again at 18:00.”

Wikivoyage: Geneva · Wikivoyage

“Switzerland is one of the safest countries in the world as far as crime goes, but any place that attracts Rolex-wearing bankers and crowds of distracted tourists will also bring out a few pickpockets. Keep an eye on belongings, especially in the midst of summer crowds. Generally, you are safe anywhere at any time. If, for any reason, you feel threatened, seek a nearby restaurant or telephone booth. The emergency phone number in Switzerland is 112, and operators generally speak English. Switzerland has a reputation for orderliness and adherence to rules. If you see a sign or if you encounter an authority figure telling you not to do something, it's in your best interest to comply. Women travelling alone should have no serious problems. The younger Swiss tend to be very open with public displays of affection – sometimes too open, and some women may find people getting too friendly especially in the wee hours of the club and bar scene. Usually the international language of brush-offs or just walking away is enough. LGBT+ safety in public space is assumed, though explicit LGBT+ identifiers are not common outside of urban centres and dedicated spaces. Swiss police take on a relatively unobtrusive air; they prefer to remain behind the scenes as they consider their presence potentially detrimental to the overall environment. Unlike some more highly policed countries, officers will rarely approach civilians to ask if they need help or merely mark their presence by patrolling. However, police are indeed serious about traffic violations. Jaywalking or crossing a red pedestrian light, for example, will be fined on the spot. The upside to stringent traffic rules is that car drivers are generally very well-disciplined, readily stopping for pedestrians at crossings. Football games are the only notable exception: due to the potential threat of hooligan violence, football games (especially in Basel or Zurich) are generally followed by a large contingent of police officers...”

Wikivoyage: Switzerland · Wikivoyage

“thumbnail|Street sign in Geneva asking partygoers to keep their voices down at night The Swiss adhere to a robust set of values. They value and cherish cleanliness, integrity, world peace, organisation, and responsibility. Communication styles vary from canton to canton, but generally speaking, the Swiss are comfortable with expressing their thoughts and ideas openly and clearly. German-speaking Swiss people tend to be more direct and formal than their French-speaking, Romansh-speaking, and Italian-speaking counterparts. The Swiss are known for their privacy and the country has robust privacy laws. They are one of many reasons why many celebrities flock to Switzerland; their right to privacy is guaranteed. Nosiness is not appreciated in Swiss culture. Do not ask a Swiss person about their background, personal convictions, or both unless you're well acquainted with them. Friendships and relationships are seen as serious affairs and the journey from acquaintanceship to friendship is often a long one. While Switzerland is brimming with dazzling, majestic sights, it is both impolite and illegal to record or take pictures of someone unless they have given you permission. Be mindful of where you point your camera, always. The Swiss value transparency and clarity. To them, your word is your bond. Don't say something if you don't mean it. Don't make promises you will not keep. Try not to give evasive answers such as "maybe", "later", "I'll see what I can do", or variations thereof; this all demonstrates unreliability, which is frowned upon in Swiss culture. Sunday is considered a "rest day" in Switzerland. On Sundays, many shops and businesses close down. Try not to be very noisy or disruptive. The Swiss underscore the importance of rules, structure, and order. For instance, Swiss municipalities have designated quiet hours and Swiss condominiums often have detailed house rules (e.g. permitted noise levels) that must be meticulously followed. Showing...”

Wikivoyage: Switzerland · Wikivoyage

“Permanence Hauptbahnhof at the main train station provides urgent out-patient care for tourists without prior appointments. There is also a dentist downstairs at the station. For serious emergencies rush to the university hospital which has a 24/7 emergency ward. Tram stop "ETH/Universitätsspital" (look out for the inexplicable golden boy statue in front of the building, then follow the red "Notfall" signs). They will not send away people with serious, urgent health problems. Ambulance phone number is 144 but the European 112 emergency number works as well. If you're on a budget, don't stay out too late — the "N" night buses only run on weekends and only once per hour. On work nights, there is no public transport at all after about 00:30 (although expensive taxis still exist in case you're stuck). Stores are generally closed on Sundays including all supermarkets in the city, except those in the main train station, some suburban stations, and at the airport which remain open. Zurich has two police departments, the Stadtpolizei Zurich which is responsible for the city area and the Kantonspolizei Zürich which is responsible for the whole region. With approximately 1,800 and 3,000 officers, these corps are the biggest in Switzerland. While police officers in Zurich will happily help you out if you are in trouble or need directions, they are also known for approaching "suspicious" persons in order to check their papers. This procedure is annoying but legal as you will probably have a hard time proving you were not acting suspicious. Carry a photocopy of your passport and your onward ticket with you, stay calm and polite and you're unlikely to have any trouble.”

Wikivoyage: Zurich · Wikivoyage

“thumb|Central police station Zürich, like all cities in Switzerland, is relatively safe. Nevertheless, be on guard for thieves and pickpockets. Carry your wallet or purse in a secure way, not in your hip pocket or a backpack outer pocket. In particular, thieves are known to operate around the Zurich main train station. Do not let your bags out of sight for even a moment. Certain areas along the lakefront are frequented by young people who sometimes try to pick a fight when they are drunk. Do not let them provoke you, as they are likely to be there in numbers and will use any excuse to go at you. You may also notice many of said young people smoking something that isn't a cigarette. Switzerland is surprisingly lenient about such things but it is hardly a cause for alarm. Public transport is very safe. You can use it without any special precautions. If you decide to bicycle in the city, understand that Zurich is a city of public transport. Beware of tram tracks which can get your wheel stuck and send you flying into traffic, of the trams themselves which travel these tracks frequently (and may scare you into getting stuck into the track), and the buses, which make frequent stops in the rightmost lane. In short, bicycling downtown should be only done by those experienced with cycling with such traffic.”

Wikivoyage: Zurich · Wikivoyage