ExploCountry guide · Western Europe
Switzerland travel guide: visa, best time, weather and plugs
Entry rules for every passport, the best months to go, live weather, public holidays and the plug you need for Switzerland. Capital: Bern.
Do you need a visa for Switzerland?
It depends on your passport. Of the 198 other passports in our data, 93 passports can enter Switzerland without a visa.
All 198 passports for Switzerland · Visa checker · Passport validity checker for Switzerland
Switzerland is in the Schengen Area, so the days you spend there count towards one shared allowance of 90 days in any 180-day window across 29 countries. Work out your days with the Schengen calculator or read the 90/180 rule explained.
Switzerland at a glance
- Capital
- Bern
- Region
- Western Europe, Europe
- Currency
- Swiss franc (Fr., CHF)
- Languages
- French, Swiss German, Italian, Romansh
- Calling code
- +41
- Drives on the
- right
- Power
- Type C, J · 230 V · 50 Hz
Best time to visit Switzerland
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
Jun–Sep, Dec–Mar. Ski season or alpine summer.
General guidance on weather, crowds and wildlife, not a forecast. The chart below shows what the weather actually did last year.
Weather in Bern
Month by month last year
- Daily high and low (°C), monthly average
- Rain (mm in the month)
Next public holidays in Switzerland
Nationwide holidays only, from Nager.Date. Check dates locally before you book: they can move.
Power plugs and voltage in Switzerland
- Type Ctwo round pins
- Type Jthree round pins, earth off centre
Mains power is 230 V at 50 Hz. Phone and laptop chargers usually accept 100 to 240 V, so they only need the right plug. Hair dryers, kettles and other single-voltage appliances need a matching voltage or a converter.
Do I need an adapter for Switzerland?
Hand-curated, so a good first answer: confirm before you fly.
More before you go
- Passport validity. Many countries want 3 to 6 months of validity left. Check your dates for Switzerland or read the six-month rule explained.
- Other places you can go. Where can I go? lists the places your passport reaches that are also in season, and the passport ranking shows how yours compares.
Nearby countries
Questions
Do I need a visa for Switzerland?
It depends on your passport. Of the 198 other passports in our data, 93 passports can enter Switzerland without a visa and 105 passports need a visa in advance. Pick your passport on this page, or see the full list on the all-passports page for Switzerland.
When is the best time to visit Switzerland?
Jun–Sep, Dec–Mar. Ski season or alpine summer.
What plug type and voltage does Switzerland use?
Switzerland uses plug types C, J at 230 V and 50 Hz. Check that your devices accept that voltage before you plug them in. Plug data is hand-curated, so confirm before you fly.
Which side of the road do they drive on in Switzerland?
Traffic keeps to the right in Switzerland.
What currency does Switzerland use?
Swiss franc (Fr., CHF).
What is the calling code for Switzerland?
+41.
What is the capital of Switzerland?
Bern.
How up to date is this information?
Entry rules come from the open Passport Index dataset, last updated 18 February 2026. Governments change rules often, so check with the embassy or the official immigration site before you book. Weather and public holidays on this page are fetched live from Open-Meteo and Nager.Date.
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Get ExploEntry rules come from the open Passport Index dataset by Ilya Ilyankou (MIT), last updated 18 February 2026. Governments change rules often, so treat this as a guide and check with the embassy or the official immigration site before you book.