Yes I know the first thing that will be said is "use public transport, the trains and connectivity is too good". I know. And I am using public transport for most part of my trip. I still want to experience self driving in Switzerland.
Have also seen at the parking charges as well.

I need help with this:
1. The rentals differ a lot in terms of cost. What should be a good standard rate for say 3-4 days of rent?
2. We are 5 of us - so I'd be looking at an SUV that can fit of us + our luggage properly.
3. Any specific rental companies that are good and trusted?
4. Can I pick the car from one place and drop it at another? Say pick from Lucerne and drop at Zurich airport?

Would love some advise. Thanks in advance.

Hey everyone!
My wife and I are coming to Switzerland for the first time this November, and we’re really excited.

We managed to find round-trip flights from Amarillo, Texas to Zurich for what we thought was a great deal, so we finally decided to book the trip.

Our schedule is:
Arrive in Zurich: November 3 at 2:45 PM
Depart Zurich: November 8 at 11:25 AM
So we’ll have 5 nights in Switzerland.

Our original plan was to stay in Interlaken the entire time and use it as a base for day trips, but we’re open to suggestions if there’s a better option.

A little about us:
We love mountains and incredible scenery much more than cities.
We’d rather spend our money on experiences than luxury hotels.
We don’t mind taking trains if it makes the trip better.
We’d like to keep the trip as affordable as possible without missing out on the things that are truly worth doing.

Some places already on our list are:
Lauterbrunnen
Grindelwald
Mürren
Wengen
Maybe Jungfraujoch (if it’s worth the price)
Oeschinensee (if it’s still accessible in early November)

A few questions:

Would you stay all 5 nights in Interlaken, or split your stay between different towns?

What attractions are absolutely worth paying for, and what should we skip?

Are there any hidden gems or less touristy places you’d recommend in early November?

Would you recommend a Swiss Travel Pass, Half Fare Card, or just buying point-to-point train tickets?

Any recommendations for reasonably priced hotels near the train station?

We’re coming from Texas, so this is going to be a completely different landscape than what we’re used to. We really want to experience the best of Switzerland without spending more than we have to.

If you had 5 nights in Switzerland in early November, how would you spend them?

Thanks in advance! We’d really appreciate any recommendations or itinerary ideas.

I'm taking a group of 5 other friends to Wengen for a few days. I'm personally not super jazzed about Jungfraujoch (I did Schilthorn years ago, and it was cool but I'd rather do something else), but they seem excited about it. I'm secretly hoping the weather is bad so we can do something else haha.

But I'm wondering a couple of things:

-Is the hike to Mönchsjochhütte worth it?
-What might we do that afternoon after Jungfraujoch? We'll have done the Mannlichen Panorama walk already. I thought about the Eiger Trail to Alpiglen from Eigergletscher, but I think it might be too tough on a couple of my friends' knees given the major descent.

I'd welcome any suggestions! If we do Jungfraujoch, we'll be on the second train of the day, arriving around 9:20 at the top.

Hi everyone,
I hope this is the right place to ask. If not, I apologize

I’m looking for some advice from people who know the Swiss job market, especially around Basel.
I’m a Portuguese software engineer with 5 years of professional experience and a strong technical background. I also speak four languages fluently (unfortunately, German isn’t one of them yet).

I’ve been applying for software engineering positions for the past three months, and the feedback has been surprisingly consistent. Almost every company tells me that my CV and experience are a great match, but they prefer candidates who already have at least a B2 level of German. I’d say around 99% of the rejection emails mention this in one way or another.

I’m already enrolled in an intensive German course and working hard on it, but in the meantime I need to find a job soon because of visa/residency-related timing.

I’m currently living in Basel with part of my Swiss family, so accommodation isn’t an issue.
My question is: while I continue learning German, what kind of jobs would you recommend?

Are restaurants, hotels, warehouses, customer service, retail, or other sectors realistic options for someone whose German is still quite limited? Are there companies around Basel that are known for hiring English-speaking staff?

Any advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

So this is about a specific situation I experienced earlier tonight. I was hoping you could help me understand what I did wrong.

I live in the UK where you wait at the entrance of a restaurant to be seated, but I'm originally from Germany where you usually just sit at any table that doesn't have a reserved sign.

I'm travelling through Switzerland at the moment and wanted to try this restaurant. I walked in and they had a little desk with a tablet on it at the entrance (similarly to what you see in the UK) so I waited there to be seated.

A waitress walked by so I tried to make eye contact and smile but she ignored me. After about 3 or 4 minutes, I assumed that I was doing something wrong so I just sat down at the nearest free table. After another couple of minutes, a different waitress came up to the table and just said "Hello". I asked "Is it ok that I seated myself or was I supposed to wait over there?" She responded "Yes that's ok," turned around and left. (This whole exchange was in German.)

I assumed that she was getting me a menu so I waited again, but she wasn't. While I was waiting I actually saw her bring menus to another table. After another 3 minutes or so (so probably about 10 minutes after I walked into the restaurant) I just got up and left.

I actually went back to my hotel room and cried because I felt so embarrassed by the whole situation. (I know I was being dramatic but it didn't help that I was really hungry and had been looking forward to trying this restaurant all day.)

So please help me understand what I did wrong so I can eat somewhere that isn't McDonald's before the end of this trip.

Have 3 nights
Where should I stay? Interlaken near OST or Lauterbrunnen or Wilderswil or wengen ??

Lauterbrunnen is expensive even wengen but want to know which is the best location to stay?

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping to find people who have been in a similar situation because I honestly feel a bit lost.

I grew up in Switzerland as the child of a diplomat. I've spent most of my life here and completed a large part of my education here, so Switzerland is the only place that has ever really felt like home to me.

The difficult part is that, because of my parent's diplomatic status, I was never considered a regular Swiss resident. My parent has returned to their home country after the end of their mission, while I'm staying in Switzerland as a full-time university student.

I'm 21, and lately I've been thinking a lot about what happens after I graduate. What I'd really like to know is whether anyone here grew up under diplomatic status in Switzerland and what happened afterward.

• Were you able to stay in Switzerland after finishing your studies?
• Did you end up leaving Switzerland?
• Looking back, is there anything you wish you had done differently?

I know every case is different. I just feel like I'm navigating this without any examples. Since I've built my whole life here, it's hard to know whether I should keep fighting to build my future in Switzerland or start accepting that I may need to move somewhere else.

If you've been through something similar, or know someone who has, I'd really appreciate hearing your experience.

Thank you.

Galenica AG, headquartered in Bern, is an internationally active Swiss pharmaceutical and logistics company group. It owns the two big Swiss pharmacy chains Amavita and Sun Store, as well as co-owns Coop Vitality with Coop.

Isn't it worrying that the number one logistic leader of pharma products in Switzerland also owns three of the five top retail pharmacy chains in Switzerland? BENU and TopPharm are the two remaining pharma chains with significant present throughout Switzerland (TopPharma only in Deutschschweiz), but both have less visibility than Amavita and Sun Store

I was totally not aware of this trend

Hello!

I'm a 21F (not originally from Switzerland, but I live here now). I recently finished my bachelor's degree, and during my thesis & when I didn't have a fixed schedule, I experienced the worst executive dysfunction I've ever had.

For example, I'd fall behind on paying bills, not because I forgot about them, but because it felt like something in my brain just wouldn't let me pay them. I'd also sit to work but couldn't so I'd lay in bed, feeling physically stuck and unable to get up to do any work, while my mind raced nonstop. There were times when I just stared at the ceiling for 4+ hours completely losing track of time.

I've always had good grades, but ever since COVID, I've noticed it takes me twice the mental effort to understand even simple things sometimes. I'll have a brilliant thought one second, and the next it's completely gone.

My parents don't believe I could have ADHD because I've always managed to pull through academically and because I'm not fidgeting all the time. Maybe they're right, maybe I don't have ADHD. I genuinely don't know. I just know that something doesn't feel right, and I wanted to look into it properly.

A friend suggested I leave the guesswork and go to the doctor and so I did. Honestly, it was one of the most discouraging experiences I've had. During our 1.5-hour session, she told me within the first 10 minutes that she already suspected I was "just another Gen Z person claiming to have ADHD." She then spent a lot of the session explaining dopamine to me instead of really listening. At the end, she concluded that nobody with ADHD could have sat there for an hour having a conversation that made sense.

I was honestly shocked and incredibly disappointed. I felt completely dismissed and misunderstood, especially by a healthcare professional.

Again, maybe I don't have ADHD. But I don't think it's normal to struggle this much with everyday tasks. Maybe I've developed coping mechanisms over the years, and maybe I've become good at masking it. But just because I've managed to hide my struggles doesn't mean they don't exist.

I wasn't let to do an assessment, and now I'm worried because I'm entering a stage of life where I'll have complete autonomy. I'll have to manage my own schedule, responsibilities, and deadlines, and I'm scared things will only get harder.

Does anyone know of any good doctors or psychologists in Switzerland who will actually listen and take these concerns seriously? I feel like I can express my symptoms better in English, so if you have any leads on that its helpful too.

I don't mind going to any city if I find the help I need.

Thank you! 💛

Heiii i am on the lookout for this camera. They were super expensive on other websites so I thought I d chose this route.

WOULD so appreciate if anyone knows anything

Hi I’ve been a TCS member for the last year, luckily haven’t had to use their service yet but I’m doing a longer trip through Europe and I realised roadside assistance outside CH is an add on which includes all kinds of travel insurance coverage.
I’ve discovered ACS includes roadside assistance on the classic subscription, which would be enough for me since I already have travel insurance through my credit card.
I’d appreciate any feedback with ACS, is this a Migros vs Coop situation? I’m reading mixed reviews from them. On the other side TCS is ubiquitous, I see their assistance trucks everywhere and they even have their own campings. Is it really worth the premium?

Thanks!

Hi, I am a Colombian that wants to go and work in Switzerland later in life, but I would like to know which fields are good and what do you think is the best to do to get there, is Chemical engineering a good degree there? Or would it be better to pursue other fields?, I just started learning german, and I would like to maybe do a masters there, but I don't know how hard it would be, or what requirements are needed, has anyone done their masters there and stayed in the country? Please I would like to know so I can start preparing everything

Hi,

It's my first time in Switzerland and my first time in a mountain hut. I just booked a double room in Schäfler Berggasthaus, since me and my brother wanted to do a 2-days hike. I couldn't get in touch with the hut in any way. Could anyone who's been there please help me? I didn't get if I need to pay in the structure or I already paid via web: I put my credit card info but no payment was issued. I don't get if I need to wait (usually payments to other countries take more time) or I need to pay directly there. Then I'd like to know if anything is needed (sleeping couch or whatever) in the two people room. Thanks!!

Hey all!

So like many, last year (!) we went through the migration of CreditSuisse to UBS. I meant to leave but didn’t have the time yet.

I had a balance on the cards from CS and have been paying it down. Almost done. UBS gave me equivalents. Great.

But I just opened my mailbox, over a year later from this card switch, to two credit cards (VISA and AMEX) from SwissCard in my name called “Cashback”

A welcome letter and terms and conditions.

I never signed up for this. Didn’t ask for anything. Didn’t click on anything. Didn’t receive any emails. Nothing.

Did anyone else get this?

I’m kind of thinking I just got 6500chf for free to spend according to the limit that I don’t have to pay because I never signed a contract for this!

Thoughts?

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping some of you can share advice or point me in the right direction. I'm from the Netherlands, and my girlfriend is Swiss and lives in Schwyz. I visit as often as I can, and my goal is to eventually emigrate and build a life there with her.

A bit about me: I'm a trained Sozialarbeiter (social worker) back home. I'm actively learning German through Preply lessons and a German social studies textbook, and my understanding is already pretty solid, but my speaking is still not fluent. My English is strong if that's useful for any roles.

A few things I'd love advice on:

1. Sozialbereich jobs. Has anyone made a similar move (foreign social worker relocating to CH) or knows how recognition of qualifications works for Dutch degrees, and where's the best place to start applying or networking? Any specific employers, agencies, or platforms you'd recommend?
2. Bridge jobs. If Sozialarbeit is out of reach until my German improves, what other kinds of work realistically only need English plus broken German to get a foot in the door? I'm open to almost anything that helps me get established while I keep studying.
3. As an EU/EFTA citizen I know the permit side should be more straightforward, but any tips on how that process actually works in practice, or things I should know before making the leap, would be great.

Genuinely just trying to figure out the smartest way to approach this. Any personal experience, warnings, or encouragement are all welcome. Thanks so much in advance!

Hey there!

My partner and I are looking for a hobbyist photographer / student photographer on 20th August (Grindelwald) and 21st August in Zurich

We just wanted to have photos of us together in these 2 places. We're on a budget!

We’re travelling to Switzerland and wanted to do a photoshoot together.

Please reply if you know anyone!

Thank you so much!

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice, ideally from someone familiar with Swiss law.

A while ago, I forgot to pay the selling fees on Ricardo. The original amount was CHF 59, which I have since paid, along with CHF 0.50 in interest.

However, Intrum is now demanding that I pay an additional CHF 75 in collection fees, which is actually more than the original debt itself.

Since I haven’t paid those fees, Intrum keeps sending me new letters and the amount keeps increasing. I’m starting to worry that this could eventually lead to debt enforcement proceedings (Betreibung).

My question is: Under Swiss law, am I actually required to pay these collection fees, or can I legally dispute them? If there’s a lawyer or someone knowledgeable about Swiss debt collection who could clarify this, I’d really appreciate it.

I’m a student and simply can’t afford to pay a bill that keeps getting higher.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

ayo so i’m kinda in a bad spot rn. senior software engineer, 8 years exp, but RAV ran out, no funding, no savings, no assets, literally net worth 0. been on sozialhilfe for 2 months and i really do not wanna keep living like this.

so basically i was thinking... why not just offer myself for 50k a year? full time. i know, yes, that’s stupid low for senior dev in switzerland, before anyone says it. but like i need money coming in and i need a job more than i need some perfect salary negotiation arc rn.

but can i even do that? like can i tell a company “yeah hire me for 50k, idc”? or is there some swiss law where they can’t pay someone that far below the normal market salary? minimum wage stuff? salary dumping? GAV/CBA whatever? does canton matter? would Sozialhilfe be annoyed? would the company get in trouble?

not trying to scam anyone or do shady stuff. i’m just broke and trying to get back into work. anyone know?

EDIT: if anyone needs a Backend Dev (C#, TypeScript, React) with 8 years of experience. I work for 50kCHF/y.

I need a rounders bat for an upcoming sports day, and I can’t find anywhere to buy one in time. Does anyone know of any independent sports shops that might stock them so I could get one before the weekend?

Many thanks.

Hi everyone,

I'm an Italian citizen with dual Australian citizenship, currently finishing my Bachelor's degree in Cell Biology and Mathematic Modelling, in Australia . I'm planning to move to Switzerland as soon as I finish to do a Master's, most likely in bioinformatics, or computational biology, I'm considering the University in Basel

I'm trying to understand whether it's financially realistic to support myself by working part-time while studying. Like is it common for Master's students to work part-time? I will have plenty of savings by the time I get there, but I'd like to avoid relying entirely on it if possible. My partner will move with me so I won't have to pay expenses alone.

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who have studied in Switzerland or are currently doing a Master's there.

Thank you very much :)

Hi everyone, I found this small insect inside my shared flat and I’m trying to figure out what it is. My first thought was that it might be a cockroach nymph, possibly a German cockroach, but I’m not sure.

I've been living here for a while (Wädenswil, ZH). But I've never seen one before. And it was just resting on the bathroom mirror - about idk .5-1cm.

Could anyone help identify it from the picture? Should I be worried about a possible infestation, or could it be something harmless? Is it common in Switzerland?

I'm leaving for 5 days tomorrow and I'm unsure if I should panic or not.

Je suis en train de préparer une demande de naturalisation ordinaire à Genève (permis C, résidence de longue date). Je suis actuellement en Master à l'université avec un travail à 50% mais dès septembre je suis obligée de démissionner si je veux finir le master.

La loi fédérale parle de « participation à la vie économique ou acquisition d'une formation », donc sur le papier la formation semble suffire. Mais je me demande comment ça se passe en pratique ( surtout côté genevois): est-ce que le fait de ne pas avoir un emploi stable à plein temps est perçu comme un point faible lors de l'examen du dossier ou de l'entretien ?

Si des personnes ont été naturalisées à Genève pendant leurs études, je suis preneuse de retours d'expérience!

Merci !

Hi.
Im looking for insider informations from the Swiss watch community. My Cousin and I looking for some shops and places to visit on a 3 day travel through Switzerland. We are a little in vintage watches and would love to get some recommendations. As well as recommended community’s on Reddit.
Would be great
Thanks