Europe

Switzerland Travel Advisory

Q: Is it safe to travel to Switzerland right now?

The U.S. Department of State currently rates Switzerland at Level 1 — Normal Precautions. Reissued after periodic review with minor edits. Exercise normal precautions in Switzerland.

Q: Do U.S. citizens need a visa for Switzerland?

Visa requirements for Switzerland depend on your passport and length of stay. Use TravelSafe's free Visa Checker to see the latest entry rules, passport validity requirements, and any visa-on-arrival options.

Bern

Normal Precautions

By TravelSafe Research TeamLast updated 2025-05-20Source: U.S. State Department ↗

CapitalBern

LanguageFrench

CurrencyCHF · Swiss franc

TimezoneUTC+01:00

Normal PrecautionsUpdated 2025-05-20

Risk Level1 / 4

L1L2L3L4

Reissued after periodic review with minor edits. Exercise normal precautions in Switzerland. Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Switzerland. If you decide to travel to Switzerland: Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive messages and alerts from the U.S. Embassy and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Review the Country Security Report for Switzerland. Prepare a plan for emergency situations. Review the International Traveler’s Checklist . Visit the CDC page for the latest Travelers’ Health Information related to your travel and return to the United States. We highly recommend that you buy insurance before you travel. The U.S. government does not provide insurance for U.S. citizens overseas . Check with your travel insurance provider about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancellation coverage.

Emergency

General Emergency

general emergency

112

Police

police

117

Fire

fire

118

Ambulance

ambulance

144

Tap any number to call from a mobile device

Essential Phrases

General

Excusez-moi

ex-koo-ZAY mwa

Excuse me

Mi scusi

mee SKOO-zee

Excuse me

Combien?

kom-bee-YEN

How much?

Quanto costa?

KWAN-toh KOH-stah

How much?

Je voudrais acheter

zhuh voo-DREH ahsh-TEH

I want to buy...

Vorrei comprare

vor-RAY kom-PRAH-reh

I want to buy...

NOH

Non

NOHN

Per favore

pehr fah-VOH-reh

Please

S il vous plait

see voo PLEH

Please

Dove?

DOH-veh

Where is...?

Ou est?

oo eh

Where is...?

Oui

WEE

Yes

SEE

Yes

Greetings

Bonjour

bohn-ZHOOR

Hello

Ciao

CHOW

Hello

Grazie

GRAHT-see-eh

Thank you

Merci

mehr-SEE

Thank you

Emergency

Aide!

eh-DEH

Help!

Aiuto!

ah-YOO-toh

Help!

US Embassy

Consulate

Bern

Sulgeneckweg 6, 3005 Bern, Switzerland

+41-31-357-7011

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to travel to Switzerland right now?

The U.S. Department of State rates Switzerland at Level 1 (Normal Precautions) as of the current advisory. Reissued after periodic review with minor edits. Exercise normal precautions in Switzerland.

Do U.S. citizens need a visa for Switzerland?

Visa requirements depend on your passport and length of stay. Use TravelSafe's free Visa Checker (linked in the Visa Requirements section above) to see the latest entry rules, passport validity requirements, and any visa-on-arrival options.

What are the emergency numbers in Switzerland?

Emergency services in Switzerland: general emergency 112; police 117; fire 118; ambulance 144. Tap any number in the Emergency section above to call directly from a mobile device.

Is Switzerland safe for solo travelers?

With the current advisory at Level 1 (Normal Precautions), Switzerland is generally manageable for prepared solo travelers. Standard precautions apply: share your itinerary, keep digital copies of your passport, and register with STEP (step.state.gov).

Always cross-check with official sources: travel.state.gov · cdc.gov

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