Sundays are sacred This is not just because many people like to go to church on this day. Under the law, Sunday is a day of rest in Switzerland, which means you should do nothing to disturb your neighbours, either sonorically or visually. This means no loud noises like lawn mowing, vacuuming, or recycling.
Official 'quiet hours' in Switzerland
Generally, however, the following quiet hours apply: Midday quiet hour: weekdays between 12 and 1 pm. Night-time quiet hours: weekdays from 8 or 10 pm to 6 or 7 am. Sundays and public holidays: all day.
Working on Sundays: rules and authorisations
Working on Sundays is generally prohibited in Switzerland. However, working on Sundays is possible, subject to special authorisation and the employee's consent.
No noisy activities
The final rule of the series of Sunday laws is to be as quiet as possible during this day. You aren't allowed to mow the grass, you can't hang laundry, and you cannot recycle your trash.
Flushing the toilet after 10pm is illegal in Switzerland.
It is illegal to flush the toilet after 10pm in an apartment building in Switzerland as the government considers it noise pollution.
Yes, you can. There are no laws against it. However some older buildings may have been built without much thought of insulation, and a bath may disturb, when filling the tub and then when emptying it. It then becomes a question of politeness to renounce…
Why is it illegal to mow your lawn on Sunday in Switzerland? It is illegal to mow your lawn on a Sunday in Switzerland because it causes too much noise. The Swiss value their rest and recovery on Sunday and anything excessively noisey is not allowed or frowned upon.
In Switzerland, there is no general law on the nuisance caused by noise. There are many rules about noise, however. These are found in the regulations of condominium owners' associations, in the house rules for rental apartments, in the Swiss Civil Code as well as in police and municipal regulations.
In order to save energy, the installation of conventional air conditioning systems is generally banned. Local ordinance requires all applicants for authorisation to prove that the air conditioner is particularly energy-efficient.
Every Sunday in Switzerland, all shops that are not attached to airports or public transport close their doors for the entire day. The only exceptions to this are a few areas of Swiss cities and ski resorts that allow Sunday opening.
Alcohol is sold in supermarkets. The age limit for the purchase of wine and beer is 16 years, and 18 years for high-proof alcohol. There is no nationwide minimum age for the purchase of tobacco in Switzerland. Depending on the canton, the minimum age is either 16 or 18.
Swiss supermarkets are typically closed on Sundays, apart from the occasional Sunday in the run-up to Christmas. If you're in need of some last-minute groceries, you'll probably be able to find some smaller marts open. These are typically at fuel stations or public transit hubs.
How to stay on the right side of the law when vacuuming. If you want to make sure you're remaining on the right side of the law at all times, try to keep your vacuuming to the hours between 8am and 6pm on weekdays, and between 8am and 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
On the weekends, I'd wait until 10am. Other than that, start no earlier than the gardeners start with mowers and blowers. Better still, introduce yourself to your nearby neighbors, including anyone sharing a wall, floor, or ceiling, and ask what their preferences are.
From September this year the EU laws on vacuum cleaners have changed, meaning less energy efficient models are banned from sale within these countries. Now, vacuum machines that use more than 900 watts, or are louder than 80 decibels, will be banned and only sold until their current stock runs out.
But perhaps the most heartwarming Swiss law is about guinea pigs: you're not allowed to have just one! They need social interaction to be happy, so owning a single guinea pig is considered harmful to its well-being and forbidden by law.
In Switzerland, data protection is regulated under the DPA which guarantees that all personal data can only be processed lawfully. All personal data processing must also be proportionate and carried out with the best intentions. Article 13 of the Swiss Federal Constitution guarantees your right to privacy.
Do I need to speak one of the native languages (German, French, Italian) to live in Zurich/Switzerland? English is widely spoken in Switzerland. You do not need to speak any of the native languages in order to live and study here.
Someone on reddit phrased it nicely: "I imagine this is because a mountain reciting poetry is clearly senitent, and skiing down its face would be abusive in nature."
Switzerland. In Switzerland, pedestrians are generally allowed to cross the street everywhere. They have priority on zebra crossings but should cross with care. However, they must use a pedestrian crossing, bridge or underpass if it is within 50 m.
But the directors of all the Swiss police forces agree that filming is allowed. There are, however, two exceptions: the filming may not interfere with police doing their work, and the footage may not be disseminated, especially if the police officers involved or the location are identifiable.
Switzerland Clothing Style
Zurich is known to be a place that is both conservative and casual, which means that it is acceptable to wear jeans and even sneakers for almost any occasion. There are incredibly beautiful places to visit in Switzerland.
The times people go to bed and rise vary too. On average Swiss go to bed a little after 11pm and get up shortly before 7am. Spanish by contrast go to bed just before midnight and rise a bit before a quarter to eight.
Public drinking in Switzerland is legal. Although Switzerland has a legal purchase age of 16 for beer and wine, and 18 for spirits (18 for both in Ticino), it is not illegal for a minor to consume alcohol in public by federal laws.