Do you take the prices in your stride, tut when the trains are late and dismiss that incredible mountain view with a shrug because you’ve seen it all before? Then you’ve definitely been living in Switzerland a while….
Switzerland is well known as a place where rules are important, but it’s also quite big on personal liberties… as long as you follow the rules. As well as learning plain old punctuality in the land of clocks and watches, there are plenty of local customs, habits and codes of conduct you’re likely to pick up when you live here.
Some of these you’re obliged to adopt almost immediately, others are honed over months or years. Here’s our list of habits you’ll embrace – and hopefully even enjoy – when living in Switzerland.
1. You arrive on time. Not early, not late. And there are no excuses because clocks are everywhere and Swatches are (relatively) cheap.
2. You catch public transport as standard. And why wouldn’t you when Switzerland has one of the world’s most dense public transport systems, comprising 29,000 kilometres of train, bus and boat lines (plus 90 urban-area systems that incorporate trams, trolleybuses, cable cars and ferries too).
3. However, because the public transport system is so good, you’ll find yourself tutting, along with other passengers, if your train or tram is even two minutes late.
