16 ways to make your life in Switzerland easier without really trying
Too expensive, too unfriendly, too many languages: foreigners often face challenges when moving to and living in Switzerland. Here are some tips on how to make your life here simpler, with little effort involved.
Don’t get us wrong: despite some growing pains experienced by foreign nationals in the early (and sometimes even later) stages of the settling-in process, life in Switzerland is not exactly a heavy burden.
There are undeniably many positive things here, including (but not limited to) a high standard of living, good social structure, security, as well as benefits in terms of health, quality of life, and finances in retirement.
But if you find your daily life is lacking that little extra “something” or feel it could be improved, these simple and relatively easy steps can make a world of difference.
READ MORE: Why have Swiss cities become ‘more liveable’ during the pandemic?
1. Get a Swiss army knife
Why? Because these handy little tools are useful for a multitude of purposes: you can use them to open bottles and cans, cut small objects, repair various things, carve wood, and even clean your fingernails, tweeze your eyebrows and hoof a horse.
You can do practically everything with this little gadget. Photo by Patrick on Unsplash
2. Carry a water bottle
Swiss villages, towns and cities have fountains flowing with cool, crisp, Alp water everywhere, so simply carry a trusty vessel and fill up wherever you go.
3. Take a train (or a bus)
One of the perks of living in Switzerland is that public transportation will take you almost everywhere — from the most remote village to practically the top of a mountain.
EXPLAINED: How to find cheap train tickets in Switzerland
If you buy a day pass at your commune or at the railway station — sometimes for as little as 30 francs — you can travel by train, bus and even a boat all over Switzerland for 12 hours, enjoying breathtaking views along the way.
4. Enjoy nature (it's free)
The advantage of Switzerland’s size and density means that even if you live in a city, countryside is almost at your doorstep.
Take advantage of this proximity to nature to clear your thoughts, breathe fresh air, and enjoy the beautiful scenery — after all, you'd have to search far and wide to find a place in Switzerland that is not picturesque.
READ MORE: These are the friendliest – and least friendly – cantons in Switzerland
5. Treat yourself to coffee and croissants
There are many cozy, independently owned coffee shops and tea rooms in Switzerland, perfect places to relax and have a morning cup of coffee with a croissant (or gipfeli if you live in the German-speaking part).
The simple pleasure of afresh croissant and steaming cup of coffee. Photo by Markus Clemens on Unsplash
6. Stay on top of the Swiss news (ideally, with The Local)
Being au courant with what is happening in Switzerland and keeping up with the latest events and developments will make you feel less of an outsider.
Plus, it will give you a better grasp of how the Swiss tick — the kind of knowledge that will never be wasted if you live in Switzerland.
READ MORE: Eight unwritten rules that explain how Switzerland works
7. Buy different-colour baskets to use as recycling bins
Recycling is a big deal in Switzerland and you will simplify this task enormously if you have a colour coded system: say, blue for paper and cardboard, green for glass, white for cans and aluminium, red for PET bottles, yellow for batteries — you get the idea.
Disposing of your trash into communal receptacles will then be much easier and quicker.
READ MORE: Trash talk: What are the rules for garbage disposal in Switzerland?
8. Find out what online services your canton or community offers and take advantage of them
If standing in long queues gives you a headache, simplify your life by doing certain things online without leaving the comfort of your home.
What you can and can’t do depends on where you live, but most cantons allow you to file your taxes, submit civil status documentation, apply for health insurance subsidies, and perform other administrative tasks on the internet.
READ MORE: Swiss bureaucracy: Ten tasks you can do online in Vaud
9. Lose your hangups about eating in supermarket restaurants
Whether it's a work lunch or a quick bite, Switzerland's supermarket restaurants are cheap, clean and offer good quality cuisine.
It might not be the most romantic first date spot, but for a good, hot meal, there's few better value places than the Coop or Migros restaurants.
10. Don’t call, text
If someone gives your their number (in non-professional contexts), don’t call them but text instead.
Perhaps this is a universal Millennial thing, but it’s certainly true in Switzerland, where people are generally reserved and like advance warning about social interaction.
Texting is easier than person-to-person contact. Photo by Jonas Leupe on Unsplash
11. Buy (and eat) supermarket chocolate
Switzerland's luxury chocolate brands are an experience in themselves, but the supermarket options are remarkably cheap and remarkably good.
12. Do your laundry early in the morning (except on Sundays, where it can be banned)
In Swiss apartments, tenants are assigned a particular laundry day. Hauling basketfuls of dirty clothes up and down the whole day is a hassle.
But if you do all your washing, drying, and folding first thing in the morning, this will not only simplify your life, but will also give enough time to enjoy the previous eight points.
READ MORE: Nine ways you might be annoying your neighbours (and not realising it) in Switzerland
13. Make an effort to meet a Swiss
Live in Switzerland but don't have any Swiss friends? Change that. It'll change the way you see the country and the people.
14. Make lunch the most important meal of the day
Want to try that restaurant but can't fork out the cash? Lunch is your friend.
Whether during the week or on weekends, lunch prices are often half dinner prices, with much the same on offer.
15. Twint
Twint is a great tool when you want to transfer money from one person’s smartphone to another’s, to pay for a purchase in a shop, restaurant, or anywhere else.
Practically all retailers in Switzerland offer the option of a Twint payment, including some that are either cashless or that don't accept credit cards.
Cashless payments in Switzerland: What is Twint and how does it work?
16. Drink in public
Supermarket and kiosk wine and beer is much cheaper than that offered at bars and restaurants.
Save yourself more than a few francs by finding a nice spot in a park or along a river and BYOB.
While for people from English-speaking countries this may seem a little weird, drinking in public in Switzerland – like with much of continental Europe – does not have the same social stigma it does in other countries and will not be looked down upon in Switzerland.
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Don’t get us wrong: despite some growing pains experienced by foreign nationals in the early (and sometimes even later) stages of the settling-in process, life in Switzerland is not exactly a heavy burden.
There are undeniably many positive things here, including (but not limited to) a high standard of living, good social structure, security, as well as benefits in terms of health, quality of life, and finances in retirement.
But if you find your daily life is lacking that little extra “something” or feel it could be improved, these simple and relatively easy steps can make a world of difference.
READ MORE: Why have Swiss cities become ‘more liveable’ during the pandemic?
1. Get a Swiss army knife
Why? Because these handy little tools are useful for a multitude of purposes: you can use them to open bottles and cans, cut small objects, repair various things, carve wood, and even clean your fingernails, tweeze your eyebrows and hoof a horse.
You can do practically everything with this little gadget. Photo by Patrick on Unsplash
2. Carry a water bottle
Swiss villages, towns and cities have fountains flowing with cool, crisp, Alp water everywhere, so simply carry a trusty vessel and fill up wherever you go.
3. Take a train (or a bus)
One of the perks of living in Switzerland is that public transportation will take you almost everywhere — from the most remote village to practically the top of a mountain.
EXPLAINED: How to find cheap train tickets in Switzerland
If you buy a day pass at your commune or at the railway station — sometimes for as little as 30 francs — you can travel by train, bus and even a boat all over Switzerland for 12 hours, enjoying breathtaking views along the way.
4. Enjoy nature (it's free)
The advantage of Switzerland’s size and density means that even if you live in a city, countryside is almost at your doorstep.
Take advantage of this proximity to nature to clear your thoughts, breathe fresh air, and enjoy the beautiful scenery — after all, you'd have to search far and wide to find a place in Switzerland that is not picturesque.
READ MORE: These are the friendliest – and least friendly – cantons in Switzerland
5. Treat yourself to coffee and croissants
There are many cozy, independently owned coffee shops and tea rooms in Switzerland, perfect places to relax and have a morning cup of coffee with a croissant (or gipfeli if you live in the German-speaking part).
The simple pleasure of afresh croissant and steaming cup of coffee. Photo by Markus Clemens on Unsplash
6. Stay on top of the Swiss news (ideally, with The Local)
Being au courant with what is happening in Switzerland and keeping up with the latest events and developments will make you feel less of an outsider.
Plus, it will give you a better grasp of how the Swiss tick — the kind of knowledge that will never be wasted if you live in Switzerland.
READ MORE: Eight unwritten rules that explain how Switzerland works
7. Buy different-colour baskets to use as recycling bins
Recycling is a big deal in Switzerland and you will simplify this task enormously if you have a colour coded system: say, blue for paper and cardboard, green for glass, white for cans and aluminium, red for PET bottles, yellow for batteries — you get the idea.
Disposing of your trash into communal receptacles will then be much easier and quicker.
READ MORE: Trash talk: What are the rules for garbage disposal in Switzerland?
8. Find out what online services your canton or community offers and take advantage of them
If standing in long queues gives you a headache, simplify your life by doing certain things online without leaving the comfort of your home.
What you can and can’t do depends on where you live, but most cantons allow you to file your taxes, submit civil status documentation, apply for health insurance subsidies, and perform other administrative tasks on the internet.
READ MORE: Swiss bureaucracy: Ten tasks you can do online in Vaud
9. Lose your hangups about eating in supermarket restaurants
Whether it's a work lunch or a quick bite, Switzerland's supermarket restaurants are cheap, clean and offer good quality cuisine.
It might not be the most romantic first date spot, but for a good, hot meal, there's few better value places than the Coop or Migros restaurants.
10. Don’t call, text
If someone gives your their number (in non-professional contexts), don’t call them but text instead.
Perhaps this is a universal Millennial thing, but it’s certainly true in Switzerland, where people are generally reserved and like advance warning about social interaction.
Texting is easier than person-to-person contact. Photo by Jonas Leupe on Unsplash
11. Buy (and eat) supermarket chocolate
Switzerland's luxury chocolate brands are an experience in themselves, but the supermarket options are remarkably cheap and remarkably good.
12. Do your laundry early in the morning (except on Sundays, where it can be banned)
In Swiss apartments, tenants are assigned a particular laundry day. Hauling basketfuls of dirty clothes up and down the whole day is a hassle.
But if you do all your washing, drying, and folding first thing in the morning, this will not only simplify your life, but will also give enough time to enjoy the previous eight points.
READ MORE: Nine ways you might be annoying your neighbours (and not realising it) in Switzerland
13. Make an effort to meet a Swiss
Live in Switzerland but don't have any Swiss friends? Change that. It'll change the way you see the country and the people.
14. Make lunch the most important meal of the day
Want to try that restaurant but can't fork out the cash? Lunch is your friend.
Whether during the week or on weekends, lunch prices are often half dinner prices, with much the same on offer.
15. Twint
Twint is a great tool when you want to transfer money from one person’s smartphone to another’s, to pay for a purchase in a shop, restaurant, or anywhere else.
Practically all retailers in Switzerland offer the option of a Twint payment, including some that are either cashless or that don't accept credit cards.
Cashless payments in Switzerland: What is Twint and how does it work?
16. Drink in public
Supermarket and kiosk wine and beer is much cheaper than that offered at bars and restaurants.
Save yourself more than a few francs by finding a nice spot in a park or along a river and BYOB.
While for people from English-speaking countries this may seem a little weird, drinking in public in Switzerland – like with much of continental Europe – does not have the same social stigma it does in other countries and will not be looked down upon in Switzerland.
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