Though wild camping in Switzerland is not legally prohibited, there are no uniform regulations either.
Instead, the cantons and municipalities are responsible for setting their own regulations on wild camping and these differ from canton to canton.
So, which canton dictates what?
In most Swiss cantons, wild camping is generally not permitted.
The cantons where wild camping is not allowed are Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Country, Basel-City, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Glarus, Graubünden, Jura, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, Nidwalden, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, St. Gallen, Ticino, Uri, Vaud, Valais, Zurich, and Zug.
Meanwhile, the canton of Aargau will allow campers to spend one night in a public car park, provided there is no prohibition sign in the area you wish to camp in.
Aargau also permits wild camping on properties so long as you have the explicit permission of the property owner. However, in this case, it should be noted that regular camping behaviour, such as the setting up of camping chairs outside one’s mobile home, and similar, is strictly prohibited.
Ultimately, you should get in touch with your local Aargau municipality and inquire which rules apply before setting up camp.
Similarly, the canton of Obwalden is more forgiving when it comes to wild camping and allows vacationers to camp out for one night (at their own risk). In this case, the camping laws of the canton of Obwalden apply.
In line with those laws, vacationers visiting or passing through Obwalden may set up their tent, caravan, or mobile home outside of approved campsites without permission, provided that no public or private interests are adversely affected.
Are there any exceptions?
Luckily, many cantons will allow individual (non-group) overnight stays in the mountains - above the tree line - as long as the tent is taken down during the day (every day) for those choosing to stay several nights.
The cantons to allow individual wild camping in the mountains are Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Country, Basel-City, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Glarus, Graubünden, Neuchâtel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, St. Gallen, Ticino, Uri, Vaud, Valais, Zurich, and Zug.
The cantons that do not allow wild camping in the mountains are Jura, Lucerne, and Thurgau.
Moreover, some cantons – such as Aargau – will allow camping on private property with the permission of the property owners.
Additional cantons to allow this include Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Country, Basel-City, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Glarus, Graubünden, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, St. Gallen, Thurgau, Uri, Vaud, Valais, Zurich, and Zug.
The canton of Lucerne also allows wild camping on property belonging to the municipality, provided the municipality does not state otherwise.
Appenzell Innerrhoden, Jura, and Ticino, however, do not allow wild camping on private property.
If you find yourself in an emergency situation and need to bivouac, which means you will need to spend one night under the sky without a tent, you will be happy to learn that 24 cantons will let you do so within their borders.
The canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, however, only allows simple overnight bivouacking if the landowner agrees.
Jura is the sole canton to not address bivouacking, so if you find yourself in need of an emergency campsite, make sure to call the local municipality first.
Am I allowed to spend a night in parking lots?
There are no cantonal regulations when it comes to spending the night in a free parking space, and yet in some cantons and municipalities spending the night in your car in a parking spot counts as wild camping. and may well get in trouble.
Instead, the parking site regulations apply and you would be wise to consult the local municipality or the property owner before parking up.
Make sure to pay attention to any parking signs in the area and check the parking time restrictions on site.
Again, camping behaviour, such as setting up tables and chairs, is not permitted.
Where is wild camping strictly prohibited?
In general, wild camping in Switzerland is strictly prohibited across all cantons in nature reserves, the Swiss National Park, federal hunting zones, wildlife sanctuaries and places where there is a general ban on entry.
And lastly, always make sure to keep up to date with the weather conditions and be aware of possible natural hazards in the area you plan to camp in.
You can find suitable (and official) Touring Club Suisse-approved campsites as well as more information on hitting Swiss roads on the TCS website.
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