TRAVEL
TIPS
| Driving |
U.S
Driving Permit accepted |
| Currency |
(CHF)
Swiss Franc |
| Electrical |
230 Volts |
| Telephones |
Country
Code 41, City Code Zurich 1+7D, Lausanne 21+7D, Geneve 22+7D,
Bern 31+7D |
Time:
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before
last Sunday in October).
Electricity:
220 volts AC, 50Hz.
Telephone:
Full IDD is available. Country code: 41. Outgoing international
code: 00. Phonecards are available for use in payphones.
Climate:
The Alps cause many climatic variations throughout Switzerland.
In the higher Alpine regions temperatures tend to be low, while
the lower land of the northern area has higher temperatures and
warm summers.
Required
clothing: Warm clothes and rainwear; lightweights for
summer.
Food
& Drink: Swiss cuisine is varied. The great speciality
is fondue, a delicious concoction of Gruyère and Vacherin
cheese, melted and mixed with white wine, flour, Kirsch and a
little garlic. Other cheese specialities are Emmental and Tête
de Moine. Regional specialities include viande sechée (dried
beef or pork) from Valais and the Grisons where it is called Bündnerfleisch.
The meat is cut wafer thin and served with pickled spring onions
and gherkins. Papet vaudoir is a delicious dish made from leeks
and potatoes. Geneva’s great speciality is pieds de porc
(pigs feet). Pork sausages or salami come in a variety of local
recipes including Landjäger, Beinwurst, Engadinerwurst, Leberwurst
(pâté), Kalbsleberwurst (calf’s liver pâté),
and Knackerli. Try Rösti (shredded fried potatoes) and Fondue
Bourguignonne (cubed meat with various sauces). Cakes and pastries
are also varied: Leckerli are Basle specialities (spiced honey
cakes topped with icing sugar, decorated in Bern with a white
sugar bear); Gugelhopf (a type of sponge cake with a hollow centre),
Fasnachtküchli (sugar-dusted pastries eaten during Carnival)
and Schaffhausen (cream-filled cakes) are also popular. Although
there are many self-service snack bars, table service is normal.
A great variety of Swiss wines are available throughout the country.
There are also spirits made from fruit, the most popular being
Kirsch, Marc, Pflümli and Williams. Swiss beer of a lager
type is also available. Bottled mineral water is an accepted beverage,
with local brands including Henniez and Passuger. Bars/cocktail
lounges have table and/or counter service.
Shopping:
Special purchases include embroidery and linen, Bernese woodcarving,
chocolate, cheese, Swiss army knives and luxury handmade clocks
and watches. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1330-1830,
Sat 0800-1200 and 1330-1600. Most shops are closed on Monday mornings.
Tipping:
A service charge is included in all hotel, restaurant, cafe, bar,
taxi and hairdressing services by law: further gratuities are
not usualy required.
Currency:
Swiss Franc (SFr) = 100 rappen or centimes. Notes are in denominations
of SFr1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations
of SFr5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 centimes.
Currency
exchange: Personal cheques within the Eurocheque system
are accepted. ATMs provide a convenient means of obtaining Swiss
Francs. There are Bureaux de Change at train stations and banks.
Credit
& debit cards: MasterCard, American Express, Diners
Club and Visa are widely accepted. Check with your credit, or
debit, card company for details of merchant acceptability and
other facilities which may be available.
