Switzerland is a federation of 26 counties (cantons) that have a great amount of autonomy over their own laws and rules, which includes setting public holidays. Although some national holidays do exist, most mandated holidays are decided by individual cantons.
It is important to know which public holidays are specific to the region you live in if you are given a work contract that allows for regional holidays as well as national ones.
Swiss school holidays
Swiss schools traditionally have five school holidays throughout the year. These holidays are determined by the county where you live and can vary from week to week. Most family planning calendars have the dates on the back. The holidays they get are:
- October break (early October, one week)
- Christmas holidays (mid-December to early January, two to three weeks)
- Ski week (early February, two weeks)
- Easter holidays (Easter time, one week)
- Summer holidays (June to August, six to eight weeks)
For more information about specific dates for each canton, please see the Swiss school holidays section.
Swiss national holidays
Swiss national holidays are holidays that all cantons give as a day off work. These are:
- Swiss national day: August 1
- Christmas Day: December 25
- New Years Day: January 1
- Good Friday (except for Ticino and Valais): April 7, 2023 and March 29, 2024
- Ascension day: May 18, 2023 and May 9, 2024
Swiss holidays by canton
All Swiss cantons have different public holidays that are based on traditions dating back to the founding of the Swiss confederation. This list will take you through the specific ones in every region, starting from the most important cantons, then following on in alphabetic order.
Most international companies follow the holidays of the region where they are based and some may offer more holidays if you live in another region of Switzerland.
Swiss holidays 2023
| Holiday | Date | Cantons |
|---|---|---|
| St. Berchtold's Day | January 2 | Aargau, Bern, Fribourg, Glarus, Jura, Lucerne, Obwalden, Schaffhausen, Thurgau, Vaud |
| Three Kings Day | January 6 | Lucerne, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri |
| Republic Day | March 1 | Neuchatel |
| St Joseph's Day | March 19 | Lucerne, Nidwalden, Solothurn, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri, Valais |
| Näfelser Fahrt | April 6 | Glarus |
| Easter Monday | April 10 | National except Neuchatel, Solothurn, Valais, Zug |
| Sechseläuten | April 17 | Zurich |
| Labour Day | May 1 | Basel-Stadt, Zurich |
| May day | May 1 | Aargau, Basel-Land, Jura, Neuchatel, Schaffhausen, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino |
| Whitsun | May 28 | Bern |
| Whit Monday | May 29 | National except Neuchatel, Solothurn, Valais, Zug |
| Corpus Christi | June 8 | Aargau, Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Zug, Fribourg, Solothurn, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Graubünden, Ticino, Valais, Jura |
| Juran Independence Day | June 23 | Jura |
| Solemnity Burgdorf | June 26 | Burgdorf (Bern) |
| Saint Peter and Saint Paul’s day | June 29 | Graubünden, Ticino |
| Braderie | June 30 -July 2 | Biel / Bienne (Bern) |
| Assumption Day | August 15 | Aargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, St. Gallen, Solothurn, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Zug |
| Genfer Bettag | September 7 | Geneva |
| Knabenschiessen | September 11 | Zurich |
| Swiss Federal Fast | September 17 | Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel- Land, Fribourg, Glarus, Graubünden, Jura, Lucerne, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, St. Gallen, Schaffhausen, Solothurn, Schwyz, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Vaud, Valais, Zug |
| Bettagsmontag | September 18 | Geneva, Neuchatel, Vaud |
| St Mauritius' Day | September 22 | Appenzell Innerrhoden |
| Saint Nicholas of Flüe Day | September 25 | Obwalden |
| Thuner Ausschiesset | September 26 | Thun (Bern) |
| All Saints' Day | November 1 | Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Glarus, Zug, Fribourg, Solothurn, Appenzell Innerrhoden, St. Gallen, Aargau, Valais |
| Immaculate Conception | December 8 | Aargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Graubünden, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Solothurn, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri, Vaud, Valais, Zug |
| Christmas Eve | December 24 | Glarus |
| St Stephen's Day | December 26 | National except Geneva, Jura, Neuchatel, Solothurn, Valais, Vaud, Zug |
| New Year's Eve | December 31 | Glarus |
| Refounding of the Republic of Geneva | December 31 | Geneva |
Swiss holidays 2024
| Holiday | Date | Cantons |
|---|---|---|
| St. Berchtold's Day | January 2 | Aargau, Bern, Fribourg, Glarus, Jura, Lucerne, Obwalden, Schaffhausen, Thurgau, Vaud |
| Three Kings Day | January 6 | Lucerne, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri |
| Republic Day | March 1 | Neuchatel |
| St Joseph's Day | March 19 | Lucerne, Nidwalden, Solothurn, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri, Valais |
| Easter Monday | April 1 | National except Neuchatel, Solothurn, Valais, Zug |
| Näfelser Fahrt | April 4 | Glarus |
| Sechseläuten | April 15 | Zurich |
| Labour Day | May 1 | Basel-Stadt, Zurich |
| May day | May 1 | Aargau, Basel-Land, Jura, Neuchatel, Schaffhausen, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino |
| Whitsun | May 19 | Bern |
| Whit Monday | May 20 | National except Neuchatel, Solothurn, Valais, Zug |
| Corpus Christi | May 30 | Aargau, Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Zug, Fribourg, Solothurn, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Graubünden, Ticino, Valais, Jura |
| Juran Independence Day | June 23 | Jura |
| Solemnity Burgdorf | June 24 | Burgdorf (Bern) |
| Braderie | June 28 - 30 | Biel / Bienne (Bern) |
| Saint Peter and Saint Paul’s day | June 29 | Graubünden, Ticino |
| Assumption Day | August 15 | Aargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, St. Gallen, Solothurn, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Zug |
| Genfer Bettag | September 5 | Geneva |
| Knabenschiessen | September 9 | Zurich |
| Swiss Federal Fast | September 15 | Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel- Land, Fribourg, Glarus, Graubünden, Jura, Lucerne, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, St. Gallen, Schaffhausen, Solothurn, Schwyz, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Vaud, Valais, Zug |
| Bettagsmontag | September 16 | Geneva, Neuchatel, Vaud |
| St Mauritius' Day | September 22 | Appenzell Innerrhoden |
| Thuner Ausschiesset | September 23 | Thun (Bern) |
| Saint Nicholas of Flüe Day | September 25 | Obwalden |
| All Saints' Day | November 1 | Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Glarus, Zug, Fribourg, Solothurn, Appenzell Innerrhoden, St. Gallen, Aargau, Valais |
| Immaculate Conception | December 8 | Aargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Graubünden, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Solothurn, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri, Vaud, Valais, Zug |
| Christmas Eve | December 24 | Glarus |
| St Stephen's Day | December 26 | National except Geneva, Jura, Neuchatel, Solothurn, Valais, Vaud, Zug |
| New Year's Eve | December 31 | Glarus |
| Refounding of the Republic of Geneva | December 31 | Geneva |
