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Swiss holidays 2023 & 2024

Swiss holidays 2023 & 2024

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

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