DON’T MISS
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingIamExpat Webinars
Newsletters
EXPAT INFO
CAREER
HOUSING
EDUCATION
LIFESTYLE
EXPAT SERVICES
NEWS & ARTICLES
Home
Expat Info
Swiss news & articles
Honking after Euros matches allowed for exactly 1 hour, say Swiss police
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy

Honking after Euros matches allowed for exactly 1 hour, say Swiss police

Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy
or
follow us for regular updates:



Related Stories

Noise-activated cameras to be tested in Zurich from AprilNoise-activated cameras to be tested in Zurich from April
New speed camera in Neuchâtel catches 40 percent of drivers speedingNew speed camera in Neuchâtel catches 40 percent of drivers speeding
February 2025 in Switzerland: 11 important things expats need to knowFebruary 2025 in Switzerland: 11 important things expats need to know
Swiss town to fine drivers who visit for less than 15 minutesSwiss town to fine drivers who visit for less than 15 minutes
November 2024: 11 changes expats in Switzerland need to know aboutNovember 2024: 11 changes expats in Switzerland need to know about
Traffic noise rules and fines to be tightened in SwitzerlandTraffic noise rules and fines to be tightened in Switzerland
Zurich scraps Langstrasse speed camera after issuing millions in finesZurich scraps Langstrasse speed camera after issuing millions in fines
New scam in Basel sees fraudsters paste fake QR codes on parking metresNew scam in Basel sees fraudsters paste fake QR codes on parking metres
For expats of all colours, shapes and sizes

Explore
Expat infoCareerHousingEducationLifestyleExpat servicesNews & articles
About us
IamExpat MediaAdvertisePost a jobContact usSitemap
More IamExpat
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingWebinarsNewsletters
Privacy
Terms of usePrivacy policyCookiesAvoiding scams

Never miss a thing!Sign up for expat events, news & offers, delivered once a week.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy


© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Jun 18, 2024
Jan de Boer

Editor at IamExpat Media

Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016. While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more

As people across Switzerland cheer on the Nati at the Euros, the thorny issue of how drivers can celebrate the team’s successes (and near-misses) has come across the desk of the police. In a typical Swiss compromise, a majority of local authorities have said that they will tolerate the honking of horns by drivers after Euro 2024 matches, but only for an hour.

Swiss police faced with honking football fans

It was an infamous part of the last World Cup: as soon as the national team won a game, the streets of Swiss cities were a cacophony of honking horns and wild celebrations. Now, with Switzerland’s Euro 2024 campaign already underway, the Keystone-SDA news agency has conducted a survey of police forces, to see how much revelry will be tolerated this time around.

First off, technically speaking, "honking as an expression of joy" is illegal in Switzerland under the Road Traffic Act. However, a majority of cantonal police forces told the news agency that they would be using “discretion” and “common sense” when enforcing the rules during the European Championships.

Therefore, in a compromise that would make the government proud, the majority of forces will allow people to celebrate their team’s victories in the Euros by honking their horns. However, this new tolerance will be extinguished exactly an hour after the final whistle blows, after which the police will act and fine as usual.

What Euros celebrations will not be tolerated in Switzerland?

However, this discretion is not universal: for example, in Lucerne, a police spokesperson added that there would be no tolerance for honking in residential areas and near hospitals and retirement homes. Elsewhere, forces in St. Gallen, Zurich and Aarau confirmed that if car-related celebrations turn into a slow convoy of jovial football fans, road closures and diversions are likely.

There are also behaviours that no force will tolerate: if a person is determined to be endangering themselves or others, such as by leaning out of the car and celebrating, they will be stopped by police. In addition, the cantonal police in Solothurn said there will be “no match bonus” for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Euro 2024 a positive event for Swiss police so far

So far, the vast majority of Swiss police forces asked by Keystone-SDA reported that the Euros have been a positive event. For instance, officials in Basel confirmed that police interventions have been very rare, with the Chur city police adding that they have had “almost no” problems related to the Euros or World Cups in the last 20 years.

In fact, only Canton Bern said it has had major problems with Euros football fans in the past: in 2016, a motorcyclist died during the celebrations after a match.

By Jan de Boer