Zurich to offer free STI tests after successful pilot project

The Zurich City Council has voted to permanently introduce free tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) following a successful pilot project.

Zurich city council to make STI tests free

The city council in Zurich has been running a pilot project since 2022 which “provides free and easily accessible [STI] testing and aims to raise awareness of the importance of responsible behaviour”, according to the council’s website. 

Zurich residents aged 25 or under can currently get a free STI test for the “Big 5” STIs: HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea and hepatitis. The council has now decided that the pilot project, which is scheduled to run until May 2027, will be made permanent. 

There was some debate at the city council’s meeting about whether residents should co-pay a portion of the test, but in the end it was decided that the tests would remain free, reports Watson. 

There was also discussion about raising the age limit of the free tests, with the details to be decided in a final round of voting in the coming weeks.

Pilot project offering free STI tests exceeds expectations

The pilot project was deemed successful by the council, which said the free tests “strengthen prevention, reduce infection rates, and improve equal access to healthcare”. Over 6.500 tests had taken place by May 2025, which was 5 percent more than expected, according to a press release.

Zurich is one of the Swiss cities with the highest proportion of young people, and as a result, a higher number of STIs. A test from a health provider such as TEST-in in Zurich could cost between 25 and 165 Swiss francs, depending on the STI being checked. 

Yves Henz (Green Party) said that the free tests are “the most profitable investment in this city. If we can prevent just one case of HIV, we’ve already saved a million.”