🇨🇠Switzerland
In Schengen, out of the euro, and expensive in a way that surprises people.
No - Australian passport holders can enter Switzerland without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Pack a Type J/C adapter for the 230V supply, one Australian dollar buys about 0.57 CHF.
Entry rules last checked 24 October 2026.
Switzerland is in the Schengen Area but not the European Union and not the eurozone, which is the source of most of the confusion Australians have here. Entry is 90 days visa-free on the shared Schengen allowance, but the currency is the franc and an EU roaming eSIM often does not include the country.
Your Switzerland trip setup
20 things Australians need to sort. Tick them off as you go.
Entry requirements
Visa-free (Schengen Area)Up to 90 days in any 180-day period View detailsFlights
Compare 3 searchs Search flightsConnectivity
Compare 8 plansFrom $8.50 Compare eSIMsTravel insurance
Compare 7 policysFrom $20.50 Compare insuranceMoney & payments
Compare 5 cards0.43%-0.65% conversion fee Compare cardsAirport transfer
ZRH → ZurichFrom $13 Compare optionsDriving
AU licence OKDrives on the right Compare car hireTravel essentials
Adapter type J/CTap water: safe to drink View guideThings to do
Compare 7 experiencesFrom $62 Explore activitiesSwitzerland at a glance for Australians
Best time to visit
June-September for hiking, December-March for snow
Late April to late May and late October to November are the shoulder seasons when mountain lifts close for maintenance and many alpine villages shut down.
22h 30m from Sydney
Busiest month for Australian travellers: January, quietest March. Switzerland travel statistics
Health & safety
Smartraveller: Exercise normal safety precautions
Australia has no reciprocal health care agreement with Switzerland. You pay for treatment up front, and an air ambulance home is the cost that turns a bad week into a bad decade.
Emergency: 112 for everything
Money
Near-universal, including contactless everywhere. This is a card country.
Bank ATMs are widespread and reliable. Withdraw francs, not euros.
Tipping: Service is included by law. Rounding up to the nearest franc or two is normal; anything beyond that is unusual.
Language & culture
German, French and Italian by region
English: Excellent everywhere, including in rural areas
Capital: Bern
Australian dollar to Swiss franc
CHF0.57 CHF per AUD
Last recorded rate
These are mid-market rates - the rate banks trade at, published by the European Central Bank. It is not what you will be offered. Expect a card or exchange service to take 0.5% to 5% off it, which is exactly what our travel money comparison is for. Past movement doesn't predict future rates, and none of this is financial advice.
View the numbers as a table
Where Australians go in Switzerland
Zurich
Geneva
Lucerne
Interlaken
Zermatt
Switzerland FAQs for Australian travellers
Do Australians need a visa for Switzerland?
No. Australian passport holders can enter Switzerland visa-free for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. Switzerland is in the Schengen Area despite not being in the EU, so those days come out of the same shared Schengen allowance.
Does my Europe eSIM work in Switzerland?
Often not. Switzerland is not in the EU, so it is excluded from many regional "Europe" plans and from EU roaming rules. Check the covered-country list before you buy, or you will be roaming at full rates without realising.
Does Switzerland use the euro?
No. The currency is the Swiss franc. Some shops near the borders take euros but at an exchange rate set in their favour, so pay in francs by card.
What power adapter do I need for Switzerland?
A Swiss Type J adapter. A slim two-pin Type C plug does fit a Swiss socket, but a chunky European Type F Schuko plug does not, so a general "Europe" adapter is not a safe assumption.
Do I need a motorway vignette to drive in Switzerland?
Yes. A vignette costing CHF 40 and valid for the calendar year is compulsory for any vehicle on a Swiss motorway, including a hire car crossing the border briefly. Buy it at the border, at a post office or online - driving without one is a CHF 200 fine.
Is Switzerland as expensive as people say?
Yes. It is the most expensive country in Europe and roughly double Australian prices for restaurant meals. Supermarket picnics, public drinking fountains and a Swiss Travel Pass rather than individual tickets are the three things that most reduce the damage.
Planning Switzerland?
We will send you the Switzerland guide as it grows - what to book before you go, which eSIM and travel card are worth it there, and what things actually cost in Australian dollars.