🇨🇭 Travel & Living in Switzerland
A practical arrival and living guide for students heading to Switzerland — SBB rail, housing costs, health insurance, language zones and your first week.
So you're moving to Switzerland to study. The country is efficient, strikingly beautiful and eye-wateringly expensive. Plan your budget realistically, lock in housing early and the experience will be exceptional.
Getting there & around
Most international students fly into Zurich (ZRH) or Geneva (GVA), both of which have direct train connections from the terminal into the city centre. Switzerland's public transport system — anchored by SBB (Schweizerische Bundesbahnen / CFF / FFS) — is one of the world's best: trains run on the minute, cover the whole country and integrate with buses, trams and boats on a single ticket. Download the SBB app for timetables and tickets; it works in English. The GA Travelcard (unlimited nationwide travel) costs CHF 3,860/year at full price but students under 25 pay CHF 1,995/year — worth it if you travel regularly. The Halbtax Abo (CHF 120/year) gives 50% off all SBB fares and is worthwhile even for occasional travellers. Within cities, trams and buses are the norm; buy a city or cantonal zone pass for daily commutes.
Where to live
Housing is the biggest challenge in Switzerland. University cities — Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Lausanne — have extremely tight rental markets. Apply to university-affiliated student housing (Studentenheime / cites universitaires) the moment you receive your admission letter; waiting lists are long and spaces are limited. Rooms in student halls typically cost CHF 600–900/month including utilities. Private flat shares (WG / colocation) are the realistic alternative: CHF 900–1,500/month for a shared room in Zurich or Geneva. Use Wohnen-Schweiz.ch, Homegate and students.ch for listings. Never pay a deposit before signing a proper tenancy agreement (Mietvertrag).
Cost of living & budgeting
Switzerland is expensive by any European standard — budget honestly.
| Item | Rough monthly (CHF) |
|---|---|
| Student hall room | 600–900 |
| Private shared room | 900–1,500 |
| Groceries (Aldi/Lidl) | 300–500 |
| Eating out (one meal) | 20–35 per meal |
| Monthly transport (city zone) | 70–110 |
| Health insurance (student, basic) | 250–450 |
| Phone plan | 15–35 |
Tip: shop at Aldi or Lidl rather than Migros or Coop for staples — you can cut your grocery bill by 30–40%. For hot meals on campus, the Mensa (university canteen) offers subsidised plates for CHF 7–12.
Money, SIM & admin
Open a Swiss bank account early — Neon and Yuh are free digital banks that accept students with a residence permit; traditional cantonal banks (Zürcher Kantonalbank, Banque Cantonale de Geneve) offer free student accounts. Swiss shops overwhelmingly accept Mastercard and Visa debit/credit cards and TWINT (the local mobile payment app). For a SIM, Lycamobile, Yallo and Salt offer prepaid or monthly plans from CHF 15–35 with solid data. Register your address with the Einwohnerkontrolle / controle des habitants of your municipality within 14 days of arrival — you will receive a Ausländerausweis B (residence permit) if you are from outside the EU/EFTA. Health insurance (Krankenkasse / assurance maladie) is mandatory by law for all residents; compare providers at Priminfo.ch and enrol within three months of arrival — premiums vary by canton and insurer.
Safety & health
Switzerland is very safe. Emergency numbers: 117 (police), 144 (ambulance), 118 (fire), 1414 (Alpine rescue). Tap water everywhere in Switzerland is safe to drink — among the best in the world. The health system is excellent but expensive without insurance; always carry your insurance card. If you plan to ski or hike, Rega helicopter rescue insurance (CHF 40/year) is a sensible addition.
Culture & student life
Switzerland has four national languages: German (65%), French (23%), Italian (8%) and Romansh. Your university city will have a dominant language — German in Zurich and Bern, French in Geneva and Lausanne, Italian in Lugano. Swiss-German (Schweizerdeutsch) dialects differ sharply from standard German; classes are in High German (Hochdeutsch) but daily life is in dialect. Swiss culture values punctuality, quietness in public (no loud calls on trams) and respecting neighbours — avoid noise after 10 pm. Academic culture is rigorous and independent: professors expect students to come prepared and to work without hand-holding.
Your first week
- Register at your municipal residents' office (Einwohnerkontrolle) within 14 days — bring passport, rental contract and admission letter.
- Enrol in compulsory health insurance via Priminfo.ch and choose a provider.
- Open a Neon or cantonal bank account.
- Download the SBB app and buy a Halbtax Abo if you plan to travel around the country.
- Get a prepaid SIM (available at Coop, Migros or mobile-carrier stores).
- Visit the university international-student office and connect with student associations — they run city tours and events specifically for new arrivals.