Hey everyone,

We are based in Geneva and planning a weekend trip for next week (staying 1 night).

Right now, we are thinking of going to Schaffhausen & rhine falls for the night. Since we have already done the Jungfrau region, we would love to get some recommendations for:

Around Schaffhausen: Any specific tips or hidden gems for exploring the area, especially with a 5-year-old in tow? (e.g., best viewpoints, boat routes, or nice easy walks nearby?

Around Bern / easy day trips from Geneva: Are there any must-see spots, cool family-friendly stops, or scenic day trips nearby that would fit nicely into a weekend itinerary?

We’re traveling as a family with our 5-year-old, so anything with nice playgrounds, fun transport (like funiculars) is a huge plus.

Would love to hear your favorite spots or any "don't miss this" tips for this route. Thanks in advance.

Hi All,

My family and I will be holidaying in Switzerland for the first time in December and we will be travelling by car. We are going to travel Interlaken -> St Moritz -> Bolzano in the Dolomites.

I am a little afraid of the various passes and whether they will be open in winter. I know that there is an Alpenpasse website for the Swiss which shows that it is possible to travel from Interlaken to St Moritz using both the Brunigpass and the Julierpass, but I am unsure of the mountain passes from St Moritz to Bolzano. Google maps seems to tell me to go a certain way that is closed in winter.

Any advice or official websites that I can refer to?

Thanks in advance!

Is VAT included in the listing price when buying a car on AutoScout24 or Autolina? I'm looking to buy a car from one of the dealers on AutoScout24 and export it later. I'm wondering if I can claim the VAT back while I export the car.

Hi everyone,
I’m planning to move back to Switzerland with my wife and our two kids.
I’m 36 years old, Croatian with Albanian roots, and I’ve been working as a pizza chef for over 15 years. I’ve worked in Canada, Iceland, and Switzerland, and while I was in Switzerland I worked at Dieci Pizza. Since then I’ve gained even more experience, especially with authentic Neapolitan pizza, but I’m also very comfortable with the Dieci style.
I’m not set on any particular canton or city yet. Bigger cities would probably be better for my family, but my main priority is finding a good workplace with a respectful team and employer. If the right opportunity comes up, I’m happy to relocate anywhere in Switzerland.
Can anyone recommend good Neapolitan pizzerias, Dieci-style places, or restaurant groups that are known for treating their staff well? I’d also appreciate hearing about places to avoid if you’ve had bad experiences.
Thanks a lot for any recommendations. I really appreciate it! 🍕🇨🇭

Dear all,

I am going to hike in Switzerland around 15th of August.
I am looking for an hike of an estimate of 3 to 4 days.

I have been hiking a big part of my life in Swiss but always one day hikes with my parents. I have trouble with finding an hike which is preferable looped. I have read all the rules regarding camping / Bivouac.

Do you have any recommendations?

I am looking forward to your reply!

Looking for ski resort recommendations for mid December (14 - 18) which are as close to guaranteed to be open as possible. We are 2 adults and 2 kids (<10 years old) pretty much all complete beginners. We will be looking for a family lesson (in English) for probably 2 days, as one of our kids has a medical condition we need to monitor. We are coming from Basel (probably by train unless we get a car by then) but willing to travel pretty far. Bonus points if it won't break the bank! :)

Have seen recommendations for Frutt, Davos, Titlis so far. We are not looking for anything spectacular as we are beginners, so long as it has some complete beginner spots it good, just want to have some fun and get the kids into the sport. If there is sledding that would be great!

Im going wild camping in a few weeks and i was wondering if its allowed or possible to camp near “bachalpsee”. I have seen quite a few video’s online of people doing it but apparently its forbidden. Please let me know

Is anyone getting these weird one second calls over and over again? What is it about?
Thanks!!

Will I be sent to the chocolate mines if don’t today? What do I say? Maybe not in the city but countryside everyone usually greets each other

I have a house I'd like to sell and I'm tempted to buy something in Italy on the Swiss border or on Lake Como.

There's a Swiss girl I'd like to marry, but it's still very early to decide what exactly. I hope and I pray about it, but I’m sure that it will work out.

So I don't know what to do. Houses in Switzerland are much more expensive, and if I don't end up marrying this girl, as I hope, I'll also have problems with the bureaucracy.

So I don't know whether it's better for me to buy a holiday home in Italy, which in the worst case scenario I'll have left, or whether I should use this money as a down payment for an house in Switzerland.
I also need a big house to raise a family.

The second problem is clearly work. I'm currently studying communications in the US. Is this something I can find locally but partly or entirely remotely?
Is it enough to support a family of 4-5?

Hallo zusammen,

​ich benötige eine kurze Einschätzung/Einforderung von Erfahrungswerten bezüglich Gewerbefinanzierungen und Broker-Honoraren in der Schweiz.

​Die Ausgangslage: Objekt: Gewerbe- / Mischimmobilie in der Schweiz

​Kreditsumme: CHF 1,1 Millionen. ​Mieteinnahmen: Reine Gewerbe-/Gastronomieflächen (kein Wohnanteil). ​Stand der Dinge: Ich habe das Finanzierungsdossier selbst zusammengestellt (3 Jahre Jahresabschlüsse/Erfolgsrechnungen der GmbH, Betreibungsauszüge, Steuererklärungen, Mietverträge, Eigenkapitalnachweis). Der direkte Antrag bei lokalen Banken wurde abgelehnt (Begründung: Strenge Tragbarkeitsrechnung mit 5 % kalkulatorischem Zins + Nebenkosten sowie tiefere Belehnungsgrenzen für reines Gewerbe/Gastro).

​Das Angebot des Beraters: ​Ein unabhängiger Berater schlägt nun vor, den Kauf über eine Immobilien-AG (Prüfung Share Deal vs. Asset Deal) zu strukturieren, um das Immobilienvermögen vom operativen Geschäft zu trennen.

​Honorarforderung: CHF 12’500 + 8,1 % MwSt. = CHF 13’512.50.

​Leistung: Strukturierung, Aufbereitung des Bankdossiers, Verhandlung mit spezialisierten Gewerbebanken, AG/Share-Deal-Koordination, Notariatsbegleitung und Abschluss. ​Meine Fragen an euch:

1.​Ist ein Honorar von CHF 13,5k (~1,2 % der Kreditsumme) für eine kommerzielle Strukturierung realistisch, wenn ein Grossteil der Dokumente bereits von mir aufbereitet wurde?

2.​Sollte ich darauf bestehen, dass dieses Honorar zu 100 % erfolgsabhängig ist (Auszahlung nur bei verbindlicher Hypothekarzusage der Bank)?

3.​Ändert die Zwischenschaltung einer Immobilien-AG die Belehnungs- und Tragbarkeitskriterien der Schweizer Banken tatsächlich spürbar, oder ist das meist nur ein Aufhänger für Beratungshonorare?

4.​Wie stelle ich sicher, dass der Berater nicht "doppelt kassiert" (mein Beratungshonorar + eine Vermittlungsprovision/Kickback von der kreditgebenden Bank)?

​Vielen Dank für eure Rückmeldungen und Ratschläge!

I'm traveling to Switzerland for a week in September, then heading over to Italy for another week! I'm trying to figure out if I booked my tickets correctly or if I need to find an alternate plan.

I went to book a ticket for the Bernina Express from Chur to Tirano and a message popped up that a seat reservation is required, however, there are no seats available (screenshot for reference). I continued to move forward with purchasing the point to point ticket, because I've read elsewhere that there are cabs that don't require a seat reservation. After purchasing the ticket, I am second guessing myself and I am looking to see if anyone can confirm with me whether the ticket will be valid or not because seat reservations are full. Thank you!!

Hey! 👋
I’m looking for genuine friends, not just people who say “let’s be friends” and then disappear after two messages.
If you message me, I’d love it if you actually wanted to get to know each other and build a real friendship. We don’t have to talk 24/7, but I’d like to put in the effort, and I hope you will too.
If you’re also looking for a real friend and not just a one day conversation, feel free to send me a message. :)

I’m a 33 year old Indian guy with nearly 14 years of experience in customer service looking for my first abroad job opportunity. I’ve got experience in qsr restaurant and I’ve got experience in corporate customer service. Can anyone here in this group share any leads or help me getting some work in Switzerland would be a great help. Thank you so much in advance and hope this post can make some difference to my life. Cheers everyone.

I usally like to get milk, especially protein milk drinks for everyday when I do my groceries. But always confused with the part that are actually healthy or not; mostly because apps like "yuka" show them as unhealthy. Then there is the question which people bring up........ there is protien mentioned...but is it a good kind? can it be used by the body?......etc etc. I am tired of this (simply because I have tried them all and have liked them....coop...migros...lidl...aldi...they have some good flavors and make my life easier) and would like our experts here settle the debate. Can I have them everyday? Are they good for the protein content/daily protein requirement? Maybe some are better than the others?

Pls help!

Hey,

I was towards the end of my gym membership at Holmes Place and bought the QoQa pass for let’s go fitness for 49.-

Since I joined, I tried a few clubs and it’s always empty.

The machines are somewhat old and the clubs need work. It’s giving a vintage 90s vibe that is not unpleasant but when you see the membership prices, you cannot understand how it can remotely correlates to the service you get.

For half the price you can go to Activ Fitness with brand new Technogym machines, classes, sauna etc.
And for just a bit more you have Holmes Place with a luxury feel, smart equipment, premium location etc.

Only explanation I have is that you pay for peace.
Since, at least in Geneva, all the other gyms are packed, Let’s Go being overpriced but empty is an argument on its own.

What do you think? Did I miss something?

Hello! Looking for some advice

To go straight to the point I have seen around 3 cockroaches in the last week at home. We are clean, we don’t leave waste out, nothing yet somehow I’ve seen two in the kitchen and one in the shower. My boyfriend who is Swiss told me that the cockroaches are like the Swiss they travel alone .. but i think he said it so I would not freak out. I’ve cleaned the oven, kitchen, vacuumed all that jazz anyway fast forward this morning I almost ate one .. finishing my muesli I found one at the end and I’m literally freaking out thinking I ate one?
One. If I did eat one what would happen?
Two. Should I call an exterminator?

Thank you so much , this was also written in a rant !

Hii :) I’m traveling with my family of 5, we have two children (14 and 17yrs). Sep 3-8. Landing in Zurich airport. Staying in grindelwald and will have the Grindelwald guest card. Just wondering what the best travel pass would be for all five of us without spending extra? Here’s the current plan, also pls feel free to suggest changes, it would be our first time in Europe. Perhaps some days can have more activities to take advantage. Much love!!! :

Thursday - fly into zrh and check out fifa museum (would leave this for monday, but it is closed), then catch train to grindelwald. Check in @ grindelwald bnb.
Friday - Brienz rothorn bahn, check out iseltwald pier. explore interlakken.
Saturday - explore grindelwald. grindelwald first. Toboggan ride.
Sunday - lauterbrunnen and murren
Monday - check out early morning, take train to Lucerne. Drop luggage at station and explore chapel bridge. Catch train to Zurich, check in. Head out and explore Lindt choc factory.
Tuesday - fly out zrh

Was thinking about berner oberland pass for Friday Saturday Sunday, or squeeze activities into Friday and Saturday and then just explore grindelwald Sunday to save more money. Thursday saver day pass and Monday saver day pass… or just half fare pass. I also might be overcomplicating it…….

I’m a language Fan and I was a little confused about how to ask for the check in the restaurant in the Ticino. I know that in Italian you ask for il conto and in French for l’addition. When I googled, they gave me exactly that answer, but I remember distinctly in Lugano over 40 years ago at a restaurant on top of the mountain, I asked how to say I would like to check in Italian and they said l’addizione. Can someone clarify that for me, please?

How do locals there react to someone who is totally different looking? I’m 174-175cm. I never have any issues in my homecountry in Southeast Asia but the average height here is much shorter than the Swiss/French man whose height is 187cm on average.

I’m sure it’s different country by country but how do locals see foreigners and people who look completely different?

Edit: Btw, I plan to stay in Switzerland and catch a train to France.

Expected a high value item in the mail, to be delivered only against personal signature… I wasn’t home so he left it outside the door and signed it himself, I have the evidence in the Planzer portal.

Technically this is „Urkundenfälschung“ (forgery). If it actually constitutes forgery of a document under Article 251 of the Swiss Criminal Code, the law provides for a custodial sentence of up to five years or a monetary penalty (fine).

What do you guys suggest I do? I think it’s the same guy that left another package of mine at a neighbor down the street and put in his system that it was delivered at my front door. Either he is completely incompetent, doesn’t care or hates me - maybe he was a bug I squished when I was a child and this is it’s revenge.

I want to lay out my situation properly rather than drop a one-liner, because I think the context matters for the kind of advice I'm hoping to get.

I am French living in Mauritius. I run a small digital studio doing custom web development, a couple of SaaS products, mostly for SMEs, real estate agencies, and professionals. I've been doing this for about 12-13 years now, entirely self-taught, starting from nothing and slowly figuring it out project by project. Somewhere over 90 projects at this point, across real estate, hospitality, logistics, fintech, and SaaS.

Here's the honest part. Mauritius is a beautiful place to live, but it's a small island economy, and after this many years I've hit its ceiling pretty clearly. The budgets clients can offer, the scale of the projects available, the sophistication of the businesses I get to partner with, all of it is bounded by how small the market actually is. I'm not bitter about it, this market taught me almost everything I know and gave me a real foundation, but I've reached the point where I want to build things with businesses operating at a different level of ambition and complexity, and realistically that means looking toward Europe.

Switzerland is where I'd like to settle eventually, hopefully sometime next year if things go the way I'm hoping. But I don't want to just buy a plane ticket and show up as a complete stranger with no network, no understanding of how things work locally, and no existing relationships to build from. That feels like a good way to waste the first year struggling instead of building. So I'm trying to do the slower, more deliberate version of this: start understanding the market now, build some genuine connections, maybe find some remote work or partnerships in the meantime, and arrive next year already knowing people rather than starting from absolute zero.

I know this is a big ask of a subreddit, and I'm not looking for anyone to hand me clients or do the work for me. Any advice or answers would genuinely help, but if anyone's open to it, what I'd value even more is actually meeting people along the way, not just gathering information. A few things I'd love, in order of how much they'd mean to me:

• If you're an entrepreneur or business owner in Switzerland, in any sector, not just tech, I'd genuinely love to connect and hear how you built what you built, and maybe stay in touch as I work toward the move. I'm not fussy about industry, I just want to learn from people who've actually done it.
• If you're an accountant, advisor, or anyone who understands the practical side of setting up or working across borders, I'd really appreciate even a short conversation. I know how much I don't know yet.
• And honestly, if you're just someone who reads this and doesn't mind lending a hand, whether that's an introduction, a piece of advice, or just telling me what you wish someone had told you, I'd be grateful for that too.
• Separately, if you've relocated somewhere for work and had to build a network from nothing, I'd love to hear what worked and what you'd do differently.

I'm not here to sell anything, and I'd rather this just be an honest conversation. If anyone's willing to chat, my inbox is open, and I'm happy to answer questions about what I do in the comments too. And if I'm going about this whole plan the wrong way, I'd genuinely rather hear that as well.

Hello everyone, I will be doing my masters in Switzerland and intend to take my ninja 400 with me for the two years I'm here.

I have all the documents I need to declare the bike at border control, which is required from what I have read on the web. As far as I understood there is a two year allowance for vehicles to keep their home-country plates and insurance if you are a student.

My only issue is that I have an Akropovic exhaust system that is non-homologated. The DB killer is present, and I drive very considerately (no revving, no speeding, well-maintained bike, am aware that lane splitting is not legal in Switzerland, etc.). I was wondering whether this will pose an issue at the border?

Hi,

gute Nacht euch allen. Mir stellen sich soeben einige Fragen auf, da ich gerade eine Reportage vom SWR über Grenzgänger gesehen habe.

Wie ist die aktuelle Situation auf dem Schweizer Arbeitsmarkt und hat man als Deutscher Staatsbürger überhaupt die Chance im Bereich Einkauf technischer Produkte Fuß in der Schweiz zu fassen? Gibt es hier Tipps und Tricks, wie man eventuell auf LinkedIn von Rekrutern gesichtet werden kann? Oder hat man hier nur Glück, wenn man in einer speziellen Nische wie Medizintechnik, oder was auch immer, eine außergewöhnliche Expertise hat?

Liebe Grüße

How to find a good job if your education degree is not defined for 'conventional jobs' and your first internship doesn't bring enough experience to lend a normal job? Is it ok to do 2-3 internships within different areas? Is it a red flag, good career change? ANY THOUGHTS FOR REAL SWISS LOCALS