Public holidays in Switzerland

The 26 cantons that make up Switzerland set their public holidays independently – with the exception of 1 August,[1] which is the only federal holiday.[2] Furthermore, holidays can change depending on employers, and some holidays are specific to only a certain town or village. In general, the most reliable list of holidays for a given area will be to look for the list of bank holidays, as nearly all shops and offices close during bank holidays.

Public holidays in cantons

HolidayVariable?DateAGAIARBLBSBEFRGEGLGRJULUNENWOWSGSHSZSOTGTIURVSVDZGZHNumber of cantons2018201920202021
New Year's Day N 1 January * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 26 1 January 2018 1 January 2019 1 January 2020 1 January 2021
St. Berchtold N 2 January * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 14 2 January 2018 2 January 2019 2 January 2020 2 January 2021
Epiphany N 6 January * * * * * 5 6 January 2018 6 January 2019 6 January 2020 6 January 2021
Republic Day N 1 March * 1 1 March 2018 1 March 2019 1 March 2020 1 March 2021
St Joseph's Day N 19 March * * * * * * * * 8 19 March 2018 19 March 2019 19 March 2020 19 March 2021
Näfelser Fahrt N 3 April * 1 3 April 2018 3 April 2019 3 April 2020 3 April 2021
Palm Sunday Y Easter Sunday – 7 d [3] 2018 2019 2020 2021
Good Friday Y Easter Sunday – 2 d * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * [4] * [4] * * * 24 2018 2019 2020 2021
Easter Sunday Y Easter Sunday [3] 1 April (2018-04-01) 2018 21 April (2019-04-21) 2019 12 April (2020-04-12) 2020 4 April (2021-04-04) 2021
Easter Monday Y Easter Sunday + 1 d * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 25 2 April (2018-04-02) 2018 22 April (2019-04-22) 2019 13 April (2020-04-13) 2020 5 April (2021-04-05) 2021
Labour Day N 1 May * * * * * * * * * * * 11 1 May 2018 1 May 2019 1 May 2020 1 May 2021
Ascension Y Easter Sunday + 39 d * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 26 10 May (2018-05-10) 2018 30 May (2019-05-30) 2019 21 May (2020-05-21) 2020 13 May (2021-05-13) 2021
Pentecost Y Easter Sunday + 49 d [3] 20 May (2018-05-20) 2018 9 June (2019-06-09) 2019 31 May (2020-05-31) 2020 23 May (2021-05-23) 2021
Whit Monday Y Easter Sunday + 50 d * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 25 21 May (2018-05-21) 2018 10 June (2019-06-10) 2019 1 June (2020-06-01) 2020 24 May (2021-05-24) 2021
Corpus Christi Y Easter Sunday + 60 d * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 14 31 May (2018-05-31) 2018 20 June (2019-06-20) 2019 11 June (2020-06-11) 2020 3 June (2021-06-03) 2021
Fête d'Indépendance N 23 June * 1 23 June 2018 23 June 2019 23 June 2020 23 June 2021
Saints Peter and Paul N 29 June [5] [5] * 1 29 June 2018 29 June 2019 29 June 2020 29 June 2021
Swiss National Day N 1 August * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 26 1 August 2018 1 August 2019 1 August 2020 1 August 2021
Assumption N 15 August * * * * * * * * * * * * * 13 15 August 2018 15 August 2019 15 August 2020 15 August 2021
Jeûne genevois Y after 1st Sunday in September * 1 2018 2019 2020 2021
Federal Day of Thanksgiving, Repentance and Prayer Y 3rd Sunday in September * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * [6] 16 September 2018 15 September 2019 20 September 2020 19 September 2021
Lundi du Jeûne (Monday after previous) Y after 3rd Sunday in September [5] [4] [4] * 1 2018 2019 2020 2021
Saint Nicholas of Flüe Day N 25 September * 1 25 September 2018 25 September 2019 25 September 2020 25 September 2021
All Saints Day N 1 November * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 15 1 November 2018 1 November 2019 1 November 2020 1 November 2021
Immaculate Conception N 8 December * * * * * * * * * * * * * 13 8 December 2018 8 December 2019 8 December 2020 8 December 2021
Christmas Day N 25 December * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 26 25 December 2018 25 December 2019 25 December 2020 25 December 2021
St Stephen's Day N 26 December * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 21 26 December 2018 26 December 2019 26 December 2020 26 December 2021
Restoration of the Republic N 31 December * 1 31 December 2018 31 December 2019 31 December 2020 31 December 2021

Public holidays in specific places, parts of cantons

HolidayDateHoliday in cantonsPartial Holiday in cantons
Carnival1 Second Monday before Ash Wednesday SZ
Thursday before Ash Wednesday LU, UR, NWSZ, SG, GR
Monday before Ash Wednesday GLZH, LU, UR, SZ, ZG, SG, AG
Tuesday before Ash Wednesday SZ, NW, OWLU, UR, BL, SG, AG, TI
Ash Wednesday NWSZ, BL, AR, TI, JU
Friday after Ash Wednesday TI
Monday after Ash Wednesday BSBL (Lower Part Afternoon), ZH
Tuesday after Ash Wednesday FR
Wednesday after Ash Wednesday BSBL (Lower Part Afternoon)
Anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic 1 March NE (excl.)
Näfelser Ride usually the first Thursday in April GL (excl.)
Sechseläuten usually the third Monday in April Zürich City, Schlieren (excl.)
Independence Day 23 June JU (excl.)
Peter and Paul 29 June TILU, GR
Knabenschiessen second Weekend in September
(+ half Monday after)		 Zürich City (and Zürich Metro Area) (excl.)
Prayer Monday Monday after Federal Day of Thanksgiving,
Repentance and Prayer		 Legally recognized only in VD
(Lundi du Jeûne)		is also celebrated in NE and parts of BE
is a bank holiday in VS.
Mauritius Day 22 September AI (excl.) without Oberegg District
St. Leodegar (Schutzengelfest) 2 October Lucerne City (excl.)
L'Escalade 12 December GE (excl.)
1 The days around Carnival are (with the exception of very few individual municipalities) no public holidays. However, due to widely committed celebrations in the cantons mentioned, there are usually restrictions (for example, businesses might already close at noon or don't open at all).

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Swiss National Day
  2. ↑ "Familienurlaub Ratgeber". Interhome.ch. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 Always on a Sunday: observance varies. Not included in total count. Additional regulations to normal Sunday rules may apply.
  4. 1 2 3 4 most stores are closed, despite the day not being a public holiday
  5. 1 2 3 some areas
  6. ↑ Always on a Sunday: observance varies (not in Geneva). Not included in total count
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