Public holidays

Holidays & Celebrations

Public holidays in Switzerland in 2025

Find out when Switzerland’s public holidays are in 2024, 2025, and 2026, as well as other important dates to note on your calendar.

Switzerland holidays
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Updated 7-2-2025

Whether you’re living in Switzerland or just visiting, it’s important to note the dates of Switzerland’s public holidays (French: feiertagun, German: jour férié) and important dates. This is because, on some of these dates, businesses and public institutions will close or have reduced hours.

To ensure you don’t miss out on anything important, here are all of Switzerland’s public holidays as well as the most important dates for your calendar.

An overview of public holidays in Switzerland

The most important holiday in Switzerland is Swiss National Day on 1 August. This is also technically the only official federal holiday in the country.

While some Swiss vacations are observed across the nation, other festivities are only marked in specific regions. Many of these celebrations are based on religion and are usually only held in the cantons where Christianity is observed. This means that not all cantons across Switzerland have the same public holidays. It varies from nine to 15 days each year.

Four women dressed individually in yellow, orange, red, and green ballroom dresses carry balloons as part of Lucerne's carnival celebrations
Carnival celebrations in Lucerne, Switzerland (Photo: Ronald Patrick/Getty Images)

If a Swiss national holiday falls on a Tuesday or a Thursday, workers may take either the Monday or Friday off to create a long weekend. What’s more, some cantons and organizations may allocate a weekday off if the public holiday falls on a weekend.

Some also coincide with Switzerland’s festivals, which is a great opportunity to travel and experience the country’s traditional culture.

When are Switzerlands’ public holidays in 2025?

These holidays are celebrated nationally throughout Switzerland:

DateWeekdayPublic holiday
1 JanuaryWedNew Year’s Day
29 MayThuAscension Day
1 AugustFriNational Day
25 DecemberThuChristmas Day

Local (religious) holidays in 2025

Some (religious) holidays are only observed in certain cantons in Switzerland:

DatesWeekdayHolidayWhere celebrated
2 JanuaryThuBerchtold’s DayAargau, Bern, Fribourg, Glarus, Jura, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, Obwalden, Schaffhausen, Solothurn, Thurgau, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
6 JanuaryMonEpiphanyGraubünden, Lucerne, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri
27 FebruaryThuCarnaval Thusday (half day)Schwyz
19 MarchWedSt Joseph’s DayNidwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Valais
18 AprilFriGood FridayAll cantons except Ticino and Valais (though stores are closed in Valais)
21 AprilMonEaster MondayAll cantons except Valais
9 JuneMonWhit MondayAll cantons except Valais
19 JuneThuCorpus ChristiAargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Grisons, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Zug
29 JuneSunSaints Peter and PaulTicino, and some areas of Graubünden and Lucerne
15 AugustFriAssumption of MaryAppenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Zug
21 SeptemberMonLundi du JeûneVaud, and an unofficial holiday in Neuchâtel when stores are closed
22 SeptemberMonSaint Mauritius DayAppenzell Innerrhoden (except Oberegg District)
25 SeptemberThuSaint Nicholas of FlüeObwalden
2 OctoberThuSchutzengelfestLucerne
1 NovemberSatAll Saints’ DayAargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Glarus, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, St Gallen, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Zug
8 DecemberMonImmaculate ConceptionAargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Graubünden, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Zug
26 DecemberFriSaint Stephen’s DayAll except Geneva, Jura, Valais, and Vaud

Local (cultural) holidays in 2025

Date(s)Weekday(s)HolidayWhere celebrated
1 MarchSatRepublic Day – commemorates the declaration of the Republic in 1848Neuchâtel
4 AprilFriNäfels Ride – commemorating the battle of Näfels in 1388Glarus
21 AprilMonSechseläuten – “The six o’clock ringing of the bells”Zurich
1 MayThuLabor Day / May DayBasel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Jura, Neuchâtel, Schaffhausen, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Zurich
23 JuneMonJura Independence DayJura
11 SeptemberThuJeûne GenevoisGeneva
13–15 SeptemberSat–MonKnabenschiessenZurich
12 DecemberFriL’EscaladeGeneva
31 DecemberWedRestoration DayGeneva

Other important dates in 2025

Alongside the official holidays, it’s a good idea to mark the following dates in your calendar, given that they are observed across Switzerland:

Date(s)WeekdayOccasion
27 February – 4 MarchFri–SunCarnival
11 MaySunMother’s Day
1 JuneSunFather’s Day
21 SeptemberSunSwiss Federal Fast
31 DecemberWedNew Year’s Eve

When are Switzerlands’ public holidays in 2026?

DateWeekdayPublic holiday
1 JanuaryThuNew Year’s Day
14 MayThuAscension Day
1 AugustSatNational Day
25 DecemberFriChristmas Day

Local (religious) holidays in 2026

DatesWeekdayHolidayWhere celebrated
2 JanuaryFriBerchtold’s DayAargau, Bern, Fribourg, Glarus, Jura, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, Obwalden, Schaffhausen, Solothurn, Thurgau, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
6 JanuaryTueEpiphanyGraubünden, Lucerne, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri
12 FebruaryThuCarnaval Thursday (half day)Schwyz
19 MarchThuSt Joseph’s DayNidwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Valais
3 AprilFriGood FridayAll cantons except Ticino and Valais (though stores are closed in Valais)
6 AprilMonEaster MondayAll cantons except Valais
25 MayMonWhit MondayAll cantons except Valais
4 JuneThuCorpus ChristiAargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Grisons, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Zug
29 JuneMonSaints Peter and PaulTicino, and some areas of Graubünden and Lucerne
15 AugustSatAssumption of MaryAppenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Zug
20 SeptemberMonLundi du JeûneVaud, and an unofficial holiday in Neuchâtel when stores are closed
22 SeptemberTueSaint Mauritius DayAppenzell Innerrhoden (except Oberegg District)
25 SeptemberFriSaint Nicholas of FlüeObwalden
2 OctoberFriSchutzengelfestLucerne
1 NovemberSunAll Saints’ DayAargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Glarus, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, St Gallen, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Zug
8 DecemberTueImmaculate ConceptionAargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Graubünden, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Zug
26 DecemberSatSaint Stephen’s DayAll except Geneva, Jura, Valais, and Vaud

Local (cultural) holidays in 2026

Date(s)Weekday(s)HolidayWhere celebrated
1 MarchSunRepublic Day – commemorates the declaration of the Republic in 1848Neuchâtel
4 AprilSatNäfels Ride – commemorating the battle of Näfels in 1388Glarus
20 AprilMonSechseläuten – “The six o’clock ringing of the bells”Zurich
1 MayFriLabor Day / May DayBasel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Jura, Neuchâtel, Schaffhausen, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Zurich
23 JuneTueJura Independence DayJura
10 SeptemberThuJeûne GenevoisGeneva
12–14 SeptemberSat–MonKnabenschiessenZurich
12 DecemberSatL’EscaladeGeneva
31 DecemberThuRestoration DayGeneva

Other important dates in 2026

Date(s)WeekdayOccasion
12–17 FebruaryThu–TueCarnival
10 MaySunMother’s Day
7 JuneSunFather’s Day
20 SeptemberSunSwiss Federal Fast
31 DecemberThuNew Year’s Eve

When were Switzerland’s public holidays in 2024?

DateWeekdayPublic holiday
1 JanuaryMonNew Year’s Day
9 MayThuAscension Day
1 AugustThuNational Day
25 DecemberWedChristmas Day

Local (religious) holidays in 2024

DatesWeekdayHolidayWhere celebrated
2 JanuaryTueBerchtold’s DayAargau, Bern, Fribourg, Glarus, Jura, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, Obwalden, Schaffhausen, Solothurn, Thurgau, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
6 JanuarySatEpiphanyGraubünden, Lucerne, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri
8 FebruaryThuCarnaval Thursday (half day)Schwyz
19 MarchTueSt Joseph’s DayNidwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Valais
29 MarchFriGood FridayAll cantons except Ticino and Valais (though stores are closed in Valais)
1 AprilMonEaster MondayAll cantons except Valais
20 MayMonWhit MondayAll cantons except Valais
30 MayThuCorpus ChristiAargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Grisons, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Zug
29 JuneSatSaints Peter and PaulTicino, and some areas of Graubünden and Lucerne
15 AugustThuAssumption of MaryAppenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Zug
16 SeptemberMonLundi du JeûneVaud, and an unofficial holiday in Neuchâtel when stores are closed
22 SeptemberSunSaint Mauritius DayAppenzell Innerrhoden (except Oberegg District)
25 SeptemberWedSaint Nicholas of FlüeObwalden
2 OctoberWedSchutzengelfestLucerne
1 NovemberFriAll Saints’ DayAargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Glarus, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, St Gallen, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Zug
8 DecemberSunImmaculate ConceptionAargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Graubünden, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Zug
26 DecemberThuSaint Stephen’s DayAll except Geneva, Jura, Valais, and Vaud

Local (cultural) holidays in 2024

Date(s)Weekday(s)HolidayWhere celebrated
1 MarchFriRepublic Day – commemorates the declaration of the Republic in 1848Neuchâtel
4 AprilThuNäfels Ride – commemorating the battle of Näfels in 1388Glarus
15 AprilMonSechseläuten – “The six o’clock ringing of the bells”Zurich
1 MayWedLabor Day / May DayBasel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Jura, Neuchâtel, Schaffhausen, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Zurich
23 JuneSunJura Independence DayJura
5 SeptemberThuJeûne GenevoisGeneva
7–9 SeptemberSat–MonKnabenschiessenZurich
12 DecemberThuL’EscaladeGeneva
31 DecemberTueRestoration DayGeneva

Other important dates in 2024

Date(s)WeekdayOccasion
16–18 FebruaryFri–SunCarnival
12 MaySunMother’s Day
2 JuneSunFather’s Day
15 SeptemberSunSwiss Federal Fast
31 DecemberTueNew Year’s Eve

When are the school holidays in Switzerland?

Many of the Swiss school holidays also align with the country’s public holidays. It’s also a great opportunity to explore Switzerland’s culture and landscape with your children.

To find out when they are, read about school holidays in Switzerland.

Author

Stephen Maunder

About the author

An award-winning finance writer and editor, Stephen has been writing for Expatica since 2016, covering a range of financial topics across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Over a decade in journalism, he’s worked for breaking news broadcasters, industry publications, and national magazines.