Good to know

Emergency call numbers, currency, healthcare,…

Emergency call numbers

  • Police: 117
  • Fire department: 118
  • Ambulance: 144

Currency

Please note that Switzerland remains with the Swiss franc, usually indicated as CHF. While Switzerland is not part of the European Union and thus is not obliged to convert to the Euro, many prices are nonetheless indicated in euros so that visitors may compare prices. Merchants may accept euros but are not obliged to do so. Change given back to the client will most likely be in Swiss francs.

Opening hours – banks

Most banks are open from Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 12.15 and from 1.30pm to 4.30pm

Credit cards

The safest and easiest form of money are traveler’s checks and credit cards. The cards most used are Visa, MasterCard and American Express, but all usual cards are accepted. Many banks in Switzerland have equipped their ATM machines with the CIRRUS or MAESTRO system. Many other Swiss banks offer ATM machines for cash advances with your credit card. It is recommended to have a small amount of cash on hand upon arrival in Switzerland for immediate expenses, i.e. taxies, city transportation etc.

VAT

7.7 % included in all prices displayed

Tips

Included in all prices

Exchange

By the banks, at the window and by means of ATMs, at railway station and airport exchange offices and in some hotels.

Post offices

Lausanne has numerous post offices. Precise and comprehensive information, particularly about the opening hours of each post office, can be obtained using the dedicated search facility on the official website of La Poste.

Swiss post website

Healthcare

For three centuries, Lausanne is renowned world-wide as a town that values its top-class health care services, the excellence of its specialist doctors and state-of-the-art technological equipment. This reputation continues to this day as this welcoming city has made itself a solid reputation as a centre for health care and well-being, as well as being a pole of medical engineering.

CHUV – Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois

Hôpital de Cery

Hôpital de l’enfance

Hôpital ophtalmique Jules Gonin

CHUV – Hôpital orthopédique

Centrales des médecins de garde

Shop opening hours

Monday-Friday

08:00-08:45 to 18:30-19:00

Saturday

08:00-08:45 to 18:00

Sunday and public holidays

Closed, apart from exceptions listed below.

List of public holidays :

New Year’s Day: 01.01.2024

January 2: 02.01.2024

Good Friday: 29.03.2024

Easter Monday: 01.04.2024

Ascencion Day: 09.05.2024

Whit Monday: 20.05.2024

Swiss National Holiday: 01.08.2024

Bettagsmontag: 16.09.2024

Christmas: 25.12.2024

Sunday and evening opening times
During the high season from April to October, some general food stores in the lakeside district of Ouchy are open until 21:45 during the week and on Sundays.

Culture

In several museums, the entry is free every first saturday of the month.