Difference between revisions of "Switzerland"

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{{infobox Country
 
{{infobox Country
 
|country = Switzerland
 
|country = Switzerland
|language = german, french, italian
+
|language = German, French, Italian
 
|capital = [[Bern]]
 
|capital = [[Bern]]
 
|map = <map lat='46.927758623434435' lng='8.26171875' zoom='7' view='0' float='right'/>
 
|map = <map lat='46.927758623434435' lng='8.26171875' zoom='7' view='0' float='right'/>
|pop = 7,761,800
+
|pop = 8,738,791
|currency = Swiss Frank (''Schweizer Franken''), CHF
+
|currency = Swiss Frank, CHF
 
|hitch = <rating country='ch' />
 
|hitch = <rating country='ch' />
 
|BW = CH
 
|BW = CH
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'''Switzerland''' is a country in [[Western Europe]].
 
'''Switzerland''' is a country in [[Western Europe]].
 
__NOTOC__
 
__NOTOC__
In '''Switzerland''' people speak three different languages, depending on the area you are hanging around: [[Germany|German]] in the north and east, [[Italy|Italian]] in the south and [[France|French]] in the western part of the country. There is a large percentage of foreigners, as well as many tourists. Most people will be able to understand some English.
+
In '''Switzerland''' people speak four different indigenous languages, depending on the area you are hanging around: [[Germany|German]] in the north and east, [[Italy|Italian]] in the south, [[France|French]] in the western part of the country, and Rhaeto-Rumantsch, which is derived from Vulgar Latin, brought by roman soldiers two millenia ago in the mountains of eastern Switzerland. There is a large percentage of foreigners, as well as many tourists. Most people will be able to understand some English (most young people speak it well).
  
 
Hitchhiking works very well in '''Switzerland''', especially in the mountain regions and small country roads, where it is quite common to pick up wanderers and hitchhikers. It's also quite easy to get lifts with truck drivers from [[Germany]] to [[Italy]] and back. There are not that many service stations along the highways, and some are not open 24 hours.
 
Hitchhiking works very well in '''Switzerland''', especially in the mountain regions and small country roads, where it is quite common to pick up wanderers and hitchhikers. It's also quite easy to get lifts with truck drivers from [[Germany]] to [[Italy]] and back. There are not that many service stations along the highways, and some are not open 24 hours.
  
Since the mid-December 2008 Switzerland is officially part of the [[Schengen Area]], and long existed cross-border passport checks are on a way to be abolished.
+
Since the mid-December 2008 Switzerland is officially part of the [[Schengen Agreement|Schengen Area]], and long existed cross-border passport checks doesnt exist really anymore.
  
==Hitching at the border==
+
== Hitching at the border ==
Since in not legal to hitch on motorways (petrol stations are allowed though), you should avoid to get dropped at the border.  
+
Since in not legal to hitch on motorways (petrol stations are allowed though), you should avoid to get dropped at the border. If you're hitchhiking with a truck driver into Italy, he'll maybe need to stop at the border before driving on - but ask him not to say that you're a hitchhiker since the border police might tell you to leave the truck and drive you to the bus station instead.  
 
 
Bikepunk got dropped at the border on the motorway close to [[Geneve]] and the border staff asked him to get out of there (He just went a bit further and hid behind a wall (not the best to hitch) and finally someone picked him up).
 
  
 
[[File:Lausanneswitzerland.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Anthony hitching in [[Lausanne]]]]
 
[[File:Lausanneswitzerland.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Anthony hitching in [[Lausanne]]]]
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* [[Basel]]
 
* [[Basel]]
 
* [[Bellinzona]]
 
* [[Bellinzona]]
* [[Biel]]
+
* [[Biel/Bienne|Biel]]
 
* [[Chiasso]]
 
* [[Chiasso]]
 
* [[Duedingen]]
 
* [[Duedingen]]
 
* [[Fribourg]]
 
* [[Fribourg]]
* [[Geneve]]
+
* [[Geneva|Geneve]]
 
* [[Lausanne]]
 
* [[Lausanne]]
 
* [[Luzern]]
 
* [[Luzern]]
 
* [[Marly]]
 
* [[Marly]]
 
* [[Neuchâtel]]
 
* [[Neuchâtel]]
* [[St.Gallen]]
+
* [[Solothurn]]
 +
* [[St. Gallen|St.Gallen]]
 
* [[Winterthur]]
 
* [[Winterthur]]
 
* [[Zürich]]
 
* [[Zürich]]
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== Camping ==
 
== Camping ==
 
In Switzerland, everybody is legally allowed to use pasture and woods to a certain extent, including camping. The same goes for agriculturally not usable space such as public bodies of water, rock, snow or ice.
 
In Switzerland, everybody is legally allowed to use pasture and woods to a certain extent, including camping. The same goes for agriculturally not usable space such as public bodies of water, rock, snow or ice.
 +
 +
Sometimes its good to let locals know that youre camping next to their property. If someone reacts bad, just ask another person or people who are on a walk.
 +
 +
== Highway petrol stations ==
 +
Here is a [http://www.acs.ch/ch-fr/pdf-public/Reisen/Autobahn-Restaurants_und_Tankstellen_in_der_Schweiz.pdf list of all the motorway petrol stations] of Switzerland. If you type the name of the petrol station in Google Maps you will find where exactly it is. This makes it much more comfortable to hitchhike.
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
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* You can find a nice online map at http://map.search.ch, including zoom, service stations and integration with [http://www.sbb.ch the Swiss railways].
 
* You can find a nice online map at http://map.search.ch, including zoom, service stations and integration with [http://www.sbb.ch the Swiss railways].
 
* [http://www.autobahnen.ch/index.php?lg=001&page=018 Service Stations in Switzerland]
 
* [http://www.autobahnen.ch/index.php?lg=001&page=018 Service Stations in Switzerland]
 +
 +
== Personal Experiences ==
 +
 +
Hitchhikernick - hitched from Austria/Switzerland border to Zermatt in January 2024.  The German swiss area was easy going with waits averaging 10 mins.  Once I got to the French side west of Interlaken it got more difficult.  What seemed like possible to do in a day turned into 3 as the French-Swiss weren't interested in picking me up, was mostly foreigners, and long waits.
 +
 +
''Hitchhiked from Zurich south toward Italy, met an incredible old Swiss man who drove out of his way to show me his village and talk to me of the way he was raised, his relationship with the mountains. He even let me off at a perfect spot, shaded from the rain headed the right direction on the Autobahn, but I was stopped by police under a bridge because it was a "no pedestrian zone." They didn't fine me, but told me where the local train station was. I chickened out and took the train the rest of the way to Italy.''  -- [[User:Vinteuil|Vinteuil]]
 +
 +
== Nomadwiki & Trashwiki ==
 +
 +
{{nomadwiki}}
  
 
{{hitchbase_country|186}}
 
{{hitchbase_country|186}}
[[Wikipedia:Switzerland]]
 
  
 
{{IsIn|Western Europe}}
 
{{IsIn|Western Europe}}
 
{{Template:Europe/countries}}
 
{{Template:Europe/countries}}
 +
  
 
[[Category:Switzerland| ]]
 
[[Category:Switzerland| ]]
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[[es:Suiza]]
 
[[es:Suiza]]
 
[[fr:Suisse]]
 
[[fr:Suisse]]
 +
[[nl:Zwitserland]]
 
[[tr:İsviçre]]
 
[[tr:İsviçre]]
[[trash:Switzerland]]
 

Latest revision as of 21:59, 20 March 2024

Flag of Switzerland Switzerland
Information
Language: German, French, Italian
Capital: Bern
Population: 8,738,791
Currency: Swiss Frank, CHF
Hitchability: <rating country='ch' />
Meet fellow hitchhikers on Trustroots or BeWelcome
<map lat='46.927758623434435' lng='8.26171875' zoom='7' view='0' float='right'/>

Switzerland is a country in Western Europe.

In Switzerland people speak four different indigenous languages, depending on the area you are hanging around: German in the north and east, Italian in the south, French in the western part of the country, and Rhaeto-Rumantsch, which is derived from Vulgar Latin, brought by roman soldiers two millenia ago in the mountains of eastern Switzerland. There is a large percentage of foreigners, as well as many tourists. Most people will be able to understand some English (most young people speak it well).

Hitchhiking works very well in Switzerland, especially in the mountain regions and small country roads, where it is quite common to pick up wanderers and hitchhikers. It's also quite easy to get lifts with truck drivers from Germany to Italy and back. There are not that many service stations along the highways, and some are not open 24 hours.

Since the mid-December 2008 Switzerland is officially part of the Schengen Area, and long existed cross-border passport checks doesnt exist really anymore.

Hitching at the border

Since in not legal to hitch on motorways (petrol stations are allowed though), you should avoid to get dropped at the border. If you're hitchhiking with a truck driver into Italy, he'll maybe need to stop at the border before driving on - but ask him not to say that you're a hitchhiker since the border police might tell you to leave the truck and drive you to the bus station instead.

Anthony hitching in Lausanne

Cities

Camping

In Switzerland, everybody is legally allowed to use pasture and woods to a certain extent, including camping. The same goes for agriculturally not usable space such as public bodies of water, rock, snow or ice.

Sometimes its good to let locals know that youre camping next to their property. If someone reacts bad, just ask another person or people who are on a walk.

Highway petrol stations

Here is a list of all the motorway petrol stations of Switzerland. If you type the name of the petrol station in Google Maps you will find where exactly it is. This makes it much more comfortable to hitchhike.

External links

Personal Experiences

Hitchhikernick - hitched from Austria/Switzerland border to Zermatt in January 2024. The German swiss area was easy going with waits averaging 10 mins. Once I got to the French side west of Interlaken it got more difficult. What seemed like possible to do in a day turned into 3 as the French-Swiss weren't interested in picking me up, was mostly foreigners, and long waits.

Hitchhiked from Zurich south toward Italy, met an incredible old Swiss man who drove out of his way to show me his village and talk to me of the way he was raised, his relationship with the mountains. He even let me off at a perfect spot, shaded from the rain headed the right direction on the Autobahn, but I was stopped by police under a bridge because it was a "no pedestrian zone." They didn't fine me, but told me where the local train station was. I chickened out and took the train the rest of the way to Italy. -- Vinteuil

Nomadwiki & Trashwiki

Check Nomadwiki for info on accommodation, showers etc. or Trashwiki for dumpsters...and share your wisdom :)