After You Arrive

Your Arrival Plan for Switzerland

A simple plan for your first day, first days and first weeks in Switzerland. The two dates that matter most: register within 14 days, and get health insurance within 3 months.

Switzerland Arrival Timeline

Reach your room: Get your key and read the house rules.
Get a SIM card: Buy a prepaid card at a supermarket or post office.
Save emergency numbers: 112 for any emergency.

Priority
First 24 hours: the basics

Get to your room, get connected and stay safe.

Essential Tasks

Reach your room: Get your key, sign your rental contract and learn the rules for laundry and rubbish.
Get a SIM card: Buy a prepaid SIM at a shop or post office.
Save key numbers: Emergency 112, police 117, fire 118, ambulance 144.
Buy food: Find the nearest supermarket. Most shops close on Sundays.

Quick Tips

Emergency contacts to save

Emergency services: 112 (any emergency), 117 (police), 118 (fire), 144 (ambulance)
Poison control: 145
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) transport police: 0800 117 117

First day tips

Keep your passport and visa safe.
Save 112, the emergency number.
Do not pay for a room you have not seen, and never without a contract.
Check that your plugs fit: type C or type J.

First 3 days: find your way

Learn your area, your campus and your transport.

Campus & Administration

Visit the international office: It knows the rules of your canton (Swiss state) for permits and work.
Book your registration: Zurich city takes appointments only, and they can be full. Book at once.
Bring money for fees: In Zurich city you pay Swiss francs (CHF) 40 to register and CHF 142 for the permit. In Vaud (the area around Lausanne), take about CHF 200 in cash.

Local Orientation

Shops and services: Find your nearest supermarket (for example Migros, Coop or Denner), post office, cash machine and pharmacy.
Public transport: Find your route to campus. In Zurich, use the Zurich Transport Network (ZVV). In Basel, use Basel Public Transport (BVB).
Your letterbox: Put your name clearly on your letterbox. Without a name, no post is delivered.

First week: register and settle

Do the official steps first. They have time limits.

Official Registration

Register with your town: Go to the residents' registration office (the town office where you sign up to live) within 14 days. Bring your passport, enrolment paper, rental contract and fees.
Start your B permit: When you register, you also apply for your residence permit for study (B permit). The canton (the Swiss state where you live) then takes your fingerprints and photo.
Finish enrolment: Get your student card and the papers the migration office (the office for foreign people) wants.

Social & Practical

Go to welcome events: ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich) holds the Check-in ETH welcome event on campus. In 2026 it was on 11 September. EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne) has a Welcome day.
Get a transport pass: A pass is much cheaper than single tickets. Compare the passes from your city's buses and trams and from the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB, the national train company).
Learn about health insurance: ETH Zurich runs a talk on Swiss health insurance each September. Then choose your insurer.

Safety and emergency numbers

Save these numbers on your phone on day one.

Emergency Numbers

Service	Number
Any emergency (the call goes to the police)	112
Police	117
Fire service	118
Ambulance	144
Poison control	145

Safety Tips

You can call 112 with a foreign SIM card, or with a prepaid card with no money on it.
Beware of housing fraud. Never pay for a room you have not seen in person.
Zurich city: the Welcome Desk gives newcomers free advice in several languages. Call +41 44 412 37 37.