National Public Holidays in Switzerland

A calendar of the national vacation days when businesses, schools and banks holiday and people get the day off in Geneva. With links to holidays in the UK and US.

The French for a national public (or "bank") holiday is un jour férié; the German word is Feiertag.

• Banks, shops, offices and even some restaurants close on public holidays
• Police stations and hospitals do not close
• Most of the larger shops (especially supermarkets) open on public holidays but some businesses and banks remain closed

Some public holidays are specific to certain cantons and Catholic holidays are only official in the cantons of Lucerne and Zug. The Jeûne Genevois (Geneva Fast) on the Thursday following the first Sunday in September is celebrated in Geneva only, while the rest of Switzerland has the day off for the Jeûne Fédéral (Federal Fast) on a Monday 10 days later.

National and Regional Holidays