Practical Information

Connecting Electricity & Gas

Each canton has its own utility company that supplies gas and electricity.

Natural gas is piped into Switzerland and is used more often for central heating due to its ecological advantages over oil. Its price is no less expensive than oil, however. Gas stoves are rarely found in modern kitchens, though luxury kitchens may have a small gas hob installed.

Electricity costs are calculated based on tariffs, the cheapest being applicable between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Mondays to Fridays, Saturdays after 1 p.m. and all day Sunday. Power cuts are very rare in Switzerland. The cost of utilities depends on how large your home is, how many people live there, etc. A family of four in a 2-bedroom flat, for example, can expect to pay from 100 to 200 CHF per month.

If you are renting, the landlord is often responsible for utilities and you will be charged a monthly fee for utilities based upon your estimated usage. The landlord is required to provide a detailed statement of actual usage once a year, and the tenant is then either required to pay an additional amount if usage has gone over the estimate, or is due a refund if usage is less than estimated.

If you have to arrange for utilities yourself (if you have purchased a house or if your utilities are not included in your rent), contact the appropriate utility company for your canton, accessible through the Swiss Portal, and ask them to set up utilities at your new address. They will let you know what they need in order to do this.

Electricity in Switzerland is 220 volts AC, 10 Amps Max, 50 Hz. All appliances from countries that use 110 volts require a transformer. Plugs vary in configuration, but most modern ones have 2 or 3 (4mm) pins including earth and a 16amp fuse rating. Electrical equipment brought from abroad must be adapted to these standards unless you manage to find the appropriate conversion plug to adapt it.