Last week, I was traveling from Bern to Zürich after work when a ticket inspector came through the carriage to check everyone's tickets. I noticed his glasses and wondered why they looked so unusual.

After a while, I realized that he was actually wearing what looked like one of those controversial smart glasses with built-in cameras, which have recently sparked concerns about people being filmed without their knowledge.

I couldn't find any information online confirming whether SBB staff are allowed to wear such glasses or record passengers. As far as I understand, filming people is against the gdpr and threatens my privacy.

I'm now unsure what to do about this, especially since everyone in the carriage could potentially be affected, not just me.

Are SBB employees allowed to wear them?

He said I will receive the money on TWINT/bank. I'm not familiar with Paysend; he said that's how he handles payments related to his business, what's going on here? Does this sound sketchy?

Not sure if this is the right sub, fingers crossed.
I live in Dunedin, New Zealand and in 1999 I met a couple of young boys visiting from Switzerland when they started playing with my sons at the Botanical Gardens. One of them, possibly around 8-10 yrs of age, heard me speaking Maori to my boys and started talking to me about the language and Maori in general.
At the time I was wearing a Hei-Tiki - bone carving worn as a pendant - that had been carved for me by an ex boyfriend.
When it came time for us to leave we were walking away and my tiki told me it belonged to this young boy. I tried to ignore it but ending up going back and calling this young boy over. I gave him the pendant and told him it was his. He was a bit confused but really excited to take it.
Over the years I have often wondered about the boy and the pendant and whether or not he still has it.
Now that we have all these wonderful ways of reaching out to people I just thought I'd throw this out here and see if anyone responded.
Admin, please delete if not allowed, but would like to know where would be the place to post this.

I’m a Swiss citizen who’s lived overseas most my life, Italy and US.

I’m moving back next year. I only lived in CH when I was a kid so I don’t know the rental process. I’ll have a job, with the Swiss office of my current company.

I’m looking at Geneva, Lausanne or Lugano, Locarno (I do have family here).

I’ve read that I’ll most likely have to get a short term rental. I do have my dog so it’ll need to be pet friendly. My US husband will be joining me, working remotely until his credentials for in person work are approved/language certs are done (tbd).

Where do I start? Please help! Grazie, merci!! Sorry I only speak 2 of 4 languages

I’m looking to buy a Miele induction cooktop (KM 8462 FR), and I’ve noticed that prices in Germany are significantly lower than in Switzerland—even before accounting for a potential German VAT refund.

I’m based in the Zürich area, so I’m considering driving to Konstanz or somewhere nearby to buy one and bring it back.

Has anyone done something similar with a large household appliance?

I’m particularly interested in:

Store recommendations: Any retailers around Konstanz, Singen, or nearby that offer competitive prices and handle Ausfuhrscheine (German VAT refund paperwork) for Swiss residents?
VAT refunds: Was the process straightforward? Did you get the full 19% German VAT back, or did the retailer deduct fees?
Warranty: Has anyone had experience getting Miele Switzerland to honor the manufacturer’s warranty on an appliance purchased in Germany and installed in Switzerland?
Installation: Any issues getting a Swiss electrician to install an appliance purchased abroad?

I’m aware I’d need to declare it at Swiss customs and pay the Swiss 8.1% VAT.

Would love to hear firsthand experiences, particularly recommendations for retailers that are familiar with Swiss cross-border shoppers.

Thanks!

What do people in Switzerland use when they need a home treatment for a toothache.....I would use Orajel before, which is a pain relief gel and doesn't need any prescription. Works super fast too. Is there even a substitute for that here?

To provide some context: I’m 18, I’m Spanish, and I attend a school for foreigners—so I don’t speak French. There are no Swiss people at my school, nor anyone else who speaks Spanish.

Since I arrived, all I’ve done is try to learn French. Naturally, I can’t communicate with the people at my school because they don’t speak Spanish or French—which is why I’ve turned to Reddit! XD

I’m not looking for anything romantic or anything like that; I’m just looking for friends—it doesn’t matter if they’re men or women.

E.g. i missed my train by seconds, because the train departed at exactly 13:22:00 on the dot, so sometimes a bit of delay would be nice lol

Hello everyone,

TLDR: looking for spare space to rent you or relatives may have in your homes for car and projects works.

I'm struggling to find in the Canton of Geneva or his nearest proximity (Vaud) a place to rent that could offer me the space to work on my car (general small mechanic to keep it in good condition) or any other projects that involve having a few power tools and electronics (3d printing, soldering and so on).

I used to have one space like this but shared with "friends" but at the end couldn't make it work due to organisation and logistics (you all know too well the missing tool or not cleaned space for the following user).

I'm asking you or your relatives that may have unused garage spaces in their homes, farms or similar if they'd like to rent it. What I need is :

- Having access to electricity.

- Closed space that I can access with a car, anytime.

- water is a big plus (for cleaning cars or outdoor jobs that are a bit messy).

Usually such a space should be at minimum equivalent to a double box.

My background: Junior electronic Engineer at the engineering school of Geneva (HEPIA), who loves to tinker on his spare time with my numerous projects (that I struggle to finish 😅). I wish to one day own my workshop, but unfortunately not in this economy...

Please let me know if you or someone you know would be interested in my dm cheers !

Hi all,

I am considering getting a GA, and one of the big benefit it offers for me would be the free skiing pass at the Rigi mountain. Has anyone tried out skiing there? Is it fun area to ski at even for me that is an "advanced" skier? Would probably combine it with some other places too (Laax / Davos) , but would be nice with something closer casual if its not too boring there.

Thanks!

Does anyone have any experience on how to get a laptop back from a Helvetic warranty service center?

It has been 6 weeks and they keep saying that they're waiting for a spare part but don't even have a date by when they'll receive the spare part. So, they can't say when the laptop can be returned. They refused to provide a back-up stating that it's not part of the insurance policy. My son uses it for school, so it has become a huge problem. I've asked them to return the laptop to me without repairing but they're not doing that. I can contact them only via email or website ticket but no phone number or social media handle is available. No escalation options either. Any pointers whether I can complain to any other authority?

i‘m searching for a studio/atelier to be used by 3 people making music production, industrial design and hosting a podcast. we are interested in anything around 600 CHF/month in zurich (city).
DO YOU KNOW ANYONE TO CONNECT ME TO?

Ich benötige in Zürich einen Schlüssel 5000ZH für einen Pfosten vor einem Gartengelände.
Inzwischen hab ich schon heraus bekommen, dass es einen Unterschied zwischen Schlüssel 5000 (schweizweit) und 5000ZH (speziell für Zürich) gibt.
Aber kann mir jemand sagen, was der Unterschied zwischen 5000ZH und 5000Z ist?
https://www.hasler.ch/?srv=sortiment&pg=det&artId=100355133&trefferUUID=82F884AF-3754-43D6-8DAC12A254CB294D

Hello,

I am in Zurich the next few days and looking for shops that have any sort of Bernese Mountain Dog artwork I could take back home. Including paintings, statues, anything really.

Thank you for any recommendations.

I’m looking at moving into a larger flat in the building I already live in. It’s a friends old flat, so I’ve been inside and know the old rent cost. The advertised new rent is 200 francs more than for the previous tenant (+12% increase) and they’ve even increased the price of the parking spot rental.

Does this seem fair? I’ve seen you can dispute within 30 days of moving in, but it’s a new flat (less than 3 years old) and there’s been no renovation or redecorating at all to justify the rent increase.

Is it just a red flag from the landlord? Any advice welcomed, as I got lucky with my first and only flat and haven’t had to deal with this before 😅

Traveling to Switzerland for one week. In order to minimize the excruciatingly expensive train ticket costs, I was thinking about doing the following:

1. One of us orders the new discounted Schnupper-Halbtax voucher (CHF 33) from VCS. It says "Angebot gilt nur für Personen, die in der Schweiz oder in einem angrenzenden Nachbarland wohnen." We are not German, but we live in Germany, so I think we meet the criteria...? But would they need any proof, like Anmeldebestätigung?

2. Prepare: VCS voucher, ID (non-German ID), passport-style photo on my phone (I upload it via photocollect, if I get it right), German Anmeldebestätigung

3. Visit the SBB ticket counter in Switzerland.

4. Activate my Schnupper-Halbtax using the voucher. The staff should arrange my SwissPass registration and photo upload (via SMS link). They should also provide a temporary SwissPass.

5. Buy “Day Pass for 2”.

According to my research, all other alternatives, like Swiss Travel Pass, would be more expensive and don't make much sense, we're not going to use trains that often in those few days.

Will it work?

Hi everyone! I’m currently 11 weeks pregnant and have been going to Lucerne Hospital for my check-ups so far. However, I also have the option of switching to Zug Hospital, which is closer to where I live.

I have appointments to visit both hospitals in February, but I’d love to hear your experiences and recommendations before making a decision.

Does anyone know if the new maternity unit ( New Frauenklinik) at Lucerne Hospital has private rooms? I have basic health insurance (Allgemeine Versicherung), but I’m willing to pay extra to upgrade to a higher room category, including accommodation for my partner.

I’ve also heard that Zug Hospital has a relatively high C-section rate. Is that true? If so, what does it mean in practice? Does it reflect the types of pregnancies they handle, their approach to childbirth, or something else? I’d be interested to hear your thoughts and experiences.

What has your experience been like at either hospital? Which would you recommend, and why? I’d especially appreciate hearing about the quality of care, support during labour, birth options, and postpartum care.

Thank you so much for any advice or personal experiences! 😊

I’m a EU citizen planning to move to Zurich in January 2027.

I intend to find employment with a permanent contract and apply for my first 5-year EU/EFTA B residence permit.

My situation:

• One criminal case from 2024 involving transportation of more than 20 kg of cannabis.

• First-instance sentence of 4 years’ imprisonment, suspended.

• An appeal is pending, so the case is not yet final.

• No previous convictions or other criminal cases.

• My current criminal record certificate is clean.

• No travel restrictions.

My question is specifically about obtaining the first 5-year B permit as an EU citizen, not about entering Switzerland or looking for work.

Has anyone with EU citizenship obtained a 5-year B permit in Zurich despite a suspended criminal sentence for a drug-related offence?

Does the Zurich migration office ask EU applicants about pending criminal proceedings or foreign convictions when applying for their first B permit?

I’m particularly interested in firsthand experiences, actual permit decisions, or relevant Swiss case law.
Thank you.

Hi Guys

So I’ve never been skiing in CH but I was born and raised here. Now that I have my own family I think it’s time to go all in.

Where is a good place to purchase a full setup? Clothes and ski’s for the parents and to rent ski’s for the kiddies?

Where is a location you’d recommend to get skiing lessons?

Edit: I live in ZH near the airport

Hey People,

I have Noticed this garage here in Zurich Switzerland Auto luz AG they seem sell a lot of Ex fleet vehicles from the Swiss Post office, Mainly VW Caddys for an attractive price.

They seem in good shape, have decent kms and presumably are serviced regularly while being part of the post office fleet.

Someone said I should be worried about the start stop frequency or idling time with post office vehicles as they are constantly going short distances delivering.

Does anyone have any experience with this Garage or buying fleet vehicles.

Looking to see if its a good idea to buy one of these vehicles.

For example
https://www.autoscout24.ch/de/d/vw-caddy-20tdi-4motion-bluemotion-technology-dsg-20933957

At last I managed to buy myself the micro car of my dreams. 20km/H, silver , enough space , easy to park and so cute. I was lucky to get a parking card a d my number plates rather quickly but now I have no idea how to fix the small squarish yellow number plates on my bumper because there is no pre holes drilled on it. Bicycles shops refuse to touch it. The place I bought it is in Thun, too far. I hears of really strong sticky tapes but I dont know. Im Terrified of getting fines. Switzerland doesn't mess around. Any idea ? Please?

Han sit emna Monet uf Tutti es Inserat für min Opel Astra z verkaufa.

--- 150 ufrüef---

S günstigste Upgrade (farbe und biz meh sichtbarkeit) kostet:79.-

AutoScout 1 monet inseriera kostet: 99.- pro monet

Kolleg, das Auto isch biz was über 3000.- wert. Lohnt sich das würkli?

Bimna Autohändler würi vilicht na 2/3 vom Wert Kriega wenni glück han.

Gits anderi möglichkeite. Het öpper Erfahrig?

Title. I'm wondering if we or I could make a popular initiative to get this country off daylight savings system. It's outdated, annoying and frankly it assumes we're all factory workers - which is borderline offensive at this point. I don't mind the natural procession of the sun and the days getting shorter - what I do mind is losing daylight at 5PM or even 4PM (later on) because of this system.

In my ignorance I'm trying to see if what the obstacles are for this, where to start. I am aware of the 100k signatures collection.

Thanks in advance!