Plan long weekends, maximize vacation days, and never miss a shop closure again.
Whether you're an expat planning your first Swiss year, an HR manager scheduling around closures, or simply want to maximize your time off—knowing Zürich's holiday calendar is essential.
The complete list of official holidays recognized in Canton Zürich.
| Date | Day | Holiday (DE / EN) | What's Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | Thursday | Neujahrstag / New Year's Day | Most shops & offices |
| Jan 2 | Friday | Berchtoldstag / St. Berchtold's Day | Most shops & offices |
| Apr 3 | Friday | Karfreitag / Good Friday | Broad closures |
| Apr 6 | Monday | Ostermontag / Easter Monday | Broad closures |
| May 1 | Friday | Tag der Arbeit / Labour Day | Broad closures |
| May 14 | Thursday | Auffahrt / Ascension Day | Broad closures |
| May 25 | Monday | Pfingstmontag / Whit Monday | Broad closures |
| Aug 1 | Saturday | Bundesfeier / Swiss National Day | Broad closures |
| Dec 25 | Friday | Weihnachtstag / Christmas Day | Broad closures |
| Dec 26 | Saturday | Stefanstag / St. Stephen's Day | Broad closures |
Many employees don't realize these are legally recognized reduced-work periods in Zürich.
Afternoon before Good Friday. Many offices close at noon.
Sechseläuten afternoon. City of Zürich employees have the afternoon off.
Knabenschiessen half-day. A beloved local tradition at Albisgüetli.
Christmas Eve afternoon. Most workplaces close by midday.
Smart vacation planning can triple your time off. Book early—Swiss travel fills up fast.
4 days → 10 days off
1 day → 4 days off
4 days → 11 days off
Falls on a Friday
Magic Heidi
CHF 500
Jan 29
Webbiger LTD
CHF 2000
Jan 24
John Doe
CHF 600
Jan 20
The complete guide to extending your holidays with minimal vacation days.
Take off March 30, 31, April 1, 2 (4 days) and get 10 consecutive days off. Good Friday falls on April 3 and Easter Monday on April 6. Perfect for a spring trip to the mountains or warmer destinations.
Taking Friday May 15 as a bridge day gives you a 4-day weekend. This is so common that trains and mountain railways fill up fast. Extended option - take May 11–13 plus May 15 (4 days) for a full 9-day break through Whit Monday.
With Christmas on Friday, Boxing Day on Saturday, and New Year's plus Berchtoldstag the following week, just 4 vacation days connect everything into 11 days off. The ultimate winter break.
Zürich's famous spring festival takes place April 19–20, 2026, with the main parade and Böögg burning on Monday, April 20. The Canton of Graubünden will be the guest of honor—the first time since 2004.
Guest canton program at Lindenhof
Guild balls (private events)
Kinderumzug (children's parade)
Main parade & Böögg burning at 6pm
For City of Zürich workers: Yes, the afternoon of April 20 is an official half-day.
For everyone else: It depends on your employer. Cantonal law recognizes it as a local custom, but private companies outside the city aren't required to grant time off.
The Böögg tradition: A cotton snowman stuffed with firecrackers burns atop a pyre. According to legend, the faster the head explodes, the better the summer weather. In 2023, it took just 12 minutes—one of the fastest times ever.
Most retail closes on official holidays, but these locations stay open.
Shopville underground mall houses 180 stores open on Sundays and most holidays.
The public shopping area has 80 stores open daily from 6:00–21:00, regardless of holidays.
Smaller selection near Stadelhofen station, usually 9:00–20:00 on Sundays.
January 2 is a public holiday, but many city-center stores open specially from 9:00–20:00.
Switzerland's national holiday commemorates the 1291 Federal Charter. It's been a statutory paid holiday since 1994.
August 1 falls on a Saturday in 2026. Whether you receive compensation depends on your employment contract.
Typically get a day in lieu. Check with your HR department for specifics.
Varies by company policy. Review your contract or collective agreement.
Private fireworks on July 31 evening, official ceremony at Grossmünster and Stadthaus on August 1 morning.
For spectacular fireworks, visit the Rhine Falls display on July 31—Europe's most powerful waterfall combined with pyrotechnics.
If you've lived in other Swiss cantons, you might miss these days off.
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Where Observed | Zürich? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epiphany | Jan 6 | Schwyz, Ticino, Uri, Graubünden | ✗ No |
| St. Joseph's Day | Mar 19 | Nidwalden, Schwyz, Ticino, Valais | ✗ No |
| Corpus Christi | Jun 4 | All Catholic cantons | ✗ No |
| Assumption | Aug 15 | Most Catholic cantons | ✗ No |
| All Saints | Nov 1 | Catholic cantons | ✗ No |
| Immaculate Conception | Dec 8 | Central & Southern Switzerland | ✗ No |
Note: You'll still find Dreikönigskuchen (Three Kings cake) in Zürich bakeries on January 6—the tradition exists even without the holiday.
Jeûne Fédéral (Federal Day of Prayer) falls on Sunday, September 20, 2026. While it's officially a national observance, only Vaud grants Monday off (Lundi du Jeûne), and Geneva has its own Thursday observance. Zürich has no day off connected to Jeûne.
Under Zürich cantonal law, the 10 official holidays are guaranteed paid days off for employees.
Full entitlement to all 10 holidays plus local half-days.
Official holidays guaranteed, but no automatic right to local celebrations.
All 10 holidays guaranteed, local days at employer's discretion.
Swiss law doesn't require compensation when holidays fall on Saturday or Sunday.
Everything you need to know for smooth holiday planning.
Book mountain hotels 2–3 months ahead for long weekends. Train tickets for popular routes 4–6 weeks ahead.
Hospitals operate 24/7. Pharmacies rotate duty—check zurich.ch for on-call pharmacy.
ZVV runs Sunday schedules on holidays. Check SBB app for specific times.
Banks and government offices close on all official holidays. Plan administrative tasks ahead.
Swiss law doesn't require compensation when a holiday falls on Saturday or Sunday. In 2026, August 1 and December 26 fall on Saturdays. Check your employment contract—many employers grant substitute days, but it's not legally required.
For City of Zürich employees, the afternoon of April 20 is an official half-day. For everyone else, it depends on your employer. Cantonal law recognizes it as a local custom, but private companies outside the city aren't required to grant time off.
Most retail closes, but Zürich HB Shopville (180 stores, 9-21h), Zürich Airport (80 stores, 6-21h), and Stadelhofen Passage stay open on Sundays and most holidays.
With smart bridge day planning, 8 vacation days can give you 24 days off. Best opportunities are Easter (4 days → 10 off), Ascension (1 day → 4 off), and Christmas/New Year (4 days → 11 off).
Berchtoldstag (January 2) is observed strongly in Zürich but not everywhere in Switzerland. Conversely, Zürich doesn't observe Catholic holidays like Corpus Christi, Assumption, or All Saints that are holidays in other cantons.
Knabenschiessen takes place the second weekend of September, with September 14 (Monday) as a half-day for City of Zürich schools and reduced hours for municipal offices. It's a local tradition, not a cantonal holiday.
Quick reference for all official holidays and half-days in Canton Zürich. Save these dates to your digital calendar now.
Official Holidays:
City of Zürich Half-Days:
Zürich's 2026 calendar offers excellent opportunities for extended breaks. If you're managing payroll or employee schedules, Magic Heidi handles Swiss public holidays automatically across all cantons.
