6 Crazy Facts about Switzerland
1. Basel, Switzerland has an airport unique in the world
The very unusual Basel Euro Airport was built way back in 1946, just after WWII ended.
It’s situated at the tri-borders of France, Germany and Switzerland, on French land. It’s administered jointly by France and Switzerland and is officially a bi-national airport. Both French and Swiss police & security guards work at the airport as well.
The full name of the airport is Euro Airport Basel-Mulhouse-FRieburg…
for Basel, Switzerland – Mulhouse, France – Frieburg, Germany.
Amazingly, the airport has two different airport codes! BSL and MLH are the same airport!
What’s really unique is that you can step outside the airport into either France or Switzerland. One exit door leads to France, while the other exit door lands you in Switzerland. And, apparently you cross the border from France into Switzerland inside the airport terminal! The border of Germany is just a few miles away.
2. Switzerland is crazy expensive – for no apparent reason
I didn’t know until right before my arrival to Switzerland that the country is notoriously expensive. It’s the most expensive country in Europe and the … most expensive country in the world.
Simply by crossing the border from Switzerland into neighboring Germany or France, you’ll find prices on most things half price or one third the price of the same products in Switzerland.
What I’ve observed personally thus far is that particularly train travel and medications are absurdly expensive. Apparently everybody knows how crazy-expensive train travel is, including the train companies. They continuously offer various discounted prices, including ‘all-day tickets’, monthly and annual subscriptions that then give owners half price on all fares, pop-up offers, tourist tickets and many other special fares.
Heck, since everyone acknowledges that train travel is ridiculously expensive, why not just lower the fares?
Anything that’s deemed any sort of medication has sky-rocket prices. That goes for basic over-the-counter meds like cough syrup and cough drops, supplemental pro-biotics to help with digestion, anti-acids and, of course, prescription meds.
I’ve asked many people here why prices are so expensive in Switzerland. Everyone, to date, has shrugged their shoulders and said, laughingly, “It’s Switzerland”. Hence my conclusion that prices are high here for no apparent reason.
If anyone knows why Switzerland has double and triple prices from neighboring Germany or France, please fill me in! I’d like to know what’s up with that.
3. Basic toiletry items and vitamins are crazy cheap
At the other pricing extreme, I accidentally discovered that basic toiletries, vitamins and food supplements are amazingly cheap. In fact, they’re probably the least expensive I’ve found anywhere in the world, including generally very inexpensive developing countries.
I’ve found tubes of various vitamins tablets (those ones that you put into water to dissolve via lots of fizz) for less than $1 US / 1 CHF (Swiss Franc). Bottles of magnesium tablets (30-60 tablets) for 6-8 CHF. Large packs of thin women’s panty liners (48-60 count) for just 1.20-2.40 CHF.
While nearly every type of vitamin, mineral and other nutrition supplements are super-cheap, quite unfortunately, pro-biotics are not among them. Those are crazy-expensive.
4. Flushing toilets after 10 pm is illegal !
This sounds crazy, right? But it’s true in Switzerland.
Turns out, Switzerland is very diligent about noise control and not disturbing ones’ neighbors with loud noise. Personally, I’m all for that! I’m extremely sensitive to loud noise and am happiest in very quiet, peaceful locations.
But Switzerland goes way beyond anything I’ve ever heard of, in terms of preventing noise pollution. Making the flushing of toilets at night actually illegal is pretty extreme!
In truth, it’s not just a ban on night-time toilet flushing. It’s a general night-time quiet rule: No noise from 10 pm – 6 am. Toilet flushing is included in that.
5. It’s illegal to work or make noise on Sundays
Sunday is officially a day of rest, following traditional Christian practices.
No construction or remodeling work is allowed, even outdoors at your own property. No lawn mowing, garden power tools, high-pressure water hoses nor vacuuming are permitted.
6. All stores and businesses are closed on Sundays
Sunday’s ‘day of rest’ regulations mean that all stores are closed every Sunday. That goes for supermarkets, pharmacies and all other businesses.
Travelers arriving to Switzerland for the first time might have trouble initially remembering that they will not be able to buy anything at all on Sundays.
Summary
These are a few of the very unexpected things I’ve discovered about Switzerland during my first 10 days in the country. I’ll be sure to report any more unusual, crazy and interesting things I come across here during my 90 days in this pretty country.
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Meanwhile, you might also like:
Differences between US and European Cities
15 Surprising Facts about Wales
11 Things Ireland is Famous For
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Hi! I'm Lash, an American nomadic world traveler who's been traveling solo since 1998. I’m passionate about traveling the world nomadically and then sharing it all with you. I hope to inspire you to travel the world, to entertain you with tales from the road, and to help you reach your travel dreams. Welcome! 
