Public Holidays in Switzerland 2026

Public holidays in Switzerland in 2026 are shaped by the country’s federal system. Swiss National Day on 1 August is the only federal public holiday, while most other public holidays are determined by the cantons. For the VisaBoards nationwide schedule, the dates included are those that apply throughout Switzerland: the federal holiday plus cantonal holidays recognized across all 26 cantons. Regional, local and canton-specific holidays are not included in the main nationwide schedule.

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Next Public Holiday in Switzerland

Date	Day	Holiday	Status
December 25, 2026	Friday	Christmas Day	Official Public Holiday

Date	Day	Holiday	Status
January 1, 2026	Thursday	New Year’s Day	Official Public Holiday
May 14, 2026	Thursday	Ascension Day	Official Public Holiday
August 1, 2026	Saturday	Swiss National Day	Official Public Holiday
December 25, 2026	Friday	Christmas Day	Official Public Holiday

The nationwide VisaBoards schedule should not be interpreted as a list of federal holidays. According to the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), 1 August is Switzerland’s only federal public holiday. SECO’s official canton-by-canton holiday matrix also shows that New Year’s Day, Ascension Day and Christmas Day are recognized across all 26 cantons, which is why they are included in the nationwide dataset.

How Public Holidays Work in Switzerland

Switzerland does not operate a uniform national public holiday system in the same way as many other countries. Public holiday legislation is largely a cantonal responsibility. Under Article 20a of the Swiss Labour Act, each canton may designate up to eight additional holidays per year as equivalent to Sundays for employment-law purposes.

The cantons can also apply different holiday rules within parts of the same canton. As a result, the number and identity of official days off can change according to a person’s place of work.

The major exception is Swiss National Day. The federal Constitution establishes 1 August as the federal holiday, and SECO describes it as the only federal public holiday applying throughout Switzerland.

Why Does the Nationwide Schedule Contain Four Holidays?

There is an important distinction between a federal holiday and a holiday that is recognized by every canton. Switzerland has only one federal holiday, Swiss National Day, but three additional holidays are recognized in all 26 cantons: New Year’s Day, Ascension Day and Christmas Day.

The SECO official Swiss holiday matrix provides the canton-by-canton legal overview. This nationwide VisaBoards dataset therefore contains four dates for 2026 while preserving the legal distinction between the federal holiday and holidays established at cantonal level.

Cantonal and Regional Holidays in Switzerland

Many well-known Swiss holidays are not public holidays in every canton. Their legal status depends on the canton and, in some cases, on the municipality or district.

Examples of holidays whose applicability varies include Good Friday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Corpus Christi, Assumption Day, All Saints’ Day and St Stephen’s Day. There are also holidays associated with individual cantons or regions, including Geneva’s Jeûne genevois and other local commemorations.

These dates are excluded from the nationwide VisaBoards schedule because including them without a regional classification would imply that they apply throughout Switzerland. Anyone planning work, travel or business activity should check the rules for the canton where the workplace or activity is located.

What Happens When a Public Holiday Falls on a Weekend?

Switzerland does not provide a general legal right to a substitute weekday simply because a public holiday falls on a normal non-working day. The official Swiss information portal ch.ch states that when a public holiday falls on a day on which an employee would not normally work, such as Saturday or Sunday, there is no general entitlement to compensate for it during the working week.

This rule is particularly relevant in 2026 because Swiss National Day falls on Saturday, 1 August. There is therefore no automatic nationwide substitute public holiday on Monday, 3 August.

Are Public Holidays Paid in Switzerland?

Payment depends partly on the employee’s salary arrangement and the holiday concerned. SECO states that employees receiving a monthly salary normally continue to receive their salary when working time is lost because of a recognized public holiday.

For employees paid by the hour, payment for most public holidays depends on the individual employment contract or an applicable collective labour agreement. Swiss National Day is different: 1 August is the only public holiday that federal law requires to be paid for hourly-paid employees as well.

Employment contracts and collective agreements can provide more favourable conditions, so individual arrangements may go beyond the statutory minimum.

Can Employees Be Required to Work on Public Holidays?

Public holidays that a canton has legally placed on the same footing as Sundays are generally subject to the Swiss rules governing Sunday work. Businesses covered by the Labour Act may therefore require authorization to employ staff on these days unless a statutory exemption applies.

SECO notes that certain sectors and establishments covered by exceptions in Ordinance 2 to the Labour Act may operate without the normal Sunday-work authorization. Cantonal rest-day rules and local regulations can also affect whether particular activities or businesses may operate.

Religious Holidays That Are Not Official Public Holidays

Swiss employment law also provides a mechanism for employees who wish to observe religious holidays that are not officially recognized by their canton. Under Article 20a of the Labour Act, an employee may request time away from work for another religious holiday by informing the employer at least three days in advance.

This does not automatically turn the religious observance into a public holiday or a paid day off. Rules concerning replacement working time and employment conditions may still apply.

Long Weekends in Switzerland in 2026

Christmas Day falls on Friday, 25 December 2026, creating a three-day break for people who normally do not work on Saturdays and Sundays.

New Year’s Day and Ascension Day both fall on Thursdays in 2026. Employees who are entitled to those holidays could create a four-day break by taking the following Friday as annual leave, but that Friday is not an official nationwide public holiday and must not be treated as one.

Swiss National Day falls on a Saturday in 2026 and does not automatically generate a substitute Monday holiday.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many nationwide public holiday dates are there in Switzerland in 2026?

The VisaBoards nationwide dataset contains four public holiday dates for Switzerland in 2026. This total includes Swiss National Day, the only federal public holiday, together with New Year’s Day, Ascension Day and Christmas Day because all 26 cantons recognize those three holidays.

What is the next public holiday in Switzerland?

The next public holiday changes during the year. Use the dynamic Next Public Holiday section near the top of this page for the current holiday name, date and countdown.

Is Swiss National Day the only federal public holiday in Switzerland?

Yes. Swiss National Day on 1 August is Switzerland’s only federal public holiday. Other statutory public holidays are determined by the cantons.

Why are New Year’s Day, Ascension Day and Christmas Day listed as nationwide holidays?

New Year’s Day, Ascension Day and Christmas Day are not federal holidays, but SECO’s official canton matrix shows that they are recognized in all 26 Swiss cantons. They therefore apply throughout Switzerland even though their legal basis is cantonal.

Do all Swiss cantons have the same public holidays?

No. Most Swiss public holidays are determined by individual cantons, so schedules differ around the country. Some holidays may even have different legal status within different parts of a canton.

Does Switzerland provide a substitute holiday when a public holiday falls on a weekend?

No general substitute-day entitlement applies. If a public holiday falls on a day an employee would normally not work, Swiss law does not generally require another weekday to be granted in compensation.

Is 3 August 2026 a substitute holiday for Swiss National Day?

No. Swiss National Day falls on Saturday, 1 August 2026, but this does not create an automatic nationwide public holiday on Monday, 3 August.

Are public holidays paid in Switzerland?

Employees receiving a monthly salary normally continue to receive their salary for working time lost because of a recognized public holiday. For hourly-paid employees, payment usually depends on the employment contract or collective agreement, except for Swiss National Day, which must be paid under federal law.

Who decides public holidays in Switzerland?

The cantons determine most public holidays in Switzerland. Federal law establishes Swiss National Day on 1 August, while Article 20a of the Labour Act allows cantons to designate additional holidays that are treated like Sundays for employment-law purposes.

Official Sources for Public Holidays in Switzerland

Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) – Freizeit und Feiertage: explains the federal and cantonal holiday system, employment rules, holiday pay and the treatment of holidays falling on non-working days.
SECO – Feiertage Schweiz: provides the official canton-by-canton matrix of holidays treated as Sundays under Swiss labour law.
Federal Personnel Office – Holidays 2026: provides the official 2026 calendar used to verify the relevant dates and weekdays.
ch.ch – Holidays and Absences from Work: confirms the Swiss rules for cantonal holidays and the absence of a general compensatory weekday when a holiday falls on a non-working day.
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs – Swiss National Day: provides official information on the nationwide 1 August celebration and its public-holiday status.

Next Public Holiday in Switzerland