FRATCH Tools · Holiday Calendar

Public holidays in Switzerland 2026

Q: How many public holidays does Switzerland observe in 2026?

Switzerland has only one federally protected public holiday — Bundesfeier on 1 August. All other holidays are cantonal. Federal labour law ( Arbeitsgesetz Art. 20a ) allows each canton to designate up to 8 additional paid public holidays alongside Bundesfeier. The actual count therefore varies widely by canton — from 5 canton-wide holidays in Aargau (where most other days are district-dependent) to 15 in Ticino .

Q: Which public holidays apply throughout Switzerland?

Only Bundesfeier (1 August) is federally protected. In practice, Neujahr (1 January), Auffahrt (Ascension Day) and Weihnachten (25 December) are also observed in all 26 cantons through cantonal law. All other holidays — including Karfreitag, Ostermontag, Pfingstmontag and Stephanstag — vary by canton.

Q: When is Easter in Switzerland in 2026?

Easter Sunday 2026 falls on 5 April . Karfreitag is 3 April and Ostermontag is 6 April . Karfreitag is a cantonal public holiday in 24 of 26 cantons (not in Valais and Ticino). Ostermontag is observed in 23 of 26 cantons (not in Geneva, Neuchâtel and Valais).

Q: What is the cantonal 8-day public holiday rule?

Under Swiss labour law ( Art. 20a Arbeitsgesetz ), each canton can designate up to 8 paid public holidays per year in addition to Bundesfeier. These cantonal holidays must be treated as Sundays for employment purposes — most employees do not work and receive their regular pay.

The complete 2026 calendar of Swiss public holidays — Bundesfeier plus cantonal holidays mapped to all 26 cantons. Plan project timelines, long weekends and freelance availability with every date verified.

Select your canton

Workday
Weekend
Public holiday

New Year's Day

No public holidays this month.

Ascension Day

No public holidays this month.

Swiss National Day

No public holidays this month.

Christmas Day

4
Total public holidays
Observed nationwide — regional holidays vary and are listed below.
3
Fall on a weekday
Paid time off for most employees.
1
Fall on a weekend
No substitute day off — labour law does not transfer holidays that land on a weekend.
1
Long weekends in 2026
Three- or four-day stretches around holidays.
258
Working days in 2026
Mon–Fri minus public holidays for the selected scope.
21.5
Avg. working days per month
Total working days divided by 12 months.

Bridge days in Switzerland 2026 — turn 1 day of leave into 4 days off

Every public holiday that falls on a Tuesday or Thursday opens a bridge-day window: one well-placed day of annual leave turns the holiday into a four-day long weekend. Essential for freelancers planning availability and teams scheduling around short weeks.

New Year's Day
Thursday, January 1
- 1 Thu
- 2 Fri
- 3 Sat
- 4 Sun
Take Friday, January 2 off
4 days off in a row (January 1 – January 4) for 1 day of leave
Ascension Day
Thursday, May 14
- 14 Thu
- 15 Fri
- 16 Sat
- 17 Sun
Take Friday, May 15 off
4 days off in a row (May 14 – May 17) for 1 day of leave

Working days 2026 in Switzerland — month by month

How many billable days does each month really have? The chart shows Monday-to-Friday working days minus public holidays — the baseline for capacity planning, sprint scheduling and freelance revenue forecasts.

Dots mark months with public holidays

Q1
63 working days
1 public holiday
Q2
64 working days
1 public holiday
Q3
66 working days
1 public holiday
Q4
65 working days
1 public holiday

Every Swiss public holiday in 2026 — explained

A reference list of every public holiday observed in Switzerland in 2026 — date, day of the week, scope and historical background.

Nationwide
Thursday, January 1, 2026
New Year's Day
Public holiday (Neujahrstag) observed in all 26 cantons. Marks the start of the new year — businesses and public offices are closed across Switzerland.
Regional
Friday, January 2, 2026
Berchtold's Day
Cantonal holiday observed in Bern, Fribourg, Glarus, Jura, Lucerne, Obwalden, Schaffhausen, Thurgau, Vaud, Zug and Zürich. In Neuchâtel, 2 January is a holiday only in years when New Year's Day falls on a Sunday — not the case in 2026.
Regional
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Epiphany
Cantonal holiday in Schwyz, Ticino and Uri. Commemorates the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus.
Regional
Sunday, March 1, 2026
Republic Day (Neuchâtel)
Cantonal holiday in Neuchâtel only (Instauration de la République). Commemorates the revolution of 1 March 1848 that established the Republic of Neuchâtel. Falls on a Sunday in 2026.
Falls on a weekend — no substitute day off.
Regional
Thursday, March 19, 2026
Saint Joseph's Day
Cantonal holiday in Nidwalden, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri and Valais. Catholic feast honouring Saint Joseph, husband of Mary.
Regional
Friday, April 3, 2026
Good Friday
Cantonal holiday in 24 of 26 cantons — Valais and Ticino do not observe Karfreitag. Commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Regional
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Näfels Pilgrimage
Cantonal holiday in Glarus only (Näfelser Fahrt), commemorating the Battle of Näfels of 1388. Normally held on the first Thursday of April — in 2026 it moves one week to 9 April because the first Thursday falls in Holy Week.
Regional
Monday, April 6, 2026
Easter Monday
Cantonal holiday in 22 of 26 cantons — Neuchâtel, Solothurn and Valais do not observe Ostermontag, and in Aargau it applies only in parts of the canton. Follows the Easter weekend.
Regional
Friday, May 1, 2026
Labour Day
Cantonal holiday in Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Jura, Neuchâtel, Schaffhausen, Thurgau, Ticino and Zürich. Recognises the achievements of the labour movement.
Nationwide
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Ascension Day
Cantonal holiday (Auffahrt) observed in all 26 cantons. Falls 39 days after Easter Sunday.
Regional
Monday, May 25, 2026
Whit Monday
Cantonal holiday in 22 of 26 cantons — Neuchâtel, Solothurn and Valais do not observe Pfingstmontag, and in Aargau it applies only in parts of the canton. Follows Whit Sunday (Pentecost), 50 days after Easter.
Regional
Thursday, June 4, 2026
Corpus Christi
Cantonal holiday in 12 predominantly Catholic cantons: Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Solothurn (except the Bucheggberg district), Schwyz, Ticino, Uri, Valais and Zug. Observed 60 days after Easter Sunday.
Regional
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Jura Independence Day
Cantonal holiday in Jura only. Commemorates the plebiscite of 23 June 1974, in which the Jurassian population voted to leave the Canton of Bern and create the Canton of Jura.
Regional
Monday, June 29, 2026
Saints Peter and Paul
Cantonal holiday in Ticino only. Catholic feast honouring the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
Nationwide
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Swiss National Day
The only federally protected public holiday in Switzerland (Bundesfeier). Commemorates the founding of the Swiss Confederacy in 1291. Observed in all 26 cantons.
Falls on a weekend — no substitute day off.
Regional
Saturday, August 15, 2026
Assumption Day
Cantonal holiday in 12 predominantly Catholic cantons: Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Solothurn (except the Bucheggberg district), Schwyz, Ticino, Uri, Valais and Zug. Catholic feast commemorating the bodily assumption of Mary into heaven.
Falls on a weekend — no substitute day off.
Regional
Thursday, September 10, 2026
Geneva Fast
Cantonal holiday in Geneva only (Jeûne genevois). Observed on the Thursday after the first Sunday of September. A historical day of fasting and reflection in the Genevan tradition.
Regional
Monday, September 21, 2026
Federal Fast Monday
Cantonal holiday in Vaud only (Lundi du Jeûne fédéral). Observed on the Monday after the Federal Day of Thanksgiving (third Sunday of September).
Regional
Friday, September 25, 2026
Brother Klaus
Cantonal holiday in Obwalden only. Honours Saint Nicholas of Flüe (Bruder Klaus), patron saint of Switzerland and of Obwalden.
Regional
Sunday, November 1, 2026
All Saints' Day
Cantonal holiday in 14 cantons: Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Glarus, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, St. Gallen, Solothurn (except the Bucheggberg district), Schwyz, Ticino, Uri, Valais and Zug. In Aargau it applies only in Catholic districts. Catholic feast honouring all saints, known and unknown.
Falls on a weekend — no substitute day off.
Regional
Tuesday, December 8, 2026
Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Cantonal holiday in 10 predominantly Catholic cantons: Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri, Valais and Zug. Catholic feast celebrating Mary's conception without original sin.
Nationwide
Friday, December 25, 2026
Christmas Day
Cantonal holiday observed in all 26 cantons. Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.
Regional
Saturday, December 26, 2026
Saint Stephen's Day
Cantonal holiday in 16 cantons in 2026. Not statutory in Aargau, Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel, Solothurn, Vaud and Valais; in Uri, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Appenzell Innerrhoden it is skipped in 2026 because Christmas falls on a Friday. Honours the first Christian martyr, Saint Stephen.
Falls on a weekend — no substitute day off.
Regional
Thursday, December 31, 2026
Restoration of the Republic
Cantonal holiday in Geneva only (Restauration de la République genevoise). Commemorates the 31 December 1813 restoration of the Republic of Geneva after the Napoleonic occupation.

What the 2026 holidays mean for your business

Public holidays shape billable days, team capacity and hiring timelines. Three takeaways for Switzerland in 2026.

For freelancers

Your billable baseline

2026 offers 258 working days in Switzerland. Subtract 30 days of leave and roughly 228 potential billable days remain — the number your day rate and utilisation plans should build on.

Browse open projects

For hiring managers

Capacity has a low season

February has just 20 working days — the leanest month of 2026. Plan sprints, releases and go-lives around holiday clusters, and bridge capacity gaps with external experts before they hit delivery.

How companies hire on FRATCH

For recruiters & HR

Holidays move start dates

Most 2026 holidays cluster in Q1. Factor regional holidays into notice periods, onboarding dates and payroll runs — the rules differ by region, and weekend holidays are not carried over.

FRATCH for recruiters

Public holidays 2026 — FAQ

Quick answers on long weekends, regional rules, paid time off and what freelancers and interim managers should know.

Switzerland has only one federally protected public holiday — Bundesfeier on 1 August. All other holidays are cantonal. Federal labour law (Arbeitsgesetz Art. 20a) allows each canton to designate up to 8 additional paid public holidays alongside Bundesfeier. The actual count therefore varies widely by canton — from 5 canton-wide holidays in Aargau (where most other days are district-dependent) to 15 in Ticino.

Only Bundesfeier (1 August) is federally protected. In practice, Neujahr (1 January), Auffahrt (Ascension Day) and Weihnachten (25 December) are also observed in all 26 cantons through cantonal law. All other holidays — including Karfreitag, Ostermontag, Pfingstmontag and Stephanstag — vary by canton.

Easter Sunday 2026 falls on 5 April. Karfreitag is 3 April and Ostermontag is 6 April. Karfreitag is a cantonal public holiday in 24 of 26 cantons (not in Valais and Ticino). Ostermontag is observed in 23 of 26 cantons (not in Geneva, Neuchâtel and Valais).

2026 offers strong long-weekend opportunities. Ostermontag (Mon 6 April) and Pfingstmontag (Mon 25 May) each create three-day weekends in most cantons. Auffahrt on Thursday 14 May creates a four-day stretch with a bridge day on Friday in every canton. In Catholic cantons, Fronleichnam on Thursday 4 June offers the same bridge-day bonus. Christmas Day on Friday 25 December closes the year with a long weekend together with Stephanstag.

It depends. Bundesfeier on 1 August is the only legally mandated paid public holiday. For cantonal holidays the rules vary, but most cantons require employers to treat them as Sundays for employment purposes — meaning employees receive regular pay. Collective bargaining agreements (GAV / CCT) typically extend full pay to all cantonal holidays.

Switzerland's holiday landscape reflects its religious history. Catholic cantons (Fribourg, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Zug, Appenzell Innerrhoden) observe additional feasts like Fronleichnam, Mariä Himmelfahrt, Allerheiligen and Mariä Empfängnis. Protestant cantons (Zürich, Bern, Schaffhausen and others) typically observe fewer religious holidays but include Karfreitag and other Reformation-era days.

Generally no on Sundays and federal holidays. Each canton sets its own rules under cantonal trade laws. Exceptions vary by canton: shops at airports, major train stations, petrol stations, bakeries and pharmacies on duty are commonly allowed. Tourist regions may grant additional Sunday openings.

Under Swiss labour law (Art. 20a Arbeitsgesetz), each canton can designate up to 8 paid public holidays per year in addition to Bundesfeier. These cantonal holidays must be treated as Sundays for employment purposes — most employees do not work and receive their regular pay.

The Eidgenössische Dank-, Buss- und Bettag (Federal Day of Thanksgiving, Repentance and Prayer) is observed on the third Sunday of September — Sunday 20 September in 2026. It is recognised across Switzerland but is not a separate work-free day because it falls on a Sunday. Vaud uniquely observes the following Monday (Lundi du Jeûne, 21 September 2026) as a cantonal holiday.

Generally no. In 2026 several Swiss public holidays fall on weekends: Bundesfeier (Sat 1 August), Mariä Himmelfahrt (Sat 15 August), Allerheiligen (Sun 1 November) and Stephanstag (Sat 26 December). Swiss labour law does not provide a substitute day off in these cases — individual cantons or collective agreements may differ.

Swiss freelancers and interim managers are not legally entitled to paid public holidays — but most factor them into project planning and day rates. On FRATCH, you can browse availability calendars before requesting a freelancer to plan around bridge days, Easter, Ascension and the Christmas break.

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