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Public holidays in Geneva 2026

Q: How many public holidays does Geneva have in 2026?

Geneva observes 9 public holidays in 2026: the 4 nationwide Switzerland holidays plus 5 regional holidays (Good Friday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Geneva Fast and Restoration of the Republic).

Q: How many working days and working hours are there in Geneva in 2026?

Geneva has 253 working days in 2026 — the Monday-to-Friday days left after the 8 public holidays that fall on a weekday. At a 40-hour week that is about 2,024 working hours .

The complete 2026 calendar of Swiss public holidays in Geneva — all 9 dates plus bridge days, long weekends and working days for your annual planning.

Select your canton

Workday
Weekend
Public holiday

New Year's Day

No public holidays this month.

Good Friday
Easter Monday

Ascension Day
Whit Monday

No public holidays this month.

Swiss National Day

Geneva Fast

No public holidays this month.

Christmas Day
Restoration of the Republic

9
Total public holidays
Federal plus regional holidays observed.
8
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.
3
Long weekends in 2026
Three- or four-day stretches around holidays.
253
Working days in 2026
Mon–Fri minus public holidays for the selected scope.
21.1
Avg. working days per month
Total working days divided by 12 months.

Bridge days in Geneva 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
Geneva Fast
Thursday, September 10
- 10 Thu
- 11 Fri
- 12 Sat
- 13 Sun
Take Friday, September 11 off
4 days off in a row (September 10 – September 13) for 1 day of leave
Restoration of the Republic
Thursday, December 31
- 31 Thu
- 1 Fri
- 2 Sat
- 3 Sun
Take Friday, January 1 off
4 days off in a row (December 31 – January 3) for 1 day of leave

Working days 2026 in Geneva — 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
61 working days
4 public holidays
Q3
65 working days
2 public holidays
Q4
64 working days
2 public holidays

Every public holiday in Geneva in 2026 — explained

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

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
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
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, 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
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.
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.
Nationwide
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Ascension Day
Cantonal holiday (Auffahrt) observed in all 26 cantons. Falls 39 days after Easter Sunday.
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.
Nationwide
Friday, December 25, 2026
Christmas Day
Cantonal holiday observed in all 26 cantons. Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.

What the 2026 holidays mean for your business

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

For freelancers

Your billable baseline

2026 offers 253 working days in Geneva. Subtract 30 days of leave and roughly 223 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

May has just 19 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 Q2. 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.

How many public holidays does Geneva have in 2026?

Geneva observes 9 public holidays in 2026: the 4 nationwide Switzerland holidays plus 5 regional holidays (Good Friday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Geneva Fast and Restoration of the Republic).

Which public holidays are specific to Geneva in 2026?

Beyond the 4 nationwide Switzerland holidays, Geneva additionally observes Good Friday (April 3), Easter Monday (April 6), Whit Monday (May 25), Geneva Fast (September 10) and Restoration of the Republic (December 31).

How many working days and working hours are there in Geneva in 2026?

Geneva has 253 working days in 2026 — the Monday-to-Friday days left after the 8 public holidays that fall on a weekday. At a 40-hour week that is about 2,024 working hours.

What are the best bridge days (Brückentage) in Geneva in 2026?

In 2026, Geneva offers these bridge-day (Brückentag) opportunities: New Year's Day (January 1) — take Friday January 2 off for a four-day weekend, Ascension Day (May 14) — take Friday May 15 off for a four-day weekend, Geneva Fast (September 10) — take Friday September 11 off for a four-day weekend and Restoration of the Republic (December 31) — take Friday January 1 off for a four-day weekend.

Which cantons have more public holidays than Geneva in 2026?

In 2026, these cantons have more public holidays than Geneva (9): Ticino (15); Obwalden and Schwyz (14); Fribourg, Jura, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Uri and Zug (13); Appenzell Innerrhoden and Glarus (11); Schaffhausen, Thurgau and Zurich (10).

Which cantons have fewer public holidays than Geneva in 2026?

In 2026, these cantons have fewer public holidays than Geneva (9): Grisons and Solothurn (8); Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Neuchâtel (7); Aargau (5).

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