Public Holidays in Switzerland in 2026
Complete list of official public holidays and observances
Managing staff leave around these holidays?
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Official Public Holidays
5 holidays in Switzerland for 2026
| Holiday | Date | Day | Applies To |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Carnival Thursday
Carnival Thursday is a half day holiday in Switzerland
|
February 12 | Thursday | Schwyz |
|
May Day (Half-Day)
Labor Day, International Workers' Day, and May Day, is a day off for workers in many countries ar...
|
May 01 | Friday | Solothurn |
|
Swiss National Day
Switzerland's National Day falls on August 1.
|
August 01 | Saturday | Nationwide |
|
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is the day before Christmas Day and falls on December 24 in the Gregorian calendar.
|
December 24 | Thursday | Schwyz |
|
New Year's Eve
New Year’s Eve is the last day of the year, December 31, in the Gregorian calendar.
|
December 31 | Thursday | Schwyz |
Legal Notice: This information is for guidance only and should not be considered legal advice. Always validate with local authorities or legal practitioners in Switzerland.
Why HR Teams Choose Leavetrack
Everything you need for seamless leave management
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Automatic Public Holiday Import
- All public holidays for Switzerland and 180+ other countries automatically loaded. No manual data entry required.
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Save 5+ Hours Per Week
- Eliminate manual leave calculations and reduce administrative overhead by up to 80%.
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Compliance Made Easy
- Built-in compliance tracking ensures you meet local employment laws and holiday entitlements.
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Team Visibility
- Everyone sees who's off when, preventing scheduling conflicts and ensuring adequate coverage.
Trusted by HR teams worldwide
"With a team of over 50 employees, keeping track of absences and holidays using a paper based system used to be time consuming and prone to errors. Since introducing Leavetrack, the whole process has become a lot simpler and easier."
How It Works
Simple, powerful leave management in four steps
Employees Request Leave
Simple, intuitive interface lets employees request time off in seconds. Public holidays are automatically excluded from calculations.
- Book leave in under 30 seconds
- See available leave balance instantly
- Mobile-friendly for on-the-go requests
Managers Approve Instantly
Managers see all request details including conflicts with public holidays and other team members' leave.
- Approve/reject directly from email
- See team coverage at a glance
- Complete audit trail of decisions
Plan Team Coverage
Beautiful visual calendar shows exactly who's off when, including public holidays, so you can plan optimal team coverage.
- Color-coded wall chart
- Filter by department or team
- Spot conflicts before they happen
Generate Reports
Comprehensive reporting gives you insights into leave patterns, costs, and compliance - all exportable to Excel.
- Full audit trail of all leave
- Export to CSV for further analysis
- Track entitlements and accruals
Ready to streamline your leave management?
Join hundreds of HR teams who've eliminated spreadsheet chaos and saved hours every week with Leavetrack.
About Public Holidays in Switzerland
Public holidays in Switzerland are a unique aspect of the country's cultural and regional diversity. Unlike many nations, Switzerland does not have a uniform set of public holidays; instead, each canton has the authority to designate its own holidays, leading to variations across the country. Major public holidays include New Year's Day, Easter, and Christmas, but additional holidays such as Federal Day of Thanksgiving and local festivities can vary significantly. This decentralized approach to public holidays allows for a rich tapestry of traditions and celebrations, reflecting the unique heritage of each region. For businesses, understanding these holidays is crucial for effective absence management and staff leave planning, ensuring compliance with local regulations and maintaining employee satisfaction.