Ding or Clonk?

Swiss fact or Swiss myth? Blüemli knows.

All answers and sources

  1. In most Swiss apartment buildings, the laundry room is closed on Sundays.

    Ding. True. Usually Monday to Saturday, 7:00 to 21:00. Each building's house rules decide.

    Source: myky.ch (formerly hausinfo.ch). 1. Can you do laundry on Sunday in Switzerland?

  2. Swiss law forbids flushing the toilet after 22:00.

    Clonk. Myth. No Swiss law says so. Flush. Then sleep.

    Source: SWI swissinfo.ch. 2. Can you flush the toilet at night in Switzerland?

  3. In Zurich, the night quiet runs from 22:00 to 07:00.

    Ding. True. In summer time, on Fridays and Saturdays, it starts at 23:00.

    Source: City of Zurich. 2. Can you flush the toilet at night in Switzerland?

  4. Swiss prices are about the same as the EU average.

    Clonk. Myth. More than half higher: 158.8, with the EU at 100 (2024).

    Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS). 3. Why is Switzerland so expensive?

  5. In Switzerland, you may keep a single guinea pig on its own.

    Clonk. Myth. It needs at least one other guinea pig. A human or a rabbit does not count.

    Source: Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (BLV). 4. Is it illegal to own one guinea pig in Switzerland?

  6. Switzerland has about 370,000 shelters, almost a place for every resident.

    Ding. True. Private and public, almost a place for everyone.

    Source: Federal Office for Civil Protection (BABS). 5. Why do Swiss homes have bunkers?

  7. You may not store anything in a Swiss shelter.

    Clonk. Myth. In peacetime it can be a storeroom. It must be ready within five days. Keep the jam in rows.

    Source: Federal Office for Civil Protection (BABS). 5. Why do Swiss homes have bunkers?

  8. With 100,000 signatures in 18 months, Swiss voters can force a vote on changing the constitution.

    Ding. True. It is called a Volksinitiative. Then the whole country votes.

    Source: Federal Chancellery. 6. Can anyone change the Swiss constitution?

  9. Expats rank Switzerland among the easiest countries for making local friends.

    Clonk. Myth. 28th out of 31. Crack the coconut slowly.

    Source: Expat Insider 2026 (InterNations), via iamexpat.ch. 7. Why is it so hard to make friends in Switzerland?

  10. A Swiss train that arrives two minutes late counts as on time.

    Ding. True. SBB counts under three minutes late as on time. In 2025, a record 94.1 percent were.

    Source: SBB; Blick, 27 January 2026. 8. Are Swiss people always on time?

  11. When you move, you have a whole year to register with your new Gemeinde.

    Clonk. Myth. In general, within 14 days. Register first. Unpack later.

    Source: ch.ch. 9. Do you have to register when you move to Switzerland?

  12. Znüni is a real Swiss word for the mid-morning snack.

    Ding. True. From “zu nüni”, at nine. It is in the Duden.

    Source: Duden. 10. What is Znüni in Switzerland?

  13. In 2018, Switzerland held a national vote about cows' horns.

    Ding. True. On 25 November 2018. Rejected, 54.7 percent no. Blüemli kept her horns anyway.

    Source: SRF. 13. Did Switzerland really vote on cow horns?

  14. Switzerland has one president who runs the country for four years.

    Clonk. Myth. Seven Federal Councillors run it together. Each December, Parliament elects one of them president for one year.

    Source: admin.ch, the Federal Council. 14. Who runs Switzerland?