1. Dimensions:

Switzerland is divided in three major geographical areas:

2. Time zone:

Switzerland is located in the Central European Time zone (CET), also known as Middle European Time zone (MET). It is one hour ahead of Greenwich Time (GMT+1).
Daylight saving time starts in early spring and ends in late fall. Begin and end are synchronized with the countries of the European Union (EU).

3. Lakes:

Switzerland hosts many lakes, from the large Lake Geneva to hundreds of tiny little lakes in the mountains. There are also many dammed-up lakes, mainly to drive water turbines of power plants.

The largest lakes:

4. Rivers:

The rivers of Switzerland lead to three different seas: The Rhein with its tributaries Aare and Thur drain 67.7% of the water into the North Sea. The Rhone and the Ticino (after the Lago Maggiore called Po) drain 18% into the Mediterranean Sea. The Inn drains 4.4% into the Black Sea.

5. Distances and estimated driving times between major cities:

Distances are measured in kilometers, driving times in hours and minutes (hh:mm). Routes are supposed to be the fastest possible but not necessarily the shortest path. Highways in Switzerland are often under construction and traffic jams occur frequently. During winter seasons, many roads in the mountains are closed and in higher elevations, winter tires or chains may be enforced by law.

Before you hit the road, check the local road conditions online.

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