Empa is happy to welcome you to Switzerland. Our aim is to help you gain the maximum benefit from your stay at Empa. We have compiled a selection of weblinks that may help you to answer your questions in regards of daily life in Switzerland. Please use the links to learn more about living in Switzerland - Dübendorf, St. Gallen or Thun. We wish you a wonderful time at Empa and hope you take advantage of all this time abroad has to offer.

• Culture Shock! (PDF-File, 47 KB)
• Expensive?! About living costs in Switzerland (PDF-File, 10 KB)
• What you have to know about languages at Empa (PDF-File, 117 KB)

1. Practical information about living and working in Switzerland
2. Accommodation
3. Mandatory Health Insurance in Switzerland
4. Cultural Communities in Switzerland (mainly Zurich)
5. Various religious groups in Switzerland
6. Living in Zurich and Dübendorf
7. Living in St. Gallen
8. Living in Thun
9. Further useful weblinks
   

• Practical information and hints for researchers working and living in Switzerland (general facts about Switzerland, work and residence permits, travelling to and in Switzerland, accommodations, directories, social security system, insurances, taxes)
  http://www.myscience.ch/en/living
• Living and Working in Switzerland
  http://www.swissemigration.ch/index.html?lang=en
• Federal Office for Migration
  http://www.bfm.admin.ch/bfm/en/home.html
• Switzerland Tourism
  http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/home.html
  http://map.geo.admin.ch/
  http://tourenguide.ch/d/home/index.php
• Public transport Canton Zurich (ZVV)
  http://www.zvv.ch/en/
• Swiss Railways
  http://sbb.ch/en/index.htm
  http://fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/query.exe/en?HWAI=JS!ajax=yes!
• Swiss Internet comparison service. On comparis.ch, consumers can as well compare rates and services of insurances, banks, telecom providers, property, cars and consumer electronics
  http://en.comparis.ch/
• Phone book
  http://tel.search.ch/

• Swiss education system
  http://www.educa.ch/dyn/14.asp
• German language resources
  http://german.about.com/


• German conjugation tables
  http://conjd.cactus2000.de/index.en.php
  
• German and Swiss dialects linklist
  http://userweb.port.ac.uk/~joyce1/dialects/obschwyz.html
• Employment and Income
  http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/themen/03.html
  
• Currency converter
  http://www.oanda.com/lang/de/currency/converter/

Shopping   

• Top-range department stores
• www.globus.ch
• www.jelmoli.ch

• Mid-range department stores
• www.manor.ch
• www.coop.ch/coopcity
• www.migroscity.ch

• Supermarkets
• www.migros.ch
• www.coop.ch

• Discount stores
• www.aldi.ch
• www.denner.ch
• www.lidl.ch
• www.ottos.ch
• www.spar.ch

• Furniture stores
• www.digamoebel.ch
• www.fly.ch
• www.ikea.com/ch/de
• www.interio.ch
• www.lipo-moebel.com
• www.micasa.ch
• www.moebelmaerki.ch
• www.pfister.ch
• www.ottos.ch
• www.schubiger.ch
• www.toptip.ch
• www.conforama.ch

• Do it yourself stores   
• http://www.coop.ch/pb/site/bauhobby/node/100301/Lde/index.html
• http://www.jumbo.ch/
• http://www.doit-garden-migros.ch/
• http://www.obich.ch/ch/

Books   

• German and English books - Orell Füssli The Bookshop
  www.books.ch
• French books - Librairie Payot
  www.payot-libraire.ch
• Spanish books - Librería el Condór
  www.condorlibros.com
  

  http://www.romanica.ch/rframes.html

• Italian books - Libreria italiana
  www.libreriaitaliana.ch

2 Accommodation   
   
Guesthouses
Empa in Dübendorf offers temporary accomodation in their guesthouses to students, graduants, PhD students, Postdoc fellows, scientific staff and academic guests from abroad. There are 58 guestrooms (46 single rooms and 12 double rooms). Enclosed map shows you where the guesthouses are located, all in walking distance from Empa. 

• Map of Guesthouses at Empa (PDF-File, 82 KB)

Average accomodation duration in the guesthouses is 3 months, after which you will need to find accomodation on your own. Please use below links to search for a permanent accomodation.

Finding accommodation   

• http://www.homegate.ch/en?a=default&l=default
• http://www.immoscout24.ch/IS24Web/_V2/Home.aspx?nav=-1&lng=en&wl=1
• http://www.anzeiger.ch/
• http://www.immostreet.ch/en/classified/home/index.html
• http://www.immoclick.ch/de/index///
• http://en.comparis.ch/immobilien/default.aspx
• http://immo.search.ch/
• http://www.immosky.ch/en/

Flat-sharing communities Switzerland

• http://www.students.ch/wohnen/list
• http://www.clickflatshare.com/Zurich/
• http://www.marktplatz.ethz.ch
• http://zimmerinzuerich.blogspot.com/
• http://www.wohnen.ethz.ch/links/index_EN
  

3 Mandatory Health Insurance in Switzerland

All persons residing in Switzerland are obliged by law to hold Swiss health insurance cover. Non-Swiss members of staff have the option of exempting themselves from this obligation if they are insured in foreign countries. However, their insurance must cover the requirements of the compulsory Swiss Health Insurance Act (KVG).

For Citizens of EC states only: Please bring with you the European Health Insurance Card if available.

Employed at Empa-Location in Dübendorf

• http://www.gd.zh.ch/internet/gesundheitsdirektion/de/themen/bevoelkerung/krankenversicherung/formulare_obligatorische_krankenversicherung.html
• http://www.gd.zh.ch/kvg

Employed at Empa-Location in St. Gallen

• General information about the mandatory health insurance in Switzerland
  PDF file, 24 KB 
• Official overview from the City of St.Gallen: http://www.stadt.sg.ch/home/inneres_und_finanzen/kontrollstelle_krankenversicherung/ (german only, but with links to english pages)
• For PhD students, students, trainees/interns: 
• General overview
  Downloadable PDF file (for students and PHDs, Overview legally required health insurance)
• Certification given by the domestic health insurance company concerning full insurance cover during the stay in Switzerland
  Downloadable PDF file
• Application for release from Swiss Health Insurance Requirement for Students (informal letter)
  Downloadable PDF file
• For Reseacher and Postdocs:
• General overview
• Certification given by the domestic health insurance company concerning full insurance cover during the stay in Switzerland
  Downloadable PDF file  

Employed at Empa-Location in Thun

• General information about the mandatory health insurance in Switzerland
  PDF file, 16 KB
  
• General information (in German) about the mandatory health insurance in Switzerland
  http://www.jgk.be.ch/jgk/de/index/praemienverbilligung/praemienverbilligung.html

Price plans of Swiss health insurance companies
You will find some information and price plans of all Swiss health insurance companies by clicking the following links:

• http://en.comparis.ch/krankenkassen

4 Cultural Communities in Switzerland (mainly Zurich)   

• Africa - African organisations Switzerland   
  http://www.africa-integration.ch/de/
• Austria - Österreichisch-Schweizerische Kulturgesellschaft Zürich
  http://kulturges.org/
• Brasil - CEBRAC Centro Brasileiro de Açâo Cultural
  http://www.cebrac.org/
• China - Chinese Union of Zurich CUZ
  http://www.cuz-online.org/
• Czech Republik and Slovakia
  http://www.folklor75.ch/novy/
• France - Union des Français de l'Etranger
  http://www.francaisdesuisse.ch/
• Germany - Deutscher Club Zürich
  http://www.deutscher-club.ch/
• Greece - Greek community Switzerland
  http://www.kinotita.ch/
• India - Indian associations in Switzerland
  http://iazch.ch/cms/
• Italy - Comitato degli Italiani all'Estero
  http://www.comites-zurigo.ch/
• Japan - Swiss Japanese Society
  http://www.schweiz-japan.ch/
• Latvia - Gesellschaft Schweiz-Lettland
  http://www.schweiz-lettland.ch/
• Mexico - Asociación de mexicanos del canton Berna, Suiza
  http://www.amexberna.org/
• Netherlands - Nederlandse Vereniging, TE Zürich
  http://www.nvz.ch/
• Poland - Forum of Polish Community in Switzerland
  http://forum.polacy.ch/index.php
• Romania - Romanian Association ("House for Romanians")
  http://www.casa-romanilor.ch/
• Russia - Association Switzerland-Russia (Gesellschaft Schweiz-Russland)
  http://www.procyon.ch
• Scandinavia - Skandinavisk Club Zurich
  http://www.skandinaviskclub.ch/
• Spain - Ateneo Popular Espanol
  http://www.ateneo.ch/
• Turkey - Turkish community Switzerland (Türkische Gemeinschaft Schweiz, TGS)
  http://www.itt-tgs.ch/
• United Kingdom - British Council Switzerland
  http://www.britishcouncil.org/switzerland.htm
• USA - American Club of Zurich
  http://www.acz.ch/
• Vietnam - Forum of Vietnamese students in Switzerland
  http://www.swissviet.com/forum/

5 Various religious groups in Switzerland

• Christian Churches (reformed, catholic, christ-catholic, free churches) in Switzerland
  http://www.kirchen.ch

• Buddhist - Buddhist Centre Wat Srinagarindravararam
  http://www.wat-srinagarin.com/de/indexde.php
• Buddhist - Tibet Insitute Rikon
  http://www.tibet-institut.ch/
• Hindu - Saiva Thamil Sangam Arulmigu Shivan Kovil (Temple)
  http://www.sivankovil.ch/
• Hindu - Sri Sivasubramaniar Temple
  http://www.murugantemple-zh.ch/
• Jewish -  Jewish Liberal Community - Or Chadasch
  http://www.jlg.ch/
• Jewish - Swiss Jewish Association
  http://www.swissjews.ch/en/index.php
• Muslim - Islamic Association Ahle Beyt
  http://www.ahlebeyt.ch/
• Muslim - Islamic Centre Zurich
  http://www.islamy.ch/
  

6 Living in Zurich and Dübendorf

• Information portal of the city of Zurich
  http://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/portal/en/index.html
  http://www.willkommen.zh.ch
• Information and Advisory Services from the Center for the Promotion of Integration
  http://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/prd/en/index/stadtentwicklung/integrationsfoerderung.html
• Map Dübendorf
  http://map.search.ch/duebendorf

• Childcare - The "Kinderpavillon" daycare centre in Dübendorf (KIPA) provides daycare for children of Empa employees   
  www.empa.ch/childcare

• Medical care (emergency doctors)
  http://www.zurich-relocation.ch/web/?details=42
  http://www.doctor.ch
  http://www.permanence.ch/frame_e.htm
  http://www.bahnhof-apotheke.ch/
  http://www.bellevue-apotheke.com/
  http://www.rega.ch/

• Department for Motor Vehicles
  http://www.stva.zh.ch
• International Schools
  http://www.awa.zh.ch/internet/volkswirtschaftsdirektion/awa/de/standort/neuzuzueger/schule_und_bildung/private_internationale_schulen.html
• Sports - a fitness training free of charge takes place in Dübendorf on Wednesdays over lunch time and is open to all Empa and Eawag staff   
  http://www.internal.eawag.ch/life/sport/index_EN
• Academic Sports Club of Zurich – ASVZ
  http://portal.asvz.ethz.ch/english/Seiten/default.aspx

•  Food
• Indian, Sri Lankan, and Pakistani grocery stores
  http://www.insaz.ethz.ch/Navigation%20List/Guide/guide.html
• Aggarwal Indian Food
  http://www.aggarwal.ch
• Vegan guide Zurich
  http://veganguide.org/local/switzerland/zuerich
• Chinese restaurants Switzerland
  http://www.tangren.ch/homepage/chinesisch-restaurant_citymap.php
  

7 Living in St. Gallen

• Tourist information St. Gallen
  http://www.st.gallen-bodensee.ch/en/entertainment-pleasure/events
• Living in St. Gallen
  http://www.location.sg.ch/home/location_information/living.html
• City of St. Gallen
  http://www.stadt.sg.ch/home/inneres_und_finanzen/location.html
• Map St. Gallen
  http://map.search.ch/st.gallen

• Childcare - The "Chinderhus Fiorino Bruggen" provides daycare for children of Empa employees   
  www.empa.ch/childcare

• Cultural events in the region
  http://www.st.gallen-bodensee.ch/en/event_calendar/
• Language Schools St. Gallen
  http://www.justlanded.com/english/Switzerland/Directory/Language/Language-schools/StGallen

• Doctors in St. Gallen
  http://yellow.local.ch/en/q/St.%20Gallen/doctors.html
• Hospital St. Gallen
  http://www.sg.kssg.ch/gn/notfall.html
• Department for Motor Vehicle St. Gallen
  http://www.stva.sg.ch/
• International schools
  http://www.swiss-schools.ch/index.php?SL_Key=10&subpage&language=en
  http://www.isr.ch/
  http://www.issg.ch/typo3/index.php?id=152

• Sports - There is a weekly football training over lunch time for Empa employees on Wednedays and a weekly badminton training on Tuesdays. Both trainings are free of charge.
• Sports facilities at the University of St. Gallen
  http://www.unisg.ch/en/UeberUns/Services/Sport.aspx

• Rooms for Rent
  http://www.metroroommates.com/city_rentals/stgallen_rentals.asp
  

8 Living in Thun

• Tourist information Thun
  http://www.thunersee.ch/en/ferienregion-thunersee.html
• City of Thun
  http://www.thun.ch
• Map Thun
  http://map.search.ch/thun

• Childcare - Thun daycare centres for small and school age children can be found at indicated link   
  www.empa.ch/childcare

• Bern
  http://www.bern.ch/leben_in_bern
• Website of the integration office of Bern, list of migrant organizations (click "Verzeichnis")
  http://www.isabern.ch/front_content.php?changelang=%22.$lang.%22&idcat=10
• Language Schools Bern
  http://www.justlanded.com/english/Switzerland/Directory/Language/Language-schools/Bern

• Doctors in Thun
  http://yellow.local.ch/en/q/Thun/doctors.html
• Department for Motor Vehicle Thun
  http://www.pom.be.ch/site/index/pom_svsa_index/pom_svsa_fahrzeugpruefungen/pom_svsa_import-mit-eg-uebereinstimmungsbescheinigung.htm

• International School of Berne
  http://www.isberne.ch/
• Interkultureller Frauentreff Thun- Cross Cultural Meetings for Women
  http://www.frouebruegg.ch/de

• Sports - Empa Thun unfortunately does not provide own sports facilities
• Sport facilities Thun
  http://www.thun.ch/leben/freizeit-in-thun/sport/sommersport.html
  http://www.thun.ch/leben/freizeit-in-thun/sport/wintersport.html
• Appartments in Thun
  http://www.thuneramtsanzeiger.ch/
  

9 Further useful weblinks

• English Forum Switzerland - Community portal for English-speaking people in Switzerland
  http://www.englishforum.ch/forum.php
• Survival Guide for Ph.D. Students at ETH Zurich
  http://www.aveth.ethz.ch/cms/website.php
• International Students of ETH
  http://www.international.ethz.ch/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
  http://www.rektorat.ethz.ch/doctorate/immigration/index_EN
• Student Exchange Office ETH
  http://www.mobilitaet.ethz.ch/incomings/index_EN
• IAESTE
  http://www.iaeste.ch/