Public phones
How to make a call on a public phone
When you’re away from home, you can call from a public phone booth. Due to the increase in mobile penetration, public phones have become rarer in Switzerland. However, you can usually find on in post offices, railway stations, airport stations and pedestrian areas in cities.
You will probably need is a telephone card (Taxcard), which is available in post offices, stationery stores, or Swisscom shops. Some phone booths still accept coins, but they are not easy to find. If you’re planning to use a public phone, it is recommended to be get a telephone card.
Taxcards can be bought for CHF 5, 10, 20 or 50. Cards for CHF 20 or 50 have a band on each side of the card. When one band is exhausted, you must turn the card over and continue on the other side.
In most public telephone boxes it is also possible to be rung back. If so, you will find a sign with the phone’s number displayed on it.
Also in this section
- Introduction: The Swiss telecommunication market
- Public phones: How to make a call on a public phone
- Getting a phone line: How to get a phone line installed at home
- Mobile phones: Mobile operators and networks in Switzerland
- Which deal: What to consider when choosing a mobile calling plan
- Important numbers: Emergency numbers and phone enquiries
- Making a call: Tips on using the telephone in Switzerland
- Internet cafés: Where to go online without a connection at home
- Internet Access: How to get your internet connection at home
- Calling cards: How to save money on international calls
- Choosing: Choosing a prepaid calling card
- How to use: Using an international phonecard
