Relocating Employees to Switzerland? 10 Apps to Recommend.

Is your organization relocating employees to Switzerland? HR, global mobility, and talent acquisition teams are expected to guide employees through this process and provide key resources. Some of the greatest resources an organization can provide to that employee are free or low-cost mobile phone apps. From Swiss customs to public transportation: here are 10 must-have apps you should recommend when relocating employees to Switzerland.

Transportation App for Employees Relocating to Switzerland

SBB

SBB stands for Schweizerische Bundesbahnen, which translates to Swiss Federal Railways. Consequently, as Switzerland’s largest transport company, SBB runs all major trains in the country. At the same time, SBB also provides links to the European high-speed network. Every day over a million passengers and more than two hundred thousand tonnes of freight travel on board more than ten thousand trains along the SBB rail network. Employees relocating to Switzerland can use the SBB Mobile app for public transportation all throughout the country. Relocating employees can also buy tickets from ticketing machines or at ticket offices in bus or train stations. Some buses in rural areas don’t have machines and ticket offices.

Payment App for Employees Relocating to Switzerland

TWINT

With TWINT, Switzerland’s payment app, employees relocating to Switzerland can make convenient and secure payments using their smartphones. The TWINT app makes it easy for expats to pay at store cash registers, in the supermarket, in the online shop, and when shopping in the farm shop – digitally and cashlessly.

Customs App for Employees Relocating to Switzerland

QuickZoll

QuickZoll is the official Swiss customs app for individuals. As a private individual, QuickZoll allows to employees relocating to Switzerland to independently declare goods for importation for their own use or as a gift and pay any applicable taxes and duties directly. In addition, the Swiss Customs app summarises all the important facts about entry to Switzerland briefly and concisely.

Public Safety App for Employees Relocating to Switzerland

Alertswiss

Alertswiss is the official, free mobile app which publishes all relevant information pertaining to precautions and behavior during disasters and emergencies in Switzerland. Although Switzerland is rarely affected by major disasters, it is good to know which dangers exist and which behaviour can protect employees relocating to Switzerland. Relocating employees can receive alerts, warnings, and information about their current location directly and constantly on their smartphones. 

Social App for Employees Relocating to Switzerland

InterNations

InterNations is a global community for people who live and work abroad. It’s the largest network of its kind, with around 4 million members in 420 cities worldwide. It offers networking and socializing both online and in person. Additionally, members can attend events, participate in forums, and receive tips and advice on expat life. In similar fashion, InterNations conducts an annual Expat Insider survey that ranks countries and cities. In 2023, Mexico was ranked the best place for expats.

Language Apps for Employees Relocating to Switzerland

Google Translate

Google Translate‘s mobile app is a must-have for expats in Switzerland. Chiefly, it is a multilingual neural machine translation service developed by Google to translate text, documents and websites from one language into another. Given that Switzerland has 4 national languages (German/Swiss German, French, Italian, and Romansh), employees relocating to Switzerland can look forward to translating many street signs, menus, and more.

Duolingo

Duolingo is a free app that uses a game-like approach to help people learn a language. It offers lessons for over 40 languages, including Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Japanese, and Arabic. Duolingo’s lessons include translating, interactive exercises, quizzes, and stories. The app uses smart algorithms to adapt to each student’s needs. In addition, Duolingo is available for free, however there is also a paid version called Duolingo Plus. 

Bonus Tip: Duolingo also offers a free Duolingo French Podcast. This is especially beneficial for expats in the Switzerland who live and work in French-speaking cities such as Geneva, Lausanne, and Neuchâtel. 

Communication App for Employees Relocating to Switzerland

WhatsApp

WhatsApp is a free messaging and video calling app that allows users to send text, photo, audio, and video messages. It works on iPhone and Android smartphones, and Mac and Windows PCs. Used by over 2 billion people in more than 180 countries, it’s especially popular among friends and family who live in different countries. Most important, it utilizes end-to-end encryption which makes it more secure than texting and other messaging apps. 

Food Apps for Employees Relocating to Switzerland

Just Eat

Formerly known as Eat.ch, Just Eat is an excellent solution for employees in hotels, temporary housing, or transferees waiting for their kitchen supplies to be delivered by the moving company. Expats in Switzerland, accordingly, can order takeout or delivery from the Just Eat app from most cities in Switzerland, including Zürich, Geneva, Basel, Bern, Lausanne, and more. 

Too Good to Go

Due to its high cost of living, expats in Switzerland may have an affinity for the mobile app Too Good To Go. Too Good To Go is a free app that helps reduce food waste by allowing users to buy unsold food from restaurants, bakeries, and other businesses at a discount. In their 2022 annual impact report, Too Good To Go stated 2 million users open the app daily which saved 79 million meals. Even more, the app serves a greater purpose; It’s estimated nearly one-third of all food is wasted while 828 million people go hungry every day. By selling unsold food at discounted prices, businesses reduce excess waste and help communities reduce greenhouse gas emissions.