Good Friday

The next dates

• 2026Friday, 3 April
• 2027Friday, 26 March
• 2028Friday, 14 April

In which cantons is Good Friday a holiday?

• 24cantonspublic holiday throughout the canton
• 1cantoncustomary day off
• 1cantonnot a holiday

Origin

On Good Friday, Christians commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Its German name, Karfreitag, comes from the Old High German “chara”, meaning lamentation and mourning. In the 4th century, Good Friday was separated from the Easter celebration as a day of remembrance in its own right. In many Protestant areas of Switzerland it became the most important church holiday in the 19th century, while in Catholic areas it was a holiday only in exceptional cases. Today it is a public holiday almost everywhere, but not in Ticino and Valais.

Sources: Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz: Feiertage · Duden: Karfreitag

What the three types mean

Public holiday

Treated like a Sunday (Art. 20a Labour Act). Employees have the day off.

Cantonal rest day

Public rest day under cantonal law, e.g. shops are closed. Under employment law it is a working day.

Customary day off

Not a public holiday, but many employers give the day off. Your employment contract decides whether you are off.