Plug points in Switzerland

Hello,

Since the majority of our holidays will be spent in Switzerland, this is a crucial bit of information but one I am still vague about. What are the kinds of plug points used in the country? I am attaching some of the photos I got off the Internet.

What we have in India is: Indian plug

What I found on the net about Swiss plugs/sockets: Swiss plug

Is the Swiss image correct and current standard in hotels and apartments? In that case I would need an adapter of some kind...

Thanks!

Hi esskay8,

Your Swiss image looks correct to me. You'll find information here: myswissalps.com/ aboutswitzerland/ practical/ swissoutlet.

Hi

Yes the plug points in switzerland are different than those in India. Plz buy muticountry adapters....they have diffetent pins for europe as well as USA etc. Costs abt 150 to 200 rupees. We carried such adaptors

Thank you Arno and Hetal.

Will the two pin arrangement in a multi-country adapter, as shown in the link below, also work for plug-points for three pins in Switzerland?

www.amazon.in/Universa l-World-Travel-Charger-Adapter/dp/B000YN01X4/ ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1472552604 &sr=8-2&keywords=plug+adapte r

From my experience, the plug marked "Europe" in that image works most of the time in Switzerland too (2 and 3 pin outlets). In a few cases I found the pins were too thick. Most hotels will be able to help you out in such a case.

Sure, thanks!

Yes this works perfectly

Hi esskay8-

One more piece to the puzzle.

Note that the Swiss 2-prong plug in your post is hexagonal. Many European plugs have the same dimensions and spacing for the pins, bit the surroundings plastic housing has rounded corners. The rounded corners usually fit the Swiss outlets, by fitting inside the Swiss hexagonal receptacle, but the best fit comes from a Swiss adapter with a hexagonal casing. Sometimes the style with a rounded housing will not fit in the hexagonal Swiss receptacle....not sure why some do and some don't.

Three prong plugs (earthed, or, as we say in the USA, grounded) may also have angular housings, and I had to buy a Swiss one recently.

They are available at the "Kiosk" or "Aperto" stores common in larger trains stations. As with all things Swiss, especially in tourist areas, they are a lot more expensive than on Amazon.

I also routinely buy from Magellan, or at least look at their site because they gave good explanations:

www.magellans.com/Shop Category.aspx?ID=118,3681

I note that their grounded 3-prong Swiss outlet is rounded, just to confuse things.

But, their stuff has always worked for me.

Slowpoke

Yeah, my dad seems to have bought a multi-country adapter, am waiting to see what it looks like once he gets here. Will refer Magellans and Amazon, and try and find something if it looks off...

The hexagon housing and round housing is a problem ... and one of those things that mostly will be solved only after we end up there...

Hi esskay8-

On the two-prong adapters, the rounded ones usually fit inside the hexagonal opening that the Swiss prefer.

I have attached a photo taken in a hotel room in April 2014, just after renovation, so that this shows a modern design.

You can see grounded receptacles for 3 - prong plugs that will also accept 2 - prong plugs. If there is too much bulk around the plug, it will not fit into the recessed receptacle.

Older designs do not have the recess; they are on/in a flat surface. The new design is the safest, because everything fits snugly, and many types of plugs won't fit into the opening , but the older ones are still common.

The power in Switzerland is 50 hz, 220 V.

Slowpoke