I have been in Switzerland for six days with my college age daughters. We love so much about it. The people and the scenery, of course. We had been told restaurants were extremely expensive, and they sure are. We've been surprised and pleased with vegetarian options for one daughter. However, I can't help it but be completely annoyed with the charging for tap water! For the most part one of my girls and i enjoy coffee, wine and tap water. We don't like soft drinks. My other daughter with the exception of lemonade really only drinks water. And for environmental reasons we just want water from a tap. I thought the Swiss were health conscious, environmentally concerned people? In Luzern at a restaurant where food came to $75, I was stunned to see the waiter charged us for glasses of water. Really only one of us even asked for water, the other two of us had wine, but there it was with no warning, a charge for three glasses of tap water! Today at the Schilthorn restaurant, a glass of tap water was the same as a coke, beer or wine. $5 for a glass of tap water! They try real hard to sell bottled water! When there wasn't a soft drink my daughter would enjoy, she just choose to have nothing to drink. And while I choose to have a small beer with my meal, I would have liked a glass of water given the active nature of our day. It just seems so petty and cheap to be charged for tap water on top of already high restaurant bills. We've been doing a lot of picnicking ( the coop grocery stores are wonderful) maybe restaurants would get more business if they would be fair and honest about the serving water!
Posted by
Alabama, USA
271 posts
I feel you.
I have paid 15CHF for a 1Ltr bottle of water and have personally experienced the tap water moment. Many Swiss will not admit to knowing what tap water is ;)
I get it. It is a small country. Gotcha. With limited resources. Gotcha. And especially in the mountains, it is physically difficult to get the water to the point of sale. Double gotcha.
However, a break on the water would be nice. I (carefully) refill from fountains in the mountains luckily ;). The only free water to be found in Switzerland.
Posted by
Montreux, Switzerland
262 posts
I have never been charged for tap water in Switzerland. We all know what tap water is here. When we have a meal at a restaurant, we order carafe d'eau (tap water in a carafe) and have never been charged. When we take a walk in warmer weather, we bring our water bottle and fill it from the fountains. I am disappointed you have experienced this.
Posted by
OP
Twin Cities of MN
5581 posts
The only place we haven't been charged was Bern where we asked Before ordering which was awkward. I have heard there is less often a charge for tap water in French speaking Switzerland. Or I hope it is not the case that they take advantage of tourists? They don't seem to be that kind of people. We do carry our own water but they seem to not like us to use it in restaurants
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32212 posts
"Today at the Schilthorn restaurant, a glass of tap water was the same as a coke, beer or wine. $5 for a glass of tap water!"
It's not surprising that they charge for tap water at the Schilthorn, as the potable water has to be hauled up there on the gondolas every day. While water may be plentiful in Switzerland, there's no municipal water pipes at the Schilthorn.
I usually have a bottle of water with me so I sometimes use that discreetly at restaurants.
Posted by
Montreux, Switzerland
262 posts
My advice would be to ask in advance if there is a charge for water from the tap without feeling bad or shy. If the charge for this is not listed on the menu with the other prices for drinks, I would not hesitate to politely ask to speak with the manager. If they listed a charge for a pizza at 20chf and charged you 30chf, you would do the same. It is normal to do this.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32766 posts
every village you walk through will have one or more pipes running water into a trough. They are potable, fresh, clean (from the pipe not the trough of course), delicious and completely free.
A carafe of water should be free too.
Germany, Italy and Switzerland all serve bottles of water in restaurants which are almost never free.
In German areas try the expression leitungswasser.
Posted by
Bern, Switzerland
977 posts
In almost 30 years living here I have never been charged for drinking water in typical restaurants. The only places I have been and would expect to be is in mountains, where it often costs just a much to get water up there as it does soft drinks etc... but it is a very rear situation.