Postcode (Switzerland)

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On June 26, 1964, Swiss Post introduced postcodes as the third country after Germany (1941) and the United States (1963) .

In Switzerland the postcodes have four digits. As with the postal code system introduced in Germany in 1993 , a municipality can have several postal codes. The fact that a locality (settlement) has its own postcode does not mean that it is an independent political municipality , but that it is an official locality . In addition, a postcode can include several political communities (e.g. 3048 Worblaufen , includes parts of the municipalities of Bern and Ittigen ) or several cantons (e.g. 8866 Ziegelbrücke , includes parts of the cantons of Glarus and St. Gallen ), which is why a clear one Assignment in both directions is not possible. In addition, it is often not possible in larger cities to assign post offices ( PO boxes ) a unique postcode. For this reason, an additional number between 0 and 99 is used internally, which, in combination with the postcode, results in the post-internal six-digit postcode PLZ6.

The Principality of Liechtenstein is also included in the Swiss postal code system. The German enclave Büsingen am Hochrhein has in addition to its German postcode 78266 the Swiss postcode 8238.

Structure of postcodes

The postcodes are structured according to a logical principle. Each of the four digits says something about the geographic location of the place in question:

  • 1st digit: guide circle. Guide circles in the east usually have a higher number.
  • 2nd digit: lead area
  • 3rd digit: route which is no longer relevant in practice today. This division of the postcodes dates from the time when all mail was still transported by rail (and postbus courses ).
  • 4th digit: place

structure

Switzerland

Postcode areas in Switzerland after the first two digits

The first digit of the zip code indicates the region.

Foreign locations with Swiss postcodes

Historical

  • The former post office in Domodossola with postcode CH-3907 is no longer in operation. This Swiss postcode has become obsolete.

Liechtenstein postcodes

literature

  • Announcement in the special edition of the Postal, Telephone and Telegraph Official Journal of June 26, 1964.
  • Nikolaus Lappin, Bonn: Postcodes at home and abroad , in: ZPF 14/68, p. 546.
  • Poster postcode map Switzerland 1: 275 000, map, Hallwag - Kümmerly + Frey, Bern 2005, ISBN 978-3-259-90100-7 .

Web links

Commons : Postcode maps of Switzerland  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Official list of localities with postcode and perimeter product information, edition August 01, 2015 , accessed on January 1, 2010
  2. ↑ Giorgio Doninelli: Spedire una lettera a Campione? Attenzione al codice postale. tio.ch, December 31, 2019