Telephone numbers in Switzerland are defined and assigned according to the Swiss telephone numbering plan administered by the Swiss Federal Office of Communications. The plan was changed many times and the most recent major reorganization was implemented in March 2002.
The Swiss telephone numbering plan implements the ITU-T recommendation E.164 and is designated E.164/2002, based on its last major revision in 2002. It is a closed numbering plan, which means that all telephone numbers, including the area code, have a fixed number of digits. Swiss area codes are officially termed national destination codes (NDC). A complete telephone number consists of ten digits: 0xx xxx xx xx. Two formats are distinguished: three digits for the NDC and seven digits for the subscriber number, and four digits for the NDC and six digits for the subscriber number. However, a few exceptions exist.
The associated dial plan requires that all numbers, even for local calls, must be dialed with the assigned NDC, in contrast to previous plans. When dialing from within the country, a prefix 0 must be dialed.
The plan was amended a few times, e.g., the transition of numbering zone 01 into 044 and 043.
The national destination code (NDC) is the area code for Swiss telephone numbers. Within Switzerland the trunk code 0 must be dialed before the NDC, while it is not needed from international locations.
Telephone numbers are portable between numbering zones (ZN) or between GSM/UTMS mobile operators, and therefore an NDC does not imply that a caller is actually located in a particular zone or is serviced by any particular mobile operator.
The national destination codes are the following.
1 – ZN Zurich (until 1 April 2007, replaced by 44)21 – ZN Lausanne22 – ZN Geneva24 – ZN Yverdon, Aigle26 – ZN Fribourg27 – ZN Valais/Wallis31 – ZN Bern and surrounding areas.32 – ZN Biel/Bienne, Neuchâtel, Solothurn, Jura33 – ZN Berner Oberland34 – ZN Region Bern-Emme41 – ZN Central Switzerland (Luzern, Zug etc.)43 – ZN Zurich44 – ZN Zurich (formerly 1)51 – business telecommunication networks (SBB, CFF, FFS)52 – ZN Winterthur55 – ZN Rapperswil56 – ZN Baden58 – business telecommunication networks61 – ZN Region Basel62 – ZN Region Olten-Langenthal(Oberaargau)-Aargau-West71 – ZN Region Eastern Switzerland (St. Gallen etc.)74 – mobile services: paging services75 – mobile services: GSM / UMTS - Swisscom76 – mobile services: GSM / UMTS - Sunrise (with Yallo, talktalk, Lebara, MTV Mobile)77 – mobile services: GSM / UMTS - various (M-Budget, Tele2)78 – mobile services: GSM / UMTS - Salt/Orange (with CoopMobile, cablecom)79 – mobile services: GSM / UMTS - Swisscom800 – freephone numbers81 – ZN Chur840 – shared-cost numbers842 – shared-cost numbers844 – shared-cost numbers848 – shared-cost numbers860 – voice mail access (+ 9 digits phone without the initial 0, i.e. +41 860 66 555 44 33 is the voice mail of +41 66 555 44 33)868 – test numbers - Not accessible from abroad869 – VPN access code ( + 3 - 10 digits)878 – personal numbers (UPT)900 – Premium rate service for business, marketing901 – Premium rate service for entertainment,906 – Premium rate service for adult entertainment91 – ZN Ticino98 – Inter-network routing numbers - Not accessible from abroad - Non diallable99 – Internal network numbers - Not accessible from abroad - Non diallableShort dialing codes are assigned for special services or network features.
0 - Trunk prefix for calls within Switzerland00 – International call prefix1 – Short numbers, see table below (3, 4 or 5 digit length)107xx – Carrier selection code (+ national or international number)108xx – Carrier selection code (+ national or international number)111 – Directory Enquiries (no longer in service - replaced with 1811)112 – Police113 – .1141 – .1144 – .1145 – .1151 – .1152 – .1153 – .1154 – .1159 – .117 – Police118 – Fire brigade140 – Road assistance (TCS)1414 – Air ambulance (REGA - outside Valais)1415 – Air ambulance (Air Glaciers - Valais only)143 – Psychological assistance ("the Helping Hand")144 – Ambulance145 – Poisoning/intoxication emergency147 – Helpline for children1600 – Regional announcement voice mail161 – Speaking clock162 – Weather forecast and meteorological conditions163 – Traffic report and travel information164 – Sport news171 – Vermittlungsplaetze Stoerungsdienst175 – Phone failures176 – Feld Abfrage System187 – Info about snow avalanges188 – Info about exhibitions1811 – Directory enquiries (Swisscom)1818 - Directory enquiries1850 - International directory enquiriesInstead of E.164/2002, another more ambitious numbering plan was proposed. In this plan the prefix 0 was discarded, and the area codes were defined differently, with 20 to 49 for geographic areas, 50 to 59 reserved, 60-69 for nationwide numbering, 70-79 for mobile services, 80-89 for shared cost and toll free numbers, and 90 for premium rate services. The plan was not implemented because it required too many phone number and prefix changes, with associated high costs...
The area code 01 was replaced with 044 (Zurich)
On 29 March 2002 the Swiss dialing plan changed to a closed dialing plan, i.e. the zone prefix become mandatory also for local calls.
058 - Corporate access (since 1 June 2000)The previous plan removed a lot of area prefixes and added the seventh digit in phone numbers (usually a phone number (0cc) yx xx xx became (0dd) zzx xx xx).
023 - Short prefix for some French regions025 - Chablais, since 2 November 1996 in 024026 - Martigny, since 2 November 1996 in 027028 - high Valais, since 2 November 1996 in 027029 - Greyerzerland/Pays d'Enhaut, since 2 November 1996 in 026030 - Zweisimmen, since 9 November 1996 in 033035 - Langnau im Emmental, since 9 November 1996 in 034036 - Interlaken, since 9 November 1996 in 033037 - Fribourg, since 2 November 1996 in 026038 - Neuchâtel, since 9 November 1996 in 032039 - La-Chaux-de-Fonds, since 9 November 1996 in 032040 - Telepage Swiss (pager)042 - Zug, since 23 March 1996 in 041043 - Schwyz, since 23 March 1996 in 041044 - Altdorf, since 23 March 1996 in 041045 - Sursee, since 23 March 1996 in 041046 - Toll free, moved into 155 and then into 0800051 - Zürich, moved into 01+7 digits, then replaced with 044053 - Schaffhausen, since 23 March 1996 in 052054 - Frauenfeld, since 23 March 1996 in 052057 - Wohlen, since 23 March 1996 in 056058 - Glarus, since 23 March 1996 in 055059 - Short prefix for German regions, also for parts of France surrounding Geneva and northern Italy061 - Basel062 - Olten063 - Langenthal, withdrawn and integrated into 062 Region Langenthal (Oberaargau)064 - Aarau withdrawn and integrated into 062 Region Aarau, Fricktal065 - Solothurn, since 9 November 1996 integrated into 032066 - Delémont, since 9 November 1996 integrated into 032067 - Short prefix for German regions068 - Short prefix for some German regions069 - Short prefix for some German regions071 - St. Gallen, 30 March 1996072 - Weinfelden, withdrawn and integrated into 071 Region Weinfelden (Thurgau) since 30 March 1996073 - Wil, withdrawn and integrated into 071 Region Wil since 30 March 1996074 - Wattwil, withdrawn and integrated into 071 Region Wattwil (Toggenburg) since 30 March 1996074 - Pager075 - Mobile phone "Natel D" (Swisscom)076 - Mobile phone Sunrise077 - Mobile phone "Natel C"078 - Mobile phone Orange (telecommunications)079 - Mobile phone "Natel D" (Swisscom)092 - Bellinzona, Misox and Calanca Valley (GR), withdrawn and integrated into 091 (Ticino)093 - Locarno, withdrawn and integrated into 091 (Ticino)094 - Leventina Valley, withdrawn and integrated into 091 (Ticino)