Switzerland: Harbours, bridges and formalities for sailors
245 harbours · 17 bridges and locks · 19 inland lakes
Switzerland: 245 harbours, 17 bridges and locks, clearing in, papers and fees. Plan your trip with weather, tides and route.
Formalities
Schengen Areaoutside the EU customs unionCurrency: Swiss franc
Clearing in: Schengen, but outside the EU customs union: declare goods above the allowances to customs; the boat is temporarily duty-free for your own use. Foreign boats need a permit with Swiss registration plates from the canton where they are first launched; it is valid until the end of the following month and cannot be renewed in the same calendar year. On Lake Constance there is no short-term Swiss registration for foreign boats. Since 2024 and 2025 many cantons (Lucerne, Nidwalden and Obwalden, Schwyz, Uri, Zug, Bern, Zurich, St. Gallen, Glarus, Graubünden, and since 1 August 2026 also Fribourg) require registered boats to be reported via the digital platform before every change of waters and cleaned by an authorised body against the quagga mussel; launching is only allowed after clearance. Geneva requires cleaning before launching if the boat has been outside Lake Geneva.
Documents: Licence from 6 kW engine power or 15 m² sail area (Lake Constance 4.4 kW and 12 m², Lake Geneva 10 hp, Upper Rhine 3.68 kW); a foreign licence according to your home country's rules or the ICC is valid for temporary stays. Minimum age 14 under sail, 18 with an engine over 6 kW. Cantonal permit, insurance, launch clearance after cleaning.
Fees: Cantonal permit and registration plate fees, visitor berth per night (scarce), cleaning when changing waters.
Fairway: Sudden thunderstorm and foehn gales; storm warning lights on the shores (caution 40, gale warning 90 flashes per minute). A speed limit applies in the shore zone (150 m, Lake Constance 300 m).
Inland waters: All waters are inland waters: Lake Constance (own regulations, BSO), Lake Geneva (French-Swiss), Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano (border with Italy), the Rhine up to Basel with border clearance on the waterway.
Nature: Reed beds and nature reserves along the shores with navigation bans (signs), waterbird and migratory bird reserves.
Emergency: 112 or 117 (police); cantonal lake police, lake rescue services.
Sources: Federal Office of Transport: recreational boating, licences and foreign boats, Canton of Zurich: reporting and cleaning obligation from April 2025, Canton of Fribourg: reporting and cleaning obligation from 1 August 2026, Umwelt Zentralschweiz: questions and answers on the boat reporting and cleaning obligation, Landratsamt Bodenseekreis: navigation law on Lake Constance (as of September 2025), Auswärtiges Amt: Switzerland, travel and safety advice (as of 2026-10-20)
Inland lakes
- Ägerisee 3 harbours
- Bielersee 22 harbours
- Bodensee 97 harbours
- Brienzersee 6 harbours
- Genfer See 77 harbours
- Greifensee 3 harbours
- Hallwilersee 4 harbours
- Lago Maggiore 56 harbours
- Luganer See 12 harbours
- Murtensee 4 harbours
- Neuenburgersee 19 harbours
- Sempachersee 2 harbours
- Sihlsee 2 harbours
- Thunersee 10 harbours
- Vierwaldstättersee 16 harbours
- Walensee 5 harbours
- Rhein 176 harbours
- Zürichsee 43 harbours
- Zugersee 4 harbours
Bridges and locks
Locks
Movable bridges
Frequently asked questions
Switzerland: Do I need to clear in?
Schengen, but outside the EU customs union: declare goods above the allowances to customs; the boat is temporarily duty-free for your own use. Foreign boats need a permit with Swiss registration plates from the canton where they are first launched; it is valid until the end of the following month and cannot be renewed in the same calendar year. On Lake Constance there is no short-term Swiss registration for foreign boats. Since 2024 and 2025 many cantons (Lucerne, Nidwalden and Obwalden, Schwyz, Uri, Zug, Bern, Zurich, St. Gallen, Glarus, Graubünden, and since 1 August 2026 also Fribourg) require registered boats to be reported via the digital platform before every change of waters and cleaned by an authorised body against the quagga mussel; launching is only allowed after clearance. Geneva requires cleaning before launching if the boat has been outside Lake Geneva.
Switzerland: Which documents do I need on board?
Licence from 6 kW engine power or 15 m² sail area (Lake Constance 4.4 kW and 12 m², Lake Geneva 10 hp, Upper Rhine 3.68 kW); a foreign licence according to your home country's rules or the ICC is valid for temporary stays. Minimum age 14 under sail, 18 with an engine over 6 kW. Cantonal permit, insurance, launch clearance after cleaning.
Switzerland: What fees apply?
Cantonal permit and registration plate fees, visitor berth per night (scarce), cleaning when changing waters.
Switzerland: What is the emergency number at sea?
112 or 117 (police); cantonal lake police, lake rescue services.
Switzerland: How many harbours does Sailseer cover?
Sailseer covers 245 harbours with harbour info, weather and route planning. Plus 17 bridges and locks with opening times and clearances.