Is Vaping Banned in Switzerland?

Is vaping banned in Switzerland?

No, vaping is not banned in Switzerland, though it is regulated and on the pricey side. You can buy and use vapes legally, yet a new tobacco law now treats e-cigarettes like cigarettes, with an age limit of eighteen, no online sales and a heavy e-liquid tax, while indoor use is restricted. So bring your own supply.

It helps to know that Switzerland sits outside the EU and has its own regulatory framework, which has recently been tightened. The products themselves are legal, while buying them locally is both costly and limited. This page explains the law, the prices and where you can vape, so always check the latest official advice before you travel.

Let us look at the law, the cost and where to vape.

Switzerland is a slightly different case from its EU neighbours, since it sets its own rules rather than following EU directives directly. In practice the standards look familiar, yet the prices and the customs side are what travellers most need to plan for.

The legal position

Vaping is fully legal under Switzerland's own national rules. A new Federal Tobacco Products Act now regulates e-cigarettes much like cigarettes, with a nationwide age limit of eighteen, health warnings, product registration, no online sales and a 20mg/ml nicotine cap with 2ml tanks, similar to EU standards even though Switzerland is not in the EU.

• Legal to use: e-cigarettes are permitted for adults.
• Age limit: eighteen nationwide for all tobacco and vape products.
• No online sales: online retail of vapes is not permitted.
• Disposables: a ban is in progress, so check before relying on them.

Buying there is fairly expensive though. A heavy e-liquid tax makes vaping costly in Switzerland, so the sensible plan is to bring your own device and enough e-liquid for the trip, rather than buying at local prices.

The cost difference can be striking, since the tax is charged per millilitre of liquid. For a longer stay, the saving from bringing your own supply rather than restocking locally is well worth the small effort of packing it.

Cost and what to bring

Switzerland is really where a little preparation pays off. Because the e-liquid tax can be steep, buying locally is dear, so bring a refillable device and enough e-liquid for your stay, kept in hand luggage as usual, which lets you avoid both the cost and the limited choice.

There is a customs allowance for bringing nicotine e-liquid into the country, commonly cited at around two hundred and fifty millilitres duty-free, so a normal personal supply for a holiday is perfectly fine. If you happen to carry more than the allowance, simply be ready to declare it and pay any duty at the border. Disposables there are being phased out as a ban moves through the system, so a refillable kit is the reliable choice in any case. Keep your device and batteries in your hand luggage, since batteries cannot travel in the hold.

Keeping a personal supply within the customs allowance also keeps things simple at the border. There is no need to declare a modest amount for your own use, so a sensible quantity for the trip avoids any paperwork or duty.

Where you can vape

Using a vape simply follows the same smoking rules in Switzerland. Vaping is restricted in indoor public places, on public transport and in train stations, except in designated smoking zones, while outdoors is generally allowed with consideration for others.

Treat indoor venues just like smoking and simply step outside, since the public-place rules apply to vapes in the same way. In tourist cities like Zurich, Lucerne and Geneva, outdoor vaping is usually fine, though there is a strong culture of courtesy, so keep clouds away from others, especially near children and in parks. Designated smoking zones, where they happen to exist, are the place for indoor settings like railway stations. As ever, do look for signage and be considerate of those nearby. Because the new law is still bedding in and a disposable ban is on the way, it is worth checking the current position with official travel advice close to your trip.

• No indoors: restricted in public places, transport and stations.
• Designated zones: use marked smoking areas where provided.
• Outdoors ok: generally fine, though be considerate.
• Check first: confirm the current rules before you travel.

If you want to dig deeper, see our explainer on whether vaping is banned in Germany. It pairs well with our guide on whether vaping is banned in Austria and our look at whether vaping is banned in France.

For the full set of guides, the travel vaping hub brings everything together in one place.

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