Get started with all the basic information you need in
the first days or weeks in Switzerland. Many
administrative to-dos (as opening a bank account or
notifying the local residents' registration office) are
rather formless and do not consume too much time.
Accommodation however can be a mind-boggling issue,
especially for the urban regions around Lac of Geneva and
in the Zurich area. You should invest enough time beforehand,
or be able to dedicate some time after arrival if you have
preferences or special needs (e.g. international schools in proximity).
The odds are not too bad, if you are content with living just outside downtown
areas. Public transport network is tightly knit and reliable, bringing also many
Swiss employees to their work place. The social security system is, you might not
be surprised, a bit complex, even for the Swiss. We dedicate a special chapter to
health insurance, since these schemes are not connected to an employment, and there is
yet a substantial amount of health care costs that has to be paid by the individual person. It is crucial to know the cost-reducing mechanisms which is also subject in that chapter.
