Quiet old town on Good Friday

Good Friday

Cantonal holiday 24 cantons Falls on: Friday 3 free days without leave

Good Friday falls on Friday, 3 April in 2026. It is a public holiday in 24 cantons; Ticino and Valais are the canton-wide exceptions.

Author
Ferien-Kalender.ch editorial team
Last checked
Source basis
official sources and editorial review
Good Friday 2026

Date, scope and what changes

Quiet holiday, almost nationwide

Cantonal holiday. Good Friday 2026 falls on Friday, 3 April 2026. Public holiday in 24 cantons; Ticino and Valais do not designate Good Friday as a canton-wide public holiday.

In the 24 cantons, Friday begins a long weekend; Neuchâtel needs a separate check for Easter Monday, while Ticino and Valais may treat Friday as a working day.

Only Swiss National Day on 1 August has federal constitutional holiday status. The cantons determine Good Friday's legal scope.

Date
Friday before Easter.
Scope
24 cantons
Public holiday in 24 cantons; Ticino and Valais do not designate Good Friday as a canton-wide public holiday.
Planning
3 April 2026 to 5 April 2026
3 free days without leave
3 free days without leave

Good Friday opens the Easter break

Good Friday creates the basic break without leave, but only within the stated scope.

Check Friday scope before planning Easter. Good Friday creates the basic break without leave, but only within the stated scope.

Leave, school closure and operator hours remain separate checks for the actual place.

Calendar effect
3 April 2026 to 5 April 2026
Friday before Easter.

Assumption: Monday-Friday working week.

Workplace applicability is not confirmed; no leave days are preselected. Local or partial employment entitlement for Good Friday (2026-04-03) at the workplace in Switzerland must be confirmed with the municipality and employer.

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Easter

The quiet Friday before the Easter block

Good Friday opens the Easter block. Ticino and Valais are the main exceptions, so canton, spring break and return travel belong in the same check.

Good Friday in Switzerland
Good Friday opens the Easter block. Ticino and Valais are the main exceptions, so canton, spring break and return travel belong in the same check.

Good Friday is one of the most important quiet days in the Swiss calendar. Ticino and Valais are the major exceptions, so the cantonal view remains necessary despite broad coverage.

Many associate Good Friday with services, restraint and family time. The date also starts a major travel and school-break weekend.

Sources & further reading

  1. SECO: leisure and public holidays : Federal guidance distinguishing the nationwide holiday from cantonal holidays.
  2. Swiss Labour Act Art. 20a : Federal labour rule for canton-designated holidays.
  3. Federal Constitution Art. 110 : constitutional status of Swiss National Day.
  4. Historical federal compilation (2011) : Historical context only; not current scope authority.
  5. EDK school holidays : Cantonal school-holiday source.
  6. Federal Customs: holiday operations : Federal operations list; cantonal law controls holiday scope.
  7. Canton of Ticino: public holidays 2026 : current official cantonal list for 2026.
  8. Valais public-holiday law : current official cantonal law.
  9. Canton of Zurich: public holidays : Official source for the stated scope.
  10. Canton of Bern: Public Holidays Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  11. Canton of Lucerne: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  12. Canton of Uri: Public Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  13. Canton of Schwyz: public holidays : Official source for the stated scope.
  14. Canton of Obwalden: Public Holidays Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  15. Canton of Nidwalden: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  16. Canton of Glarus: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  17. Canton of Zug: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  18. Canton of Fribourg: public holidays : Official source for the stated scope.
  19. Solothurn Labour Inspectorate: public holidays : Official source for the stated scope.
  20. Canton of Solothurn: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  21. Canton of Basel-Stadt: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  22. Canton of Basel-Landschaft: Public Holidays Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  23. Canton of Schaffhausen: rest-day law : Official source for the stated scope.
  24. Appenzell Ausserrhoden: Work Ordinance : Official source for the stated scope.
  25. Appenzell Ausserrhoden: public holidays 2026 : Official source for the stated scope.
  26. Appenzell Ausserrhoden: working and rest times : Official source for the stated scope.
  27. Appenzell Innerrhoden: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  28. Appenzell Innerrhoden: public holidays 2026 : Official source for the stated scope.
  29. Canton of St Gallen: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  30. Canton of Graubünden: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  31. Canton of Aargau: working time and public holidays : Official source for the stated scope.
  32. Canton of Aargau: Public Holidays Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  33. Canton of Thurgau: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  34. Canton of Vaud: public holidays 2026 : Official source for the stated scope.
  35. Canton of Neuchâtel: public holidays : Official source for the stated scope.
  36. Canton of Geneva: public holidays 2026 : Official source for the stated scope.
  37. Canton of Jura: public holidays : Official source for the stated scope.
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