Local schools in Zürich have 13 weeks of school holidays per year. These holidays include both national and cantonal holidays. While national holidays are consistent across Switzerland, cantonal holidays can vary from one canton to another.
School holidays in local schools (Zürich, 2025)
Swiss local schools follow the official cantonal holiday schedule, which is determined and published annually.
Parents need to be aware of yearly changing holidays and make sure to check the cantonal website to plan family vacations and make childcare arrangements accordingly.
The 2025 school holiday schedule for Zürich is as follows:
| School holiday | Start | End |
| Sport holidays (Sportferien) | Feb. 10,2025 | Feb. 21, 2025 |
| Spring (Frühling) | April 21, 2025 | May 2, 2025 |
| Summer (Sommer) | July 14, 2025 | August 15, 2025 |
| Autumn (Herbst) | Oct. 6, 2025 | Oct. 17, 2025 |
| Christmas (Weihnachten) | Dec. 22, 2025 | Jan. 2, 2026 |
Public holidays (Zürich, 2025)
In addition to school holidays, Zürich follows the following public holidays in 2025:
| Public holidays | Start |
| New Year’s Day (Neujahrstag) | Jan. 1, 2025 |
| Berchtoldstag | Jan. 2, 2025 |
| Green Thursday (Gründonnerstag)– ¼ day | April 17, 2025 |
| Good Friday (Karfreitag) | April 18, 2025 |
| Easter Monday (Ostermontag) | April 21, 2025 |
| Sechseläuten– ½ day | April 28, 2025 |
| Labor day (Tag der Arbeit) | May 1, 2025 |
| Day before Ascension Day (Auffahrt)– ¼ day | May 28, 2025 |
| Ascension Day (Auffahrt) | May 29, 2025 |
| Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag) | June 9, 2025 |
| Swiss National Day (Bundesfeier) | August 1, 2025 |
| Knabenschiessen– ½ day | Sept. 15, 2025 |
| December 24 – ½ day | Dec. 24, 2025 |
| Christmas Day (Weihnachtstag) | Dec. 25, 2025 |
| St. Stephen’s Day (Stephanstag) | Dec. 26, 2025 |
| New Year (Silvester) – ¼ day | Dec. 31, 2025 |
Cantonal school holiday calendars 2025 in Zürich
You can find the national and cantonal holidays for the school years 2024 / 2025 and 2025 / 2026 here:
School holidays in Zürich: Schulferien und schulfreie Tage
Public holidays in Zürich: Feiertage und Ausnahmen von der Regelarbeitszeit 2025
Private and international schools in Zürich
Private and international schools in Zürich are free to modify the cantonal holiday schedule. For instance, some international schools may offer an extended Christmas break and longer summer holidays, which may result in a shorter Sport (Sportferien) and/or Spring break (Frühlingsferien).
Do you need help?
If you’re relocating to Switzerland and have questions about the education system, Summit Education can help.
Our team of experienced education consultants has firsthand knowledge of the Swiss education system, childcare in Switzerland, and private, international, and local schools in and around Basel, Geneva, and Zürich.
Read all about private and international schools and browse our complete school directory with all schools in Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft in the Summit Family Guide – out now.
You can read the magazine here for free.
Contact us
We can provide guidance on all available schooling options, help with the application process, and support your child’s transition to their new school. Contact us to learn more.
We look forward to meeting your family.
Read more: Learn German In Basel
