Journal · New in town
New to Zurich or Zug? How to build a social life
A new job brought you to Switzerland, the flat with a lake view is yours – and then come the evenings and weekends. Many newcomers find that the Swiss are warm and welcoming, but friendships often take a little longer to form than back home. That’s no cause for worry, just for patience. Here are a few approaches that work.
Join a club
In Switzerland, a lot of social life happens in clubs and associations – from choirs and rowing clubs to hiking groups. Show up regularly and you’ll soon belong. It’s often the quickest route to real connections.
Classes, lakes and mountains
- Take a class – cooking, languages, or even Swiss German for beginners – and meet people with shared interests.
- Lake lidos in summer, ski slopes in winter: conversations start more easily outdoors.
- International networks such as InterNations and the expat groups in Zurich and Zug.
A concert subscription
At the Tonhalle, the Zurich Opera House or the KKL in Lucerne, a subscription puts you next to the same people again and again. A greeting at the interval becomes a conversation – and sometimes more.
Patience – and a bridge for the first months
To make sure the first months aren’t lonely, there’s a discreet bridge: a companion who shows you the region and joins you at company events, weddings and concerts while your own circle grows. That’s what der Freizeitmann offers – purely social, in English or German. More on the pages for Zurich and Zug.
Welcome to Switzerland – you don’t have to discover it alone.
