Europe

Insurance

 

We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.  You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake.  You should ensure that this includes cover for mountain sports and air ambulance costs. For more general information see Travel Insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas then this is How We Can Help.

 

Sports activities and Winter Sports

 

Alpine travellers should take out supplimentary insurance to cover extra medical costs such as repatriation.  Ensure you are covered for sports activities such as skiing, potholing and mountaineering.  Travel insurance must also include mountain rescue services and helicopter costs.

 

You should be aware of the risks involved in the more hazardous sports activities.  You should also take note of weather forecasts and conditions, which can change by the minute in the mountains.  You should be well equipped, not undertake the activity alone, study the itinerary and inform someone of your plans.  Off-piste skiers should follow the advice given by local authorities and guides; to ignore such advice could put yourselves and other mountain users in danger.

 

National avalanche bulletin.

Registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency.  More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

 

Liechtenstein

Conditions in Liechtenstein are similar to those in Switzerland and this advice is equally applicable there.  However, the crime rate is generally lower than in Switzerland.

 

Contact Details

 

British Embassy, Thunstrasse 50, 3005, Berne

 

Tel:  +41 31 359 7700

Fax:  +41 31 359 7765

 

Website:  www.britishembassy.gov.uk/switzerland

 

Email:  info@britishembassy.ch

 

Office Hours:

 

General:

GMT:  0730-1130 and 1230-1600

Local Time:  0830-1230 and 1330-1700

 

Consular Section:

GMT:  0800-1100 and 1300-1500

Local Time:  0900-1200 and 1400-1600

 

British Consulate-General Geneva

 

Avenue Louis Casai 58, Case Postale 6, 1216 Cointrin, Geneva

 

Tel:  +41 22 918 2400

Fax:  +41 22 918 2322

 

Office Hours:

 

GMT:  Mon-Fri:  0730-1030 and 1300-1400

Local Time:  Mon-Fri:  0830-1130 and 1400-1500