Switzerland/Map Features

Portal for WikiProject Switzerland

Swiss OSM topics are discussed in the Swiss forum and the Swiss mailing list. Both are multi-lingual. Please do not hesitate to pose your questions there.

Highway

Value	Element	Comment	Example
motorway
trunk
primary		1st class roads (blue signs with number), transit route.
secondary		1st class roads (blue signs without number)
tertiary		2nd class, communication roads (white signs)
unclassified		All other roads which form the lowest form of the interconnecting grid network, e. g. 3rd class roads
residential		roads within a residential area in a village/city

Note: Primary and secondary roads according to this classification are listed in Appendix 2 of SR 741.272 Durchgangsstrassenverordnung. Primary roads are listed in section A, secondary roads in sections B and C.

Geneva

In Geneva, above classification criteria do not produce satisfactory results (there are no number signs at all on the main roads and several 1st class roads listed in section B are actually full length 2x2-lane roads). A specific wiki offers more insight on this problematic and explicits the categorization choices for every primary or secondary highways: Routes principales dans le canton de Genève (sorry, only in French).

Vaud

State of secondary roads in Vaud

Cycle and Foot Ways

Tag	Element	Comment	Sign
highway=cycleway		only for bicycles and mopeds (mofa=*)
highway=footway		only for pedestrians
highway=bridleway		only for equestrians
highway=footway, bicycle=designated		Shared way for pedestrians and cyclists. Cyclists must yield to pedestrians.
highway=cycleway, foot=designated, segregated=yes		The way is divided by a line into a bicycle and a pedestrian part.
highway=path, other tags can be added		All other ways.	Without one of above sign.

For Access Restrictions on blue signed ways see Access-Restrictions in Switzerland For tagging of bicycle, mtb and inlinke skate routes (red signs), see EN:Switzerland/CycleNetwork and EN:Switzerland/InlineNetwork.

Other common Signs

Tag	Element	Comment	Sign
motorcar=no motorcycle=no		no access for cars and motorcycle , mofas allowed! In combination with "Zubringerdienst erlaubt" motorcar=destination motorcycle=destination Other common use with "Landwirtschaftlicher Verkehr gestattet" or similar motorcar=agricultural motorcycle=agricultural
motor_vehicle=no		no vehicles with motor allowed, mofas can be used if the motor is turned off, in combination with "Waldstrasse" (or the equivalent French or Italian term) or "Forstwirtschaft gestattet" motor_vehicle=forestry
mofa=no		no access for mofas

Name

Official languages

Value	Element	Comment	Example
name		Usual spoken name	name=Zürich
name:de		German name if not native (see: [1])	name:de=Zürich
name:fr		French name if not native (see: [2])	name:fr=Zurich
name:it		Italian name if not native (see: [3])	name:it=Zurigo
name:rm		Romansh name if not native (see: [4])	name:rm=Turitg

Dialects

Schlüssel	Element	Kommentar	Beispiel
name:gsw		Alemanisch dialect name (see: [5])	name:gsw=Züri
name:frp		Francoprovential dialect name	name:frp=Bèrna
name:lmo		Lombard/Ticinese dialect name	name:lmo=Cusgioeugna

Points of interest

Post boxes

Main article: Switzerland/amenity=post_box

Tag	Required?	Comment	Example (see picture)
amenity=post_box	required	Defines this node as a post box
collection_times=*	recommended	Record the collection times of this post box. Uses the same syntax as opening_hours=* but with just points in time, not time ranges.	collection_times=Mo-Fr 18:00; Sa 11:00; Su 15:00
ref=*	optional	Each post box has a reference number in the bottom right corner.	ref=2-6340-18151
post_box:location=*	optional	Each post box has an address in the bottom left corner.	post_box:location=Bahnhof SBB, Bahnhofstrasse 4, 6340 Baar
operator=Die Post operator=La Poste operator=La Posta	optional	Operator is not necessary as there is only one operator in Switzerland anyway	German: operator=Die Post French: operator=La Poste Italian: operator=La Posta Rumantsch?

Kindergarten / Childcare

Legal situation: In Switzerland all cantons provide at least one year of Kindergarten and all with the exception GR require at least one year of mandatory attendance. After visiting Kindergarten, all children will attend primary school at the age of around 6.

Tagging: There are unclear instructions on this wiki when to use amenity=kindergarten vs. amenity=childcare. Practice in Switzerland is to use it like this:

Tag	For	Description
amenity=kindergarten	State-operated, mandatory (except canton GR) Kindergarten	Lasting 1 or 2 years, before mandatory primary school
amenity=childcare	All other forms where parents leave children for childcare (Kita, Spielgruppe, Hort, etc.) While these are are usually privately-operated, a state-operated place to stay and eat lunch between school lessons (german: Hort) would still be a case of amenity=childcare (preferably combined with lunch=yes).

Reference: E-Mail thread on talk-ch mailing list starting with message http://lists.openstreetmap.ch/pipermail/talk-ch/2021-December/011381.html .

ISCED (2011) school levels

Important: There is currently a proposal under way regarding the tagging of ISCED 2011 Education programmes: Proposed_features/ISCED_2011_Education_Programme

Introduction

The International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) classifies and characterizes types/systems of schools. The ISCED level describes the level(s) of education a school is offering (e.g. primary, lower/upper secondary level, Bachelor's, Master's). This also applies to vocational schools. While school systems differ largely from country to country, ISCED levels are internationally understood, therefore making schools internationally comparable. In Switzerland they are currently (January 2022) also the only (machine-understandable) way to further clarify what is teached at a amenity=school.

ISCED 1997 vs. ISCED 2011

ISCED exists in 3 versions:

1. ISCED 1976: First standard
2. ISCED 1997: Second standard
3. ISCED 2011: Third and current standard

The isced:level=* key was originally based on the ISCED 1997 standard, which had six levels. ISCED was revised in 2011 with eight levels. Level 0 was extended to include even younger programs, while the original levels 5 and 6 were distributed among the new levels 5 through 8. As a result, isced:level=5 and isced:level=6 are ambiguous.

In order to maximize clarity of a tagged ISCED level, the version of the ISCED standard should be mentioned by using isced:2011:programme=*. ISCED levels tagged with isced:level=* would probably interpreted as ISCED 1997, but are ambiguous and should therefore be avoided.

Single- and multi-digit ISCED levels

The ISCED 2011 levels can have 1, 2 or 3 digits.

• First digit: Level of education
• Second digit: Programme orientation
  • 4 = general/academic (=allgemeinbildende Programme), e.g. isced:2011:programme=34
  • 5 = vocational/professional (=berufsbildende Programme), e.g. isced:2011:programme=35
• Third digit: Sufficiency for level completion / access to next level

Usually, longer ISCED level codes should be preferred. However, if you are unsure which one to choose, it's better to use a shorter code than a potentially wrong one.

Some Switzerland-specific notes

• Sekundarstufe I = ISCED level 2
• Sekundarstufe II = ISCED level 3
• Convention for Switzerland: If a school has multiple applicable ISCED levels: separate them using semicolon.

Switzerland-specific list of schools and their ISCED 2011 levels

de: Schule	fr: école	it: scuola	en: school	ISCED 2011 1-digit	ISCED 2011 multi-digit	Typical/theoretical starting age
Kindergarten erste zwei Jahre einer Primarschule mit Eingangsstufe (= Grund- oder Basisstufe)	École enfantine cycle élémentaire (Grundstufe ou Basisstufe)	Scuola dell’infanzia Ciclo elementare con "Eingangsstufe" (Grundstufe o Basisstufe)	Kindergarten First two years of primary school if it has a Eingangsstufe (Grundstufe, Basisstufe)	0	020	4-6
Primarschule	École primaire	scuola elementare	primary school	1	10	6-7
Sekundarschule, Realschule, Oberschule	Cycle d'orientation	Scuola media	lower secondary school	2	24	11-12
Gymnasium (sofern Teil der obligatorische Schulbildung)	Écoles de maturité gymnasiale / gymnase (s'il fait partie de l'enseignement obligatoire)	Scuola di maturità (nel caso che è parte della scuola dell’obbligo)	Baccalaureate school = school preparing for the university entrance certificate (if it's part of the compulsory education)
Gymnasium (nicht Teil der obligatorischen Schulbildung) Fachmittelschule Fachmaturitätsschule Berufsmaturität (BM1, BM2) Brückenangebote Allgemeinbildende Schule (z.B. Rudolf-Steiner-Schulen) Vorlehre	Écoles de maturité gymnasiale = gymnase (ne fait pas partie de l'enseignement obligatoire) École technique Maturité spécialisée Maturité professionnelle Formation de transition École de culture générale Préapprentissage	Scuola di maturità / liceo (nel caso che NON è parte della scuola dell’obbligo) scuola specializzate "Fachmaturitätsschule" maturità professionale formazione transitoria "Allgemeinbildende Schule" corsi preparatori	Baccalaureate school = school preparing for the university entrance certificate (if it's NOT part of the compulsory education) specialised middle schools specialised baccalaureat giving acces to univerities of applied sciences vocational baccalaureat bridge-year courses general education programmes preparatory course for vocational education	3	34	15-17 Exception Berufsmaturität nach der Lehre (BM2): 18-20
Berufliche Grundbildung (Berufsfachschule) (3-4 jährig -> Eidg. Fähigkeitszeugnis (EFZ); 2 jährig -> Eidg. Berufsattest (EBA)) Handels(mittel)schule (HMS) = Wirtschaftsmittelschule Informatikmittelschule	Formation professionnelle initiale (école professionnelle) Écoles de commerce École d'informatique	Formazione professionale di base (scuola professionale) Scuole medie di commercio "Informatikmittelschule"	Vocational education and training (=VET) (vocational school = VET school) Trade school Education and Training (Federal VET Diploma) "Informatikmittelschule"		35	15-17
Passerelle (= Passerelle 2) = Ergänzung(sprüfung) um mit einer Berufs- oder Fachmaturität eine universitäte Hochschule besuchen zu können) Andere Übergangsausbildungen Sek. II- Tertiärstufe (z.B. Maturität für Erwachsene)	Passerelle Autres formations transitoires sec. II – degré tertiaire	passerella "Andere Übergangsausbildungen Sek. II- Tertiärstufe (z.B. Maturität für Erwachsene)"	preparatory course for University for persons with vocational baccalaureate or specialised baccalaureate for university aptitude test Other preparatory programmes giving acces to the tertiary level	4	44	19-20
(berufliche) Zusatzausbildung	Autres formations complémentaires	"(berufliche) Zusatzausbildung"	Other complementary programmes for people having attained a upper secondary qualification		45
Nicht vom Berufsbildungsgesetz (BBG) reglementierte höhere Berufsbildung	Formation professionnelle supérieure non réglementée par la loi sur la formation professionnelle (BBG).		higher vocational education, stage I (no regulation on the federal level)	5	55	20-25
Bachelorstudiengänge an Hochschulen (universitär, FH, PH) Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) @Fachhochschule	Bachelor des hautes écoles (universitaires, spécialisée, pédagogique) Master of Advances Studies (MAS) @Hautes écoles spécialisées	Bachelor diploma (università, universitarie professionali, alte scuole pedagogiche) Master of Advances Studies (MAS) @Scuole universitarie professionali	Bachelor diploma (universities, universities of applied sciences, universities of teacher education) Master of Advanced Studies@university of applied science (post-graduate)	6	64	PH: 19-23 FH/Univ.: 19-20 MAS: 23-26
Eidgenössische Berufsprüfungen (BP) (eidgenössischer Fachausweis) Abschluss/Nachdiplom an höheren Fachschulen (HF)	Examen professionnel fédéral Diplôme/Diplôme postgrade d'une école supérieure	Esami federali di professione Diploma e diploma postgraduate di scuole specializzate/professionali superiori	Federal PET Diploma examination / higher vocational education, stage I Diploma and postgraduate course at PET College/technical school = Colleges of higher education		65	HF Abschluss: 18-20 BP: 20-25 HF Nachdiplom: 24-28
Masterstudien an Hochschulen (universitär, FH, PH) Master of Advanced Studies (MAS)@Universität	Master des hautes écoles (universitaires, spécialisée, pédagogique) Master of Advanced Studies (MAS)@université	Master diploma (università, universitarie professionali, alte scuole pedagogiche) Master of Advanced Studies (MAS)@università	Master diploma (universities, universities of applied sciences, universities of teacher education) Master of Advanced Studies (MAS)@university	7	74	Master: 22-23 MAS: 24-28
Höhere Fachprüfungen (HFP) (eidgenössisches Diplom oder Meisterprüfung)	Examen professionnel fédéral supérieur	esami professionali federali superiori	Advanced Federal PET diploma examination / higher vocational education, stage II		75	23-26
Doktorate, Habilitationen	Doctorat	Dottorato	university doctorate	8	84	24-28

Examples

• Kantonsschule Zürcher Oberland: isced:2011:programme=24; 34
  • 24: Langzeitgymnasium
  • 34: Kurzzeitgymnasium
• Gewerbliche Berufsschule Chur: isced:2011:programme=34; 35
  • 34: Berufsmaturität, Berufswahlschule (10. Schuljahr) (=Brückenangebot)
  • 35: (Berufliche) Grundbildung
  • NICHT 44: Passerelle wird NICHT angeboten.
• Kantonale Maturitätsschule für Erwachsene: isced:2011:programme=44
  • 44: Gymnasiale Maturität, Passerelle
• ibW Höhere Fachschule Südostschweiz: isced:2011:programme=65; 75
  • 65: HF-Abschlüsse, Nachdiplom-Studiengänge, eidgenössische Fachausweise
  • 75: Höhere Fachprüfungen
• ETH Zurich: isced:2011:programme=64; 74; 84
  • 64: Bachelor Studium (universitär)
  • 74 Master Studium (universitär)
  • 84: Doktorat

Sources

• http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/iscmap_che_2020.xlsx
• https://bildungssystem.educa.ch/de
• https://www.bfs.admin.ch/asset/de/do-d-15.01-isced-01
• https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfsstatic/dam/assets/248799/master
• https://www.edk.ch/de/bildungssystem/kantonale-schulorganisation/schulstrukturen
• https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/bildung-wissenschaft/bildungssystem.assetdetail.223674.html

Primary author

Primary author of this section is skorbut (on osm, edits, contrib, heatmap, chngset com.). If you have suggestions, questions, criticism, contact me per email at ltoggenburger at swissonline ch.