Thanks for any help!
I am going on vacation for Christmas and wanted to know if anyone else found it necessary to have mail held by the post office? I know in the states you just fill in a postcard and pick it up when you are back.
The Swiss Post website in addition to German, French and Italian is also in English:
We've done it. Pretty painless and I think 10 CHF to hold the mail. Fill out a form at the post office. They also can forward your mail if you are going to be out of town for an extended time.
When we left for three weeks long overseas holidays our mail was piling up in the mail box. It all depends on a size of the letter box and we were lucky enough to find it full, but not extremely full. It wasn't necessary for us but you might as well hold your mail at Post Office Die Post . Luckily Switzerland is safe enough and things do not disappear easily.
Better to keep your mail at the Post Office or ask to some neighbour to empty it, thieves can look in your box to see if you're there or not....
What the website fails to mention, even in German, is how many days in advance you must complete the form at the post office before it is considered "urgent" in which case there is a surcharge. Having done this too late in the past, I have learned the hard way not to leave it to the last minute. I think it is at least 3 days before.
Also, the fee for the online application (not available in English) is 20 chf, which is double the normal fee at the post office.
I always recommend to clients to have the mail held for security reasons. You can request to have all the mail delivered the day you return, or you can pick it up at the post office.
Thanks to everyone for your quick and helpful replies. I will fill out the form online now.
Happy Holidays!
Or it is also a great way to meet the neighbors (oh my goodness ).
In my building we would often empty the mail for the neighbors when they were away and vis-versa. Just give them a little carton to put it in. Then you can pick it up when you are back. Offer them some chocolates or wine and propose that you do the same for them when they are away on their next trip.
Works like a charm.
True, but I live in a small town village on the ground floor. My nice neighbours are pensioners and always there. They're also nosy in "nice meaning". Especially one from above always looks at my garden and strikes a conversation. Let anyone unwelcome come, let see what will happen
Edit.: However to be on a safe side I would use post office facility. One more thing, it is papers and adverts that usually garbage your mail box. If you stick Keine Reklame your mail box will become more efficient in a long run.
Must submit request 3 working days in advance.
One advantage of instructing PO, instead of friends/neighbors, is documented clarity that you could not receive some official letter, bill, etc.
I always ask my neighbour to empty my letterbox, even if I ́m absence just for a short time. Here are two school in the neighbourhood and pupils think it ́s funny to remove the letters or magazines out of the box (when it ́s too full).
A big thank you to vwild1! I was searching this site for a question that I had and your link provided me with the answer.
I love how you can do it all without leaving the house!