Is there a shelter for everyone in Switzerland? How to find yours

Short answer. Switzerland follows the principle of one shelter place for every resident ("Jeder Einwohnerin und jedem Einwohner ein Schutzplatz") ¹. About 370,000 private and public shelters, plus some 1,700 protective facilities, cover essentially the whole population, with local gaps in city centres, peripheral regions and growing areas ¹²⁵. Your assigned shelter is usually within 2 km of your home ¹.

How many shelters does Switzerland have?

The Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP, German BABS) counts about 370,000 personal shelters and some 1,700 protective facilities ¹². Together they provide essentially one place per resident. The coverage is not perfectly even: the FOCP notes gaps in city centres, in peripheral regions and in areas where the population is growing ¹. Where a commune has too few places, new residential buildings must include a shelter or the owner pays a replacement contribution; see building a shelter.

How do I find my assigned shelter?

Your shelter is located near your home address, usually within 2 km ¹. Assignments are not published in normal times. They are released only when the security situation requires it, through websites, notices, the post and/or on site ¹³. Until then, you can ask the civil-protection office of your commune or canton ¹.

Practice varies by canton. In the canton of Zug, for example, residents whose building has a full shelter are assigned to that shelter ⁴. Check with your own commune for the local rule.

How quickly can shelters be made ready?

Shelters must be made ready for occupancy within five days ¹. In peacetime many are used as cellars or storage rooms, which is allowed as long as the protective function is preserved ². Authorities inspect shelters at least every ten years ¹⁴.

What happens to tourists and non-residents?

Shelter planning is based on the permanent resident population, meaning people living in Switzerland for more than one year ¹. Tourists are not counted in the planning, but the FOCP states that in practice they would be accommodated ¹.

When would I be told to go to a shelter?

Shelter assignments are published only when the security situation requires it ¹, so the instruction to use them comes from the authorities, not from a general rule you apply on your own. When the sirens sound the General Alarm, the official advice is to listen to the radio, check Alertswiss and follow the authorities' instructions; see the alerts page. Our guide on whether to shelter in place or evacuate explains the general reasoning.

The Alertswiss emergency plan covers leaving the home with an evacuation bag and protection in armed conflict ³. Our 72-hour kit guide covers what such a bag usually contains.

Frequently asked questions

Can I find my shelter online today?

Generally not. Assignments are published only when the security situation requires it ¹. You can ask your commune's or canton's civil-protection office in the meantime ¹.

Is my building's basement shelter mine to use?

It depends on the canton. In Zug, residents of a building with a full shelter are assigned to it ⁴; elsewhere, the commune decides the assignment ¹.

Are Swiss shelters checked?

Yes. Authorities inspect shelters at least every ten years ¹⁴. Owners must keep them accessible for those inspections ².

Are there enough places everywhere?

Nationally, essentially yes, but the FOCP acknowledges local gaps in city centres, peripheral regions and growing areas ¹.

Sources

1. Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS — Schutzräume für die Bevölkerung — https://www.babs.admin.ch/de/schutzraeume (accessed 2026-10-20)
2. Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS — Schutzbauten: eine Investition in die Sicherheit — https://www.babs.admin.ch/de/schutzbauten-eine-investition-in-die-sicherheit (accessed 2026-10-20)
3. Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS (Alertswiss) — Notfallplan — https://www.alert.swiss/content/dam/alertswiss-internet/de/notfallplan/Emergency%20plan_A4_DE.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
4. Kanton Zug, Amt für Bevölkerungsschutz, Zivilschutz und Militär — Schutzräume — https://zg.ch/de/sicherheit/zivilschutz/schutzraeume (accessed 2026-10-20)
5. Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS — Schutzbauten — https://www.babs.admin.ch/de/schutzbauten/schutzraeume (accessed 2026-10-20)