Brits Get Free Roaming and Fast‑Track Airport Access in Switzerland

Sun Sep 06 2026 06:09:11 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

UK‑Switzerland trade deal frees Britons from roaming fees, lets them use e‑gates, and keeps service workers in Switzerland for 90 days without permits.

The UK has struck a new trade deal with Switzerland that will make travel easier for Brits. Mobile roaming charges are abolished for tourists and professionals, and passport holders can use e‑gates at Zurich airport from the end of the year, with other Swiss airports following suit. The agreement also extends a services‑mobility licence for UK workers to stay and work in Switzerland for up to 90 days, while boosting UK exports worth an estimated £5.2bn a year. Switzerland is already the UK’s sixth‑largest services market, generating over £30bn in trade in 2025.

What’s in the deal?

The UK‑Switzerland agreement lets British travellers snap through airports faster: they can use e‑gates at Zurich by year‑end and soon at Geneva and Basel. It cuts mobile roaming charges for visitors or professionals, saving them from extra costs.

A key feature is a permanent services‑mobility space. UK workers can now stay and work in Switzerland for up to 90 days without a hard work permit and without the stringent pick‑up‑test that would normally apply. Lawyers, accountants and architects are highlighted as benefiting groups.

The government estimates the deal will lift UK exports to Switzerland by about £5.2bn annually. With about 800,000 Britons visiting a year and Switzerland being the UK’s sixth‑largest services market (£30bn of trade in 2025), the boost is expected to be significant.

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