Text Style rules
- Text must be understood by everyone regardless of their cultural background, language or level of education. Simple, clear text (no technical terms) should be used. (accessibility)
- Texts should be kept as simple and concise as possible.
- Texts should be written in an active and direct way.
- The present tense should be used.
- Terms in different scenarios should always be attributed the same meaning.
Further details on the style guide can be found in the SBB rules on language and style.
Formatting
Numbers
- One, two, three, … (up to twelve) are written out in full; 13, 14 etc. as numbers, for example, ‘the second time’, ‘15 years of age’.
Percentages
- Numbers followed by ‘%’ (30% discount).
Age information
- Numbers, not written out (15 years of age).
Prices
- Currency before price (‘from CHF 13.50’, ‘CHF 95.00’).
Date
- The date is always written out in body copy, day without preceding zero (‘Friday, 2 December 2019’).
- The abbreviated form is used in lists, tables and entry fields. In this case, a preceding zero is used for the day and month. The year is always four-digit (Friday, 02.09 2019).
- The days of the week and months may be abbreviated in shortened text.
Abbreviations for days of the week
German | Mo / Di / Mi / Do / Fr / Sa / So |
French | lu / ma / me / je / ve / sa / di |
Italian | lun. / mar. / mer. / gio. / ven. / sab. / dom. |
English | Mon / Tue / Wed / Thu / Fri / Sat / Sun |
Abbreviations for months
German | Jan. / Febr. / März / Apr. / Mai / Juni / Juli / Aug. / Sept. / Okt. / Nov. / Dez. |
French | jan. / fév. / mars / avr. / mai / juin / juil. / août / sept. / oct. / nov. / déc. |
Italian | gen. / feb. / mar. / apr. / mag. / giu. / lug. / ago. / set. / ott. / nov. / dic. |
English | Jan. / Feb. / Mar. / Apr. / May / June / July / Aug. / Sept. / Oct. / Nov. / Dec. |
File sizes
- Dateien < 1 MB: in KB angeben («800 KB»).
- Dateien > 1 MB: in MB mit einer Kommastelle angeben («1.2 MB»).
Telephone numbers
- Telephone number standard: +41 xx xxx xx xx.
- Telephone number with availability: +41 xx xxx xx xx plus availability in brackets (e.g. 24/7).
- Free service numbers: 0xxx xxx xx xx (free of charge from Switzerland).
- Paid-for service numbers: 0xxx xxx xx xx (costs in brackets on new line) (e.g. [CHF 1.19/min.).
- Fax numbers: Fax numbers are always shown with a designator (fax: German variant). Telephone numbers in combination with fax numbers are shown with a designator (tel.: in German variant).
- Tel.: +41 xx xxx xx xx.
- Fax: +41 xx xxx xx xx.
- Special case: rail traffic information: Tel.: 166.