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

Abbreviations for months

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.