1. 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.
2. Formatting
2.1 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’.
2.2 Percentages
- Numbers followed by ‘%’ (30% discount).
2.3 Age information
- Numbers, not written out (15 years of age).
2.4 Prices
- Currency before price (‘from CHF 13.50’, ‘CHF 95.00’).
2.5 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. |
2.6 File sizes
- Dateien < 1 MB: in KB angeben («800 KB»).
- Dateien > 1 MB: in MB mit einer Kommastelle angeben («1.2 MB»).
2.7 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.