Switzerland: why it never goes to war.

A country of cantons

For centuries "Switzerland" was a loose alliance of small states called cantons, each with its own government, army and customs. They shared mountains, mercenaries and a habit of not trusting anyone's central authority. When the French Revolution began, the old confederation was still more of an agreement than a country.

1798: the French arrive

In 1798 French forces entered Switzerland, and in April representatives from across the country proclaimed the Helvetic Republic, a single centralised state modelled closely on the French constitution of 1795. It was designed to make France's control easier. Supporters of the old order, the cantons that lost power and Catholics who resented the new secular rules all opposed it from the start. It lasted five years.

1800: Napoleon at the pass

Switzerland was also on the road to Italy. In May 1800 Napoleon, then First Consul, led his army across the Great St Bernard Pass in the Alps, an operation that Jacques-Louis David turned into the most famous painting of him, on a rearing horse. The painting is idealised, but the crossing was real.

1803: the Mediator

By 1803 Napoleon had concluded that Switzerland was federal by nature. He imposed a ceasefire between the quarrelling parties and then a new constitution, the Act of Mediation, dated 19 February 1803. It restored the 13 old cantons and added six more, including Vaud, taking the confederation to 19. Napoleon took the title Mediator of the Swiss Confederation.

It was a compromise, and for the Swiss it worked better than what had come before. The citizenship introduced in 1798 survived, and so did the idea that the cantons were equals. But the price was high. Switzerland was never fully independent in this period, and around 30,000 Swiss served in Napoleon's Grand Army.

1815: the deal that made it neutral

When Napoleon was defeated, the great powers met to redraw the map of Europe. At the Congress of Vienna, and then in the Treaty of Paris of 1815, they recognised Switzerland's neutrality and set its borders as they are today. Their motive was practical: a neutral, mountainous country between France, Austria and Italy was a very useful thing to have.

The Swiss turned it into a policy described by their own government as permanent and armed: Switzerland does not take part in other countries' wars, but it keeps an army to defend itself. It credits that neutrality with keeping the country intact in the First World War, and it has not taken part in a foreign war since 1815. The country now famous for banks and chocolate was, for much of its history, better known for exporting soldiers.

Modern Switzerland

Switzerland became a federal state with a new constitution in 1848. It stayed out of the United Nations until 2002 and is still not a member of the EU. It joined the Schengen area in December 2008, which is why a trip there from the UAE works like a trip to the rest of Europe.

See the story for yourself

You do not need to chase Napoleon to enjoy Switzerland, but a few places make the story easier to feel.

Getting there from the UAE

• Flights. Compare Dubai to Zurich and Dubai to Geneva.
• Visa for UAE nationals. According to the Swiss embassy's page for the UAE, UAE nationals do not need a visa for a stay of up to 90 days within any 180 days. Paid work for more than 8 days in a calendar year, or in sectors such as construction, hotels and catering, does need one.
• If you live in the UAE on another passport, your passport decides. Many nationalities need a Schengen visa, applied for through the Swiss representation. See the Swiss embassy's pages on whether you need a visa and where to apply.
• ETIAS. The new EU travel authorisation is not in operation yet. The official ETIAS page says no applications are being collected and that the start date will be announced several months before launch, so check it again before you book.
• Money. Switzerland uses Swiss francs, not euros, and it is one of the more expensive countries in Europe. Budget before you book, not after.

Before you fly

• Mobile data. Airalo sells a Switzerland eSIM you can install before you leave.
• Travel insurance. EKTA travel insurance covers medical care abroad.
• A plug adapter. Swiss sockets are not the same as the rest of Europe's. See Switzerland adapters on Amazon.ae.
• A book for the train. Which Kindle to buy.

Questions people ask

The history is from the sources below. The travel tips are research from official and booking sites, not a personal trip report, and entry rules change, so check the official pages before you fly. Links to tickets, flights, eSIMs and insurance may earn me a commission through Travelpayouts, and Amazon.ae links through Amazon Associates, at no extra cost to you. The embassy, EU and Wikipedia links are plain links. Full disclosure.

Sources

1. Do I need a Schengen visa?, Embassy of Switzerland in the UAE (official, 28 May 2026)
2. ETIAS, official EU travel information site
3. Switzerland's policy of neutrality, Swiss Federal Administration (official)
4. Neutrality, About Switzerland, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
5. Act of Mediation, Encyclopaedia Britannica
6. The Helvetic Republic and Swiss Confederation 1798-1815, International School History
7. Swiss neutrality, Wikipedia
8. Napoleon Crossing the Alps, Wikipedia
9. Dying Lion (The Lucerne Lion), Thorvaldsens Museum

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