Country code Switzerland, +41 or 0041?
There are two spellings for the Switzerland area code, namely +41 and 0041. Which area code do you have to use? What is the difference between the two country codes for Switzerland and what are the different versions for?
The country code of Switzerland that starts with a “+” (i.e. +41) is the so-called international code (international spelling). It is primarily used in the mobile communications sector. Most cell phones can make an international call to Switzerland if you use the +41 area code. This applies to almost every country in the world.
Unfortunately, there are phones (especially older models) that do not support the international spelling. The Swiss area code with leading zeros (0041) is then used on these phones. The leading zeros are also referred to as the so-called traffic elimination number. When you call, they indicate that it is an international call.
Problem: Access code and area code 0041
In fact, the 0041 variant is used for calls to Switzerland, especially in Europe. In other countries of the world, the international code 0041 will not work. Example: In the USA, international calls to Switzerland begin with 011. An international call here begins with the area code 01141.
Conclusion
For calls from UK to Switzerland you can always use the country code 0041. In other countries, the two leading zeros must be replaced by a different access code. The international variant (+41) of the Switzerland country code works in all countries in the world. However, it is not supported in all networks and by all telephone devices.
Example of phone calls to Switzerland
To illustrate the use of the Switzerland dialing codes (+41 or 0041), here is another example:
You want to call the number 456789 with the area code 0123 in Switzerland. In this case you can use the following numbers (from UK/Europe):
0041 123 456789
If you use a mobile phone, the following notation also applies worldwide:
+41 123 456789