Public holidays in Vaud: late 2026 and 2027, what closes, and how to plan

Last checked: 8 October 2026. Unofficial student guide, not EPFL or government advice: confirm on the linked official pages before you act. Unfamiliar abbreviation? See the Glossary.

Which days are official public holidays in the canton of Vaud, what tends to close on them (commune and cantonal counters, shops, EPFL services) and how to plan transport and waste collection around them. Orientation for international students and newcomers near EPFL, not legal advice.

Key facts

• Vaud has nine official public holidays: New Year's Day (1 January), 2 January, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Ascension Thursday, Whit Monday, 1 August (Swiss National Day), Lundi du Jeûne fédéral (Federal Fast Monday, the Monday after the third Sunday of September) and Christmas Day (25 December).
• 26 December is not on Vaud's official list. It is an extra day off for the cantonal administration only, and EPFL's academic calendar also marks it as a holiday.
• Still ahead in 2026 (as of 8 October): only Friday 25 December 2026. The next ones are Friday 1 and Saturday 2 January 2027.
• On public holidays: shops in Lausanne must close (bakeries, kiosks, florists and a few others may open until 19:00); commune and cantonal counters are closed; Lausanne does not collect waste (collection moves to the next working day in the official calendar) and collections shift in other communes.
• EPFL: no classes on public holidays. The Library and Rolex Learning Center stay open every day except 1 August and 25 December.

Official public holidays in Vaud

Rest of 2026

Already past this year: 1 and 2 January, Good Friday (3 April), Easter Monday (6 April), Ascension (14 May), Whit Monday (25 May), 1 August and Lundi du Jeûne (21 September 2026).

2027

In 2027, three holidays fall on a weekend: 2 January (Saturday), 1 August (Sunday) and 25 December (Saturday). The official list does not mention a replacement weekday.

Fireworks on 1 August and New Year: see Fireworks rules in Vaud.

How Vaud names the 2 January holiday: the cantonal list groups it under "Nouvel An" (1 and 2 January). EPFL's staff holiday sheet calls it "St. Berchtold" and the EPFL academic calendar calls it "January 2nd". It is the same day.

Labour law: Vaud's employment law (LEmp art. 47) treats these nine days like Sundays. Lausanne's labour-protection page says they do not lead to a salary deduction for people paid monthly, and that working on them needs a permit unless the business has a standing exemption (hospitals, bakeries and similar). If you have a student job, see Working while studying.

School holidays are different. Vaud's state schools also close for longer periods (for example winter holidays from Thursday 24 December 2026 to Sunday 10 January 2027). These are school dates, not public holidays: offices and shops follow their normal hours. EPFL has its own calendar (below).

Sources: État de Vaud, Jours fériés et vacances scolaires 2026 · État de Vaud, Jours fériés et vacances scolaires 2027 · Ville de Lausanne, Jours fériés (art. 20a LTr; art. 47 LEmp) · État de Vaud, labour-law FAQ (PDF)

What tends to close

Commune counters

Communes close their offices on the official holidays, and some close on extra days too:

• Lausanne: besides the official holidays, the city administration is also closed on 1 May and on the Friday after Ascension. This is a standing rule on the City's holiday page. In 2027, 1 May is a Saturday and the Friday after Ascension is Friday 7 May 2027.
• Renens publishes its closure days for 2026-27:

• Ecublens, Chavannes-près-Renens, St-Sulpice and other communes: year-end closure dates are not yet published for 2026-27. To verify on your commune's website before you plan an arrival, address change or permit appointment in late December. See Permit and commune registration.

Sources: Ville de Lausanne, Jours fériés · Ville de Renens, Horaires des bureaux

Cantonal offices

Vaud's staff law lists the same nine public holidays for cantonal employees and adds one extra day off for the cantonal administration, in principle 26 December. The cantonal personnel service can move that day to another date depending on the calendar. In 2026, 26 December is a Saturday and in 2027 a Sunday, so whether the extra day is moved to a weekday is To verify (for example on the counter page of the office you need: Population Service, tax office, driving licence office).

Check each office's own page for holiday notices before you go.

Source: État de Vaud, Jours fériés et vacances scolaires 2027 (Loi sur le personnel, art. 123)

Shops

In Vaud, shop opening hours are set by each commune (Vaud's law on communes gives them this power). In Lausanne, the shop-hours regulation (RHOM) says:

• Shops are closed on Sundays and public holidays ("jours de repos public": Sundays, 1 January, Good Friday, Ascension, Christmas, plus the other holidays set under Vaud's employment law).
• Exceptions: bakeries, pastry and confectionery shops, ice-cream shops, tobacconists and newsagents, kiosks, florists and garden shops, and farm shops may open until 19:00 on Sundays and public holidays.
• 24 December: shops must close by 17:00, whatever weekday it falls on.
• December: with city authorisation, shops may stay open until 20:00 on six consecutive working evenings before 24 December.
• Normal hours: no opening before 06:00; closing by 19:00 on weekdays and 18:00 on Saturdays.

Some shops in large train stations open on Sundays and public holidays: federal labour law has special Sunday-work rules for service businesses in stations and airports designated by the federal economics department (OLT 2 art. 26a; public holidays count like Sundays). Check the individual shop.

Outside Lausanne, other communes have their own rules: To verify with your commune.

Sources: Ville de Lausanne, Règlement sur les heures d'ouverture et de fermeture des magasins (PDF) · État de Vaud, Grand Council report on shop hours and commune powers (PDF, FR) · Ville de Lausanne, Horaires (shops) · SECO, commentary on OLT 2 art. 26a, services in stations and airports (PDF, FR)

EPFL

Classes and exams. EPFL's academic calendar lists the holidays for 2026-27. Key dates from today:

For all study deadlines, see Semester deadlines.

Library and Rolex Learning Center. Open every day from 07:00 to midnight, except 1 August and 25 December. The Rolex Learning Center page adds year-end hours: 24 December 07:00 to 18:00, 31 December 07:00 to 18:00, 1 January 10:00 to midnight.

EPFL offices (staff holidays). EPFL's 2026 holiday sheet for staff lists the Vaud holidays falling on weekdays, plus 24 December afternoon and 31 December afternoon off at its sites in Vaud (the sheet groups Vaud, Fribourg, Neuchâtel and Valais; Geneva and Aargau differ). Expect EPFL service desks to be closed or reduced at those times. EPFL's 2027 staff sheet is not yet online: To verify for late December 2027.

Restaurants and sports. Campus restaurants have their own holiday and winter closures (see Food and campus restaurants). The sports centre is closed on Vaud public holidays (see Sports and fitness at EPFL).

Sources: EPFL, Academic calendar · EPFL Library, Practical information · EPFL, The Rolex Learning Center · EPFL, Holidays and public holidays provisions 2026 (PDF) · EPFL, Dispositions vacances et jours fériés 2026 (PDF)

No noisy work on these days: see Quiet hours and Sunday rules.

Public transport on holidays

• Timetables can differ on public holidays. Search your journey for the exact date in the SBB or tl app (tl runs Lausanne buses and the m1 to EPFL) rather than assuming the weekday timetable. Which timetable tl and SBB apply on each Vaud holiday: To verify in the app or on t-l.ch for your date.
• Night network: tl's night buses also run on eves of public holidays, and the Night GA (under 25) is valid until 07:00 on public holidays. Details on Getting around.

Waste collection

• Lausanne: there is no collection on public holidays. Collection moves to the next working day set in the official waste calendar (personal calendar by address at lausanne.ch/ramassage).
• Ecublens: the 2026 collection calendar marks collections moved because of a public holiday ("collecte décalée en raison d'un jour férié"). Check the 2027 calendar when your commune publishes it.
• Many recycling centres (déchèteries) close on public holidays, and some also on Easter Saturday and 31 December. See Waste and recycling for your commune.

Sources: Ville de Lausanne, FAQ gestion des déchets · Ecublens, Calendrier 2026 de collecte des déchets (PDF)

Planning checklist

• Add 25 December 2026 and 1 and 2 January 2027 to your calendar; add the 2027 list above.
• Need a commune or cantonal counter in late December? Check that office's page: Renens is closed from 24 December 2026 at 11:30 to 3 January 2027.
• Shop before holidays and on 24 December before 17:00 (Lausanne).
• Check your waste calendar for shifted collections.
• Search transport connections for the exact date in the SBB or tl app.
• Remember the EPFL Library is closed on 25 December and 1 August.