Universal service

A good postal service is essential to the economic success and communication needs of a modern society. Postal services must be comprehensive, high-quality and reasonably priced. for all sections of the economy and society and in all regions.

The Postal Services Act requires Swiss Post to ensure access to a basic universal postal service in all areas of the country. Swiss Post must provide a nationwide network of post offices and postal agencies. A basic universal service must be available to all sections of the population and within reasonable reach in all the regions. The distance to the next post office or agency is an important criterion for assessing the quality of the postal service.

If Swiss Post wants to close or relocate a post office or agency, it is required to consult the local commune and to seek a mutually agreed solution. If no consensus can be reached, the commune can contact PostCom within 30 days of the written notification of the decision by Swiss Post. PostCom investigates whether Swiss Post has heard the opinion of the commune and sought a mutually agreed solution

One major indicator of the quality of postal services is delivery times. Letters and packages should be delivered promptly to the addressee. The delivery time is measured as the time it takes for a letter or parcel to arrive at the intended address from the time it is handed in at a post office. The Postal Services Ordinance states that 97% of letters sent by A- and B-post inland must arrive on time; for parcels sent inland, the figure must be 95%.