Data supply: simple and direct
The geodata available from the Federal Administration can be obtained directly from the relevant Federal Office. Metadata can be obtained free of charge from geocat, Switzerland’s geographical metadata catalogue. Geodata can be downloaded free of charge subject to certain restrictions. Please observe all the relevant conditions of use.

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Geodata can be obtained directly via the websites listed here:
data.geo.admin.ch
- Web interface: data.geo.admin.ch / opendata.swiss
- REST Interface: Spatial Temporal Asset Catalog API
- access to the products of cadastral surveying
geocat.ch is the geographical metadata catalogue for Switzerland. Metadata can be accessed here free of charge. Metadata is an essential component of any geodata infrastructure. Federal Offices, Cantons, municipalities and private firms record the metadata about their own geographical data-sets in geocat.ch. geocat.ch is the ideal starting point for searches for special geodata such as aerial photographs, protected heritage sites, natural hazards, earthquakes, etc.
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- Metadata (including information on availability of data, formats, conditions of use, etc.) is publicly available, free of charge, at geocat.ch
- Geodata can be downloaded free of charge subject to certain restrictions. Please observe the individual supplier’s conditions of use.
- The following regulations govern basic geodata under Federal law according to GeoIV Annex 1 (Art. 1 Para. 2) :
Geoinformation Act Section 3 Access and Use GeoIG Art. 10 - Art. 15
Art. 10 Principle
Official geodata under federal legislation shall be accessible to the public and may be used by anyone, unless this is contrary to overriding public or private interests.Art. 15 Fees
The Confederation and cantons may charge fees for the access to and use of official geodata.
Geoinformation Ordinance Section 8 Access and Use GeoIV Art. 20 - Art. 33 -
Über die Veröffentlichung von Geodaten und Geobasisdaten und den öffentlichen Zugang dazu bestimmen das Geoinformationsgesetz GeoIG und die zuständigen Stellen der Bundesverwaltung. Geodaten und Geobasisdaten werden unter folgenden Bedingungen im Internet direkt zugänglich gemacht:
- The Geoinformation Act and the competent bodies within the Federal Administration lay down the rules governing publication of and public access to geodata and basic geodata. Geodata and basic geodata have been made directly accessible on the Internet, subject to the following conditions:
- The published and freely available geodata should meet a large part of the need for geographical information, rapidly and at moderate cost. Basic geodata is accessible in accordance with the Geoinformation Ordinance GeoIV Annex 1 (Art. 1 Para. 2) .
- To optimise the volumes of data and its compatibility with different software, geodata may if necessary be broken down into a range of different specifications and/or include different levels of content. This also allows different prices to be charged.