Case Study: Swisstopo achieves user-friendly, memorable location referencing across Switzerland with what3words

Switzerland’s National Mapping Agency Connects with what3words

Swisstopo, Switzerland’s Federal Office for Topography, operates geo.admin.ch as the centralised portal for the country’s geodata to meet the 2008 Geoinformation Act and the eGovernment Switzerland strategy. While the platform already provides precise coordinate systems and elevation data in five languages, those technical formats can be hard for the public to use and share, especially for non-standard or remote locations.

To improve usability, geo.admin.ch integrated what3words so every point in Switzerland also has a simple, memorable 3‑word address. The integration lets users search, discover and share locations—from urban addresses to hiking trails and ski runs—making geospatial information more accessible and easier to communicate across public authorities, businesses and citizens.

Swisstopo