List of rivers of Switzerland

Map of Switzerland showing major lakes and rivers

The following is a list of rivers of Switzerland (and tributaries thereof). Included rivers flow either entirely or partly through Switzerland or along its international borders. Swiss rivers belong to five drainage basins, i.e. of the Rhine, the Rhône, the Po, the Danube or the Adige. Of these, only the Rhine and Rhône flow through Switzerland (and also originate there). The waters therefore drain into either the North Sea, the Mediterranean Sea or the Black Sea.

Some of the larger rivers, such as the Aare, Limmat (ZSG) and Rhine (URh), are in part navigable and include recreational boat lines.

Below, rivers are grouped by length, drainage area, orography and in alphabetical order. A list of border rivers is also given.

Rivers by length

Rivers with over Template:Convert in Switzerland

Rank	River	Length (km)	Length (mi)
1	Rhine	Template:Convert
2	Aare (or Aar)	Template:Convert
3	Rhône	Template:Convert
4	Reuss	Template:Convert
5	Linth and Limmat togetherTemplate:Efn-lr	Template:Convert
6	Thur	Template:Convert
7	Saane/La SarineTemplate:Efn-lr	Template:Convert

Rivers by drainage area

Saane/La Sarine at Fribourg

Basins covering more than Template:Convert, counting only the area in Switzerland.

Rank	River	Length		Drainage area
		km	mi	km2	sq mi
1	Rhine	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
2	Aare (or Aar)	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
3	Rhône	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
4	Reuss	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
5	Orbe and Thielle together	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
6	Linth and Limmat together	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
7	Inn	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
8	Saane/La Sarine	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
9	Thur	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
10	Hinterrhein (Posterior Rhine)	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
11	Ticino	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
12	Vorderrhein (Anterior Rhine)	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
13	Doubs	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
14	Kander	Template:Convert	Template:Convert

Rivers by orography

The five river basins of Switzerland: Template:Legend striped Template:Legend Template:Legend Template:Legend Template:Legend

File:RheinfallSchaffhausen.JPG

High Rhine and Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen

File:Aare river in Bern.jpg

The Aare at Bern

File:Birs laufen.jpg

The Birs at Laufen

File:BDWM Be 4-8 Reussbrücke Bremgarten I.jpg

The Reuss in Bremgarten

File:Kathedrale mit Saane Fribourg.jpg

Saane in Fribourg

File:Sitterviadukt Herisau AR.jpg

Confluence of the Urnäsch and Sitter

File:Taminaschlucht Quelle Mai13.JPG

Tamina Gorge near Bad Ragaz

File:Landwasser Viaduct (158241373).jpeg

Landwasser with Landwasser Viaduct

File:St. Ursanne mit der Brücke über den Doubs.jpg

Le Doubs in Saint-Ursanne

File:Confluence Rhône et Arve.JPG

Confluence of the Rhône and Arve in Geneva

File:Valle Verzasca, Ticino, Switzerland12.jpg

Verzasca river and valley

File:Renaturierter Rombach mit Lü im Hintergrund.jpg

Rom near Lü

File:Ober Engadin view.jpg

Inn in Engadin

Switzerland is drained into four directions:

• North Sea, via the Rhine.
• Mediterranean Sea:
  • Gulf of Lion, via the Rhône.
  • Adriatic Sea, via the Po and the Adige.
• Black Sea, via the Danube.

Drainage basins

Witenwasserenstock mountain is the triple divide of the drainage basins between the Rhine, Rhône and Po. Lunghin Pass is the triple divide between the Rhine, Danube and Po.

Rivers that flow into other rivers are sorted by the proximity of their points of confluence to the sea (the lower in the list, the more upstream). Some rivers (e.g. Danube) do not flow through Switzerland themselves, but they are mentioned for having Swiss tributaries. They are given in italics. The five drainage basins are highlighted in bold.

• Rhine (main branch in Hook of Holland, Netherlands)
  • Upper Rhine (begins at the Rhine knee in Basel)
    • Wiese - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Basel)
    • Birsig - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Basel)
  • High Rhine - Template:Convert - Template:Convert
    • Birs - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (between Basel/Birsfelden)
      • Lützel - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (between Laufen/Liesberg)
      • Sorne - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Delémont)
      • Raus - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Moutier)
    • Ergolz - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (between Augst/Kaiseraugst)
    • Möhlinbach - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Möhlin)
    • Sissle - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Sisseln)
    • Aare (Aar) - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Koblenz)
      • Surb - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Döttingen)
      • Limmat / LinthTemplate:Efn-lr - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Brugg)
        • Reppisch - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Dietikon)
          • Wüeribach - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Birmensdorf)
        • Sihl - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Zurich)
          • Alp - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Biberbrugg)
          • Minster - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Sihl near Euthal)
            • Waag - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Oberiberg)
        • Küsnachter Dorfbach - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lower Lake Zurich in Küsnacht)
        • Jona - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Obersee near Jona)
        • Wägitaler Aa - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Obersee near Lachen)
        • Seerenbach (into Lake Walen near Amden)
        • Seez - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Walen near Walenstadt)
        • Sernf - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Schwanden)
      • Reuss - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Brugg)
        • Lorze - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Maschwanden)
        • Kleine Emme - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Luzern)
        • Sarner Aa - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Lucerne near Alpnach)
        • Engelberger Aa - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Lucerne at Buochs)
        • Muota - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Lucerne at Brunnen)
        • Schächen - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Attinghausen)
      • Hallwiler Aa - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Möriken-Wildegg)
      • Suhre/SureTemplate:Efn-lr - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Aarau)
        • Wyna - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Suhr)
      • Wigger - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (between Rothrist/Aarburg)
      • Emme - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Solothurn)
        • Urtene - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Bätterkinden)
        • Ilfis - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Langnau im Emmental)
      • Suze - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Biel in Biel/Bienne)
      • Orbe / ThielleTemplate:Efn-lr - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Biel in La Neuveville)
        • Broye - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Neuchâtel in La Sauge)
      • Saane/La Sarine - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Bern)
        • Sense - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Laupen)
        • Glâne - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Villars-sur-Glâne)
      • Kander - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Thun near Thun)
        • Simme - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Wimmis)
      • Lütschine (into Lake Brienz near Interlaken)
    • WutachTemplate:Efn-lr - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Waldshut-Tiengen, Germany)
      • Klingengraben - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Oberlauchringen, Germany)
        • Schwarzbach - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Lauchringen, Germany)
    • Glatt - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Glattfelden)
      • Ustermer Aa - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Greifensee at Niederuster)
    • Töss - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Teufen)
    • Thur - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Flaach)
      • Murg - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Warth-Weiningen)
      • Sitter - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Bischofszell)
        • Urnäsch - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in near St Gallen Haggen)
    • Durach - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Schaffhausen)
    • Biber - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Hemishofen)
  • Lake Constance (Obersee, Seerhein, Untersee)
    • Aach - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Arbon)
  • Alpine Rhine (Alter Rhein, Rheintaler Binnenkanal) - Template:Convert - Template:Convert
    • Saar - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Trübbach)
    • Tamina - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Bad Ragaz)
    • Landquart - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Landquart)
    • Plessur - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Chur)
      • Rabiosa - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Meiersboden)
    • Hinterrhein - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (at Reichenau)
      • Albula - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Thusis)
        • Gelgia (in Tiefencastel)
        • Landwasser - Template:Convert - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Filisur)
          • Dischmabach - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Davos)
      • Avers Rhine - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Andeer)
    • Vorderrhein - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (at Reichenau)
      • Rabiusa - Template:Convert
      • Valser Rhine - Template:Convert - Template:Convert
      • Rein da Curnera - Template:Convert - Template:Convert
        • Rein da Maighels - Template:Convert - Template:Convert
      • Rein da Medel - Template:Convert - Template:Convert
      • Rein da Tuma - Template:Convert - Template:Convert
        • (see sources of the Rhine)
• Rhône - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône, France)
  • Saône (in Lyon, France)
    • Doubs - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Verdun-sur-le-Doubs, France)
      • Allaine - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Montbéliard, France)
  • Allondon - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Russin)
  • Arve - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Geneva)
  • Versoix - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Geneva in Versoix)
  • Hermance - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Geneva in Hermance)
  • Aubonne - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Geneva near Aubonne)
  • Venoge - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Geneva in Saint-Sulpice)
    • Veyron - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near La Sarraz)
  • Trient - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Vernayaz)
  • Drance - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Martigny)
  • Sionne - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Sion)
  • Navizence - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Chippis)
  • Lonza (in Gampel)
  • Vispa - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Visp)
  • Massa - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Bitsch)
• Po (near Venice, Italy)
  • Adda (in Cremona, Italy)
    • Breggia (into Lake Como, between Cernobbio and Como, Italy)
    • Mera (into Lake Como in Sorico, Italy)
    • Poschiavino (in Tirano, Italy)
  • Ticino - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Pavia, Italy)
    • Toce (into Lake Maggiore in Verbania, Italy)
      • Diveria (near Domodossola, Italy)
    • Tresa - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Maggiore in Luino, Italy)
      • Vedeggio - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Lugano in Agno)
      • Mara - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Lugano in Maroggia)
      • Cassarate - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Lugano in Lugano)
    • Giona - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Maggiore in Maccagno, Italy)
    • Maggia - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Maggiore in Locarno)
      • Melezzo Orientale - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Ponte Brolla)
        • Isorno - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Intragna)
    • Verzasca - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (into Lake Maggiore in Tenero-Contra)
    • Moesa - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Arbedo-Castione)
    • Brenno - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (between Pollegio/Biasca)
• Adige (near Venice, Italy)
  • Rom - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Glurns, Italy)
• Danube (in Sulina, Romania)
  • Inn - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (in Passau, Germany)
    • Spöl - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Zernez)
    • Flaz - Template:Convert - Template:Convert (near Samedan)

Border rivers

International

• Allondon, forming a short stretch of the border with France (ca. Template:Cvt)
• Alpine Rhine (and Alter Rhein), forming most of the border with Liechtenstein and part of the border with Austria
• Hermance, forming part of the border with France
• High Rhine (and Lake Constance), forming mostly the border with Germany
• La Morge, forming part of the border with France
• Le Doubs, forming part of the border with France (for about Template:Cvt)
• Rhône, forms part of the border with France west of Geneva
• Tresa, follows part of the border with Italy
• Wutach, forming about Template:Cvt of the border with Germany

Between cantons

• Aare, part of the boundary between the canton of Solothurn with the cantons of Aargau and Bern
• Alpine Rhine canal, part of the border between the cantons of St. Gallen and Grisons (Template:Lang)
• Biber, part of the boundary between the cantons of Zug and Schwyz
• Birs, short sections of the boundary between the cantons of Basel-Landschaft and Solothurn
• Engelberger Aa, parts of the boundary between the cantons of Nidwalden and Obwalden
• High Rhine, most of the boundary between the canton of Schaffhausen with the cantons of Zurich and Thurgau
• Jona, short section of the boundary between the cantons of St. Gallen and Zurich
• Linth canal, part of the border between the canton of St. Gallen with the cantons of Glarus and Schwyz
• Reuss, boundary between the cantons of Aargau and Zug, part of the boundary between the cantons of Aargau and Zurich
• Sitter, part of the boundary between the cantons of Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Appenzell Innerrhoden
• Thielle canal (Template:Lang), border between the cantons of Bern and Neuchâtel
• Thur, short section of the border between the cantons of Thurgau and Zurich

Alphabetical list

A–E

• Aach
• Aare (Aar)
• Albula
• Allaine
• Allondon
• Alp
• Alpine Rhine
• Arve
• Aubonne
• Avers Rhine
• Biber (Alp)
• Biber (Rhine)
• Birs
• Birsig
• Breggia
• Brenno
• Broye
• Cassarate
• Dischmabach
• Diveria
• Doubs
• Drance
• Durach
• Emme
• Engelberger Aa
• Ergolz

F–K

• Flaz
• Gelgia
• Giona
• Glâne
• Glatt
• Hallwiler Aa
• Hermance
• High Rhine
• Hinterrhein (Posterior Rhine)
• Ilfis
• Inn
• Isorno
• Jona
• Kander
• Kleine Emme
• Klingengraben
• Küsnachter Dorfbach

L–O

• Landquart
• Landwasser
• Limmat
• Linth
• Lonza
• Lorze
• Lütschine
• Lützel
• Maggia
• Mara
• Massa
• Melezzo Orientale
• Mera
• Minster
• Moesa
• Möhlinbach
• Muota
• Murg
• Navizence
• Orbe

P–S

• Plessur
• Poschiavino
• Rabiosa
• Rabiusa
• Raus
• Reppisch
• Rein da Curnera
• Rein da Maighels
• Rein da Medel
• Rein da Tuma
• Reuss
• Rhine
• Rhône
• Rom
• Saane/Sarine
• Saar
• Sarner Aa
• Schächen
• Schwarzbach
• Seerenbach
• Seerhein
• Seez
• Sense
• Sernf
• Sihl
• Simme
• Sionne
• Sissle
• Sitter
• Sorne
• Spöl
• Suhre (Sure)
• Surb
• Suze

T–Z

• Tamina
• Thielle
• Thur
• Ticino
• Töss
• Tresa
• Trient
• Upper Rhine
• Urnäsch
• Urtene
• Ustermer Aa
• Valser Rhine
• Vedeggio
• Venoge
• Versoix
• Verzasca
• Veyron
• Vispa
• Vorderrhein (Anterior Rhine)
• Waag
• Wägitaler Aa
• Wiese
• Wigger
• Wüeribach
• Wutach
• Wyna
• Zihl

See also

• Hydrology of Switzerland
• Geography of Switzerland
  • List of islands of Switzerland
  • List of lakes of Switzerland
  • List of waterfalls in Switzerland
• Rivers of Europe
• Valleys of the Alps

External links

• Hydrological data of some Swiss rivers
• Daily forecast of Swiss rivers