Swiss blood alcohol calculator with alcohol elimination

With the Swiss Blood Alcohol Calculator, you can estimate your blood alcohol level in 30 seconds and see when the alcohol will have worn off. Just enter your drinks, adjust the time, and you’re done. The graph shows you how your night will unfold until the morning.

Quick guide to the alcohol calculator

The calculator only needs a few details. Here’s how to do it:

1. Information about you: Gender, weight, height and age. The calculator uses these details to estimate how much water your body contains. The alcohol is distributed throughout this water.
2. Your limit: 0.5‰ or 0.1‰ if you are on a provisional licence or are driving for work.
3. Tap on drinks: Beer, wine, Prosecco, Aperol Spritz, schnapps or a cocktail. Each drink is assigned a time, which you can adjust.
4. In Essen: If you’ve eaten something with it, the alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream more slowly.
5. Read the result: Your blood alcohol level at the selected time is shown above. The clocks indicate the time from which, theoretically, your level falls below your limit and reaches 0.0‰. Use the slider below the graph to select a different time.

The computer deliberately takes a cautious approach to its calculations. It assumes a rate of depletion of 0.1 ‰ per hour, which is at the lower end of the scale. The clocks therefore tend to run slow rather than fast. Nevertheless, it remains an estimate.

Blood alcohol limit in Switzerland

In Switzerland, the legal limit is 0.5‰ blood alcohol or 0.25 mg per litre of breath. Above this level, you are deemed unfit to drive. From 0.8‰ onwards, the law refers to a ‘serious’ blood alcohol concentration, which is subject to much stricter penalties. This is regulated in the Road Traffic Act (SVG) and in a parliamentary regulation.

Value	Breath	Meaning
from 0.1 ‰	0.05 mg/l	Limits for new drivers, learner drivers, professional drivers and others
from 0.5 ‰	0.25 mg/l	Unfit to drive, fines and restrictions on driving licence
from 0.8 ‰	0.40 mg/l	Qualifying criteria: criminal proceedings, criminal record, at least 3 months’ driving ban
from 1.6 ‰	0.80 mg/l	in addition, an assessment of fitness to drive

Important: Even if your blood alcohol level is below 0.5‰, you are not automatically in the clear. If you drive erratically or cause an accident, the police may still charge you with driving whilst unfit to drive.

Who is the 0.1 per mille limit applicable to?

There is a ban on alcohol for certain groups. The limit is 0.1 ‰ or 0.05 mg/l, as even the smallest amounts of alcohol can build up in the body without the person having consumed any. According to Article 2a of the VRV:

• New drivers with a provisional driving licence (the first three years)
• Learner drivers and their accompanying adults
• Driving instructors during a driving lesson
• Commercial passenger transport, such as taxis, buses or transport services
• Drivers of lorries weighing over 3.5 tonnes and of vehicles transporting dangerous goods

For new drivers, this means in practice: if you want to drive, don’t drink. Even a small beer can be enough to reach 0.1 ‰.

Bicycles, e-bikes and e-scooters

The 0.5‰ limit does not apply only to cars. You are also unfit to ride a bicycle, e-bike or e-scooter if your blood alcohol level reaches this level. You may face fines and, depending on the vehicle and the circumstances, restrictions on your driving licence.

Consequences of drink driving

Anyone caught drink-driving faces two sets of proceedings. The Crown Prosecution Service decides on the penalty based on Article 91 of the Road Traffic Act (SVG). The Road Traffic Authority will decide separately on your licence. The severity of both penalties will depend on the value involved, your previous record and the circumstances of the individual case.

per mille	Penalty	ID card
0.5 to 0.79 ‰	Buses	Warning; a further breach will result in suspension for at least one month
0.8 to 1.59 ‰	A fine or a prison sentence of up to 3 years	at least 3 months’ withdrawal
from 1.6 ‰	from 0.8 ‰	a minimum of 3 months’ disqualification plus an assessment of fitness to drive
0.1‰ over the limit	Buses	depending on the circumstances; strict in the case of a provisional licence

A warning and a licence suspension apply to the first offence. Anyone who has previously had to hand in their licence faces much harsher consequences. In the event of multiple offences, a licence may be suspended indefinitely.

Will this go on my criminal record?

From 0.8 ‰ onwards, it is a criminal offence. A conviction will be entered on your criminal record. Between 0.5 and 0.79 ‰, it is a minor offence punishable by a fine. Fines of up to CHF 5,000 are not entered on your criminal record. Driving licence suspensions are recorded in a separate register kept by the authorities.

Temporary identity card

If you hold a provisional licence, even a minor drink-driving offence can prove costly. If your licence is withdrawn, the probationary period is extended by one year. If your licence is withdrawn a second time, your provisional licence will be revoked. You will then have to start again with a learner’s licence after a waiting period and a traffic psychology assessment.

Calculate alcohol breakdown and residual alcohol

Alcohol is broken down almost exclusively by the liver, and at a steady rate. On average, this is 0.1 to 0.15 ‰ per hour, and in some people up to 0.2 ‰. You cannot speed up this process. Coffee, a cold shower, exercise or drinking plenty of water might make you feel more alert, but they won’t make you more sober.

How long does alcohol stay in the blood?

As a rule of thumb, divide your blood alcohol level by 0.1. The result is the number of hours it takes to reach 0.0 ‰. At 1.0 ‰, this can be up to 10 hours. So if you’re out partying until 2 am, you’ll often still have residual alcohol in your blood by 8 am the next morning.

Lace	Less than 0.5 ‰	At 0.0 ‰
0.5 ‰	immediately	after 5 hours.
0.8 ‰	after 3 hours.	after 8 hours.
1.0 ‰	after 5 hours.	after 10 hours.
1.5 ‰	after 10 hours.	after 15 hours.

This is based on a conservative rate of decline of 0.1 ‰ per hour from the peak value. If your body breaks it down faster, you’ll reach zero sooner. You can’t rely on that, though.

Residual alcohol the morning after

Residual alcohol is the most common reason why people end up driving under the influence without meaning to. In the evening, taking a taxi home feels like the right thing to do; in the morning, you get into your car as if nothing had happened. Enter the number of drinks you had the night before into the calculator and look at the «0.0 ‰ from approx.» figure. That is the earliest possible time.

The blood alcohol concentration formula

The calculator uses the Widmark formula, which is also used by female forensic pathologists as a basis:

You can work out the alcohol content in grams as follows: volume in ml × percentage by volume ÷ 100 × 0.8. A beer measuring 5 dl and 5 % therefore contains 20 g of alcohol. The reduction factor indicates what proportion of your body consists of water. For men, it is usually around 0.7; for women, around 0.6. Our calculator works it out more precisely using the Watson formula, based on age, height and weight. It subtracts 10 % from this, because some of the alcohol never enters the bloodstream at all (20 % if consumed with food).

Factors affecting blood alcohol concentration

• Gender: On average, women have less body water. For the same total volume, their value therefore rises more sharply.
• Weight and size: Having more body water dilutes the alcohol more effectively.
• Food: Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream more slowly on a full stomach. The peak blood alcohol level is lower, but it takes just as long to be broken down.
• Drinking pace: If you drink quickly, you’ll reach a higher peak value.
• Health and medicines: Liver problems slow down the breakdown of the drug. Medicines and tiredness exacerbate this effect.

How alcohol works

Even at 0.2‰, your concentration and visual acuity start to decline, and you become less able to assess risks. From 0.5‰ onwards, your reaction times become measurably slower, and the risk of an accident increases significantly. From 0.8 ‰, your field of vision narrows; from 1.0 ‰, your balance and speech are affected. The tricky thing is that with every glass, you feel more confident than you actually are.

Alcohol content table for drinks

The blood alcohol level resulting from a drink depends very much on you. The table shows estimated values for two example individuals: a man weighing 80 kg and measuring 180 cm, and a woman weighing 60 kg and measuring 165 cm, both aged 35 and having not eaten. Lighter individuals will have higher levels.

Drink	Man	Woman	0.0 ‰
Beer 3 dl	0.18 ‰	0.27 ‰	2.5 to 3.5 hours.
Beer 5 dl	0.30 ‰	0.45 ‰	3.5 to 5 hours.
Wine 1 dl	0.15 ‰	0.22 ‰	2 to 3 hours.
Wine 2 dl	0.30 ‰	0.45 ‰	3.5 to 5 hours.
Prosecco 1 dl	0.13 ‰	0.20 ‰	2 to 2.5 hours.
Aperol Spritz	0.20 ‰	0.30 ‰	2.5 to 3.5 hours.
Schnapps 2 cl	0.10 ‰	0.14 ‰	1.5 to 2 hours.
Schnapps 4 cl	0.19 ‰	0.29 ‰	2.5 to 3.5 hours.

Assumptions: Beer 5 %, wine 12.5 %, Prosecco 11 %, Aperol Spritz with 6 cl Aperol and 9 cl Prosecco, schnapps 40 %.

Several drinks add up to almost the same total because the body breaks down only a small amount per hour. That is precisely why the calculator, which takes times into account, is more accurate than any table.

How many per mille does a beer have?

A 5 dl beer will raise a man weighing 80 kg to around 0.3 ‰ and a woman weighing 60 kg to around 0.45 ‰. A 3 dl ‘Stange’ will raise them to 0.18 and 0.27 ‰ respectively. Strong beer with an alcohol content of 7 or 8 % will result in correspondingly higher blood alcohol levels.

It gets more difficult with every additional beer. Anyone who drinks five large beers over four hours will reach a blood alcohol level of around 1.1 ‰ if they are a man weighing 80 kg, and almost 1.9 ‰ if they are a woman weighing 60 kg. It then takes between 15 and over 20 hours for the alcohol to be broken down.

And what about non-alcoholic beer? It may contain up to 0.5 % of alcohol. When consumed in normal quantities, this remains well below any limit. For new drivers, it’s the safe choice.

How many per mille does a glass of wine have?

A glass of wine containing 2 dl and 12.5 % has 20 g of alcohol, the same amount as a large beer. This equates to around 0.3 ‰ for a man weighing 80 kg and around 0.45 ‰ for a woman weighing 60 kg. A glass containing 1 dl is half that amount.

Three glasses of wine, each 2 dl, consumed over two hours result in a blood alcohol level of around 0.7 ‰ for a man and around 1.15 ‰ for a woman. This means the woman is already in the ‘impaired’ range. Many wines today have an alcohol content of 13.5 to 14.5 %. In that case, the figures are even slightly higher.

How many per mille does an Aperol Spritz have?

A classic Aperol Spritz containing 6 cl of Aperol and 9 cl of Prosecco will result in a blood alcohol level of around 0.2 ‰ for a man weighing 80 kg and around 0.3 ‰ for a woman weighing 60 kg. Two Aperol Spritzes within an hour will result in a blood alcohol level of around 0.5 ‰ for a woman and around 0.3 ‰ for a man.

Aperol itself contains 11 % of alcohol, just like Prosecco. With a splash of mineral water, a ready-made spritz comes to around 8 to 9 %. In many bars, they pour more generously. Then the figures no longer add up, and you’ll quickly end up with a higher alcohol content. A Hugo with elderflower syrup and Prosecco is roughly equivalent to a glass of Prosecco.

How many per mille does a schnapps have?

A 2 cl shot of spirits with an alcohol content of 40 % contains around 6 g of alcohol. This equates to approximately 0.1‰ for a man weighing 80 kg and approximately 0.14‰ for a woman weighing 60 kg. A double shot of 4 cl results in 0.19‰ and 0.29‰ respectively, which is roughly equivalent to a beer.

A cocktail usually contains 4 to 6 cl of spirits, and a Long Island Iced Tea even more. A cocktail can therefore contain as much alcohol as two beers. To calculate this, select «Cocktail» in the calculator.

Disclaimer

The blood alcohol content calculator and the figures on this page are estimates. They are not a substitute for a test, nor do they constitute legal or medical advice. Your actual blood alcohol level may be significantly higher. Only the breath or blood test carried out by the police is conclusive. You use the calculator at your own risk; liability is excluded to the extent permitted by law. Our recommendation: if you have to drive, do not drink. Legal information current as of October 2026.

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