Temporary Housing Lausanne
A furnished base in Lausanne while you search calmly for your permanent home.
Moving to Lausanne rarely means finding your permanent apartment on the day you arrive. Temporary housing in Lausanne gives you a furnished, ready-to-use base for the weeks it takes to view apartments, sign a lease and organise a move, without the pressure of committing to the first vacant flat you see.
This page looks at how temporary housing works in Lausanne in practice: what kind of accommodation is available, which neighbourhoods suit a short stay, and how long you should plan for before your permanent lease begins. It is written for people relocating for work or family reasons who need a realistic, local view rather than a generic overview of serviced apartments.
Why temporary housing matters in the Lausanne rental market
Lausanne has a tight rental market, with demand from the local university and hospital sector, EPFL and UNIL staff and students, and companies bringing in employees from abroad. Vacant apartments that match your criteria do not always appear the week you need them, and a good flat can attract many applications within days of being listed.
Temporary housing removes the need to rush this decision. Instead of accepting a lease under time pressure, you settle into Lausanne first, get a feel for neighbourhoods such as Ouchy, Cité, Chailly or Lausanne-Gare, and then apply for a permanent apartment once you understand the area and your daily commute.
The main difficulty: matching your timeline to a scarce market
The core challenge in Lausanne is timing. Landlords and agencies typically expect a decision within days once you view an apartment they like giving to you, yet building a full application file (proof of income, extract from the debt collection register, references) takes time if you are new to Switzerland and unfamiliar with what is expected.
Families also face a second constraint: school terms. If children need to start at a specific school, the temporary housing period has to be planned around term dates and school catchment areas, which narrows the neighbourhoods worth considering from day one.
Our consultants combine the temporary housing search with your permanent home search from the start, so the weeks you spend in a serviced apartment are used to secure the right lease rather than to start the process from scratch.
Request a pre-assessmentWhat temporary housing options look like in Lausanne
Serviced apartments in Lausanne range from compact studios near the city centre to larger furnished flats suited to families, generally rented for stays of a few weeks to a few months. Most include utilities, wifi and basic kitchen equipment, and many are managed by agencies that also handle cleaning and maintenance during your stay.
Short term rental platforms and extended-stay hotel-apartments are a second option, useful for very short bridging periods, though they tend to cost more per night and offer less space than a dedicated serviced apartment aimed at relocating professionals and families.
- Serviced apartments: furnished, utilities included, typically for stays of one to several months
- Extended-stay hotel-apartments: flexible and fast to book, best for bridging periods of days to a few weeks
- Short term rental of a private furnished flat: variable quality and terms, worth reviewing carefully before booking
Choosing a neighbourhood for a temporary stay
Where you stay temporarily should already point toward where you might settle permanently. Ouchy and the lakeside offer a calmer, more residential feel with good access to the lake and public transport into the centre. Central Lausanne, around Saint-François and the train station, suits people who want walkable access to shops, restaurants and the metro line connecting the city.
For families
Families often look toward Chailly, La Sallaz or the areas closer to international schools, balancing commute time for the working parent with proximity to schooling and green space for children.
For professionals working near the centre or EPFL/UNIL
Professionals commuting to EPFL, UNIL or the CHUV area frequently prefer temporary housing along the metro line, which keeps the daily journey short and predictable while apartment hunting continues.
How long to plan for a temporary stay
As a general guide, plan for a temporary stay of four to eight weeks when relocating to Lausanne, longer if you are searching for a family-sized apartment in a specific school catchment area or arriving during a period of high demand such as late summer.
Booking your temporary housing before you arrive, rather than on arrival, gives you more choice and avoids the added stress of apartment hunting for two different homes at once.
Practical steps to organise temporary housing in Lausanne
A structured approach reduces both cost and stress during this transition period.
- Confirm your arrival date and a realistic minimum stay before booking
- Decide whether you need to be near a specific school, employer or transport line
- Compare serviced apartments and short term rentals on cost per week rather than per night once the stay exceeds a few weeks
- Start your permanent apartment search in parallel with your temporary housing booking, not after you arrive
- Prepare your rental application file (proof of income, references, debt collection register extract) before you begin viewing permanent apartments
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does temporary housing in Lausanne typically cost?
How far in advance should I book temporary housing in Lausanne?
Can temporary housing help while I look for a permanent apartment?
Is temporary housing in Lausanne furnished and ready to use?
Which Lausanne neighbourhoods are best for a short-term stay?
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