New year fireworks light up Zurich

Fireworks illuminate the night sky over Zurich on January 1, 2018, during the New Year's celebrations Keystone

Around 150,000 people watched the traditional firework display on the shores of Lake Zurich on Sunday evening to welcome in the new year.

Owing to the warm weather and low clouds, spectators got a close view of the pyrotechnics, as rockets were fired only up to a height of 100 metres rather than the usual 350 metres.

Thousands of partygoers took to the streets of other Swiss cities and towns on Sunday evening to celebrate 2018 in style.

In Basel, people gathered at the cathedral in the rain to hear the huge bell ring in the new year, followed by a firework display over the Rhine River. 

In Bern, hundreds of people met at Cathedral Square in the Old Town to hear the bells strike midnight. Similar scenes were observed in the historic centre of St Gallen in eastern Switzerland, Lausanne, Vevey and Geneva. Various ski resorts in the Valais and Vaud also celebrated in style with firework demonstrations.