Data Centers in Schaffhausen

Schaffhausen – Stable, Secure Swiss Data Hosting

Schaffhausen offers a secure and stable environment for businesses prioritizing data protection and operational resilience. As part of the Greater Zurich Area, it provides a compelling alternative to the primary market, balancing cost-effectiveness with proximity to a major European financial and connectivity hub. This location is ideal for disaster recovery sites and for companies that require a Swiss data presence without the premium costs of Zurich's core market.

Schaffhausen: At A Glance

Network & Connectivity Ecosystem

Schaffhausen's connectivity is reliable, leveraging its proximity to the much larger Zurich market. While not a primary interconnection hub itself, it offers resilient access to major European networks.

Carrier Density & Carrier Neutrality: Data centers in the Schaffhausen area provide access to a good selection of regional and national carriers, as of September 2025. Carrier-neutral facilities ensure competitive network pricing and options by connecting through Zurich's dense ecosystem.

Direct Cloud On-Ramps: There are no public cloud on-ramps located directly in Schaffhausen, as of September 2025. Businesses connect to all major cloud providers, including AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure, through dedicated fiber links to interconnection hubs in Zurich, ensuring low-latency access.

Internet Exchange Points (IXPs): Peering is primarily handled via private network interconnects or through the SwissIX in Zurich. This setup provides efficient traffic exchange with national and international networks.

Bare Metal: Bare metal server options are available, often provisioned from providers located in the Greater Zurich Area. Services from providers like Hivelocity and phoenixNAP can serve customers in Schaffhausen with excellent performance.

Power Analysis

Switzerland's power infrastructure is known for its stability and high share of renewable energy sources, a significant benefit for data center operations in Schaffhausen.

Average Cost Of Power: Industrial electricity is estimated between CHF 0.18 – 0.22/kWh, as of September 2025. This competitive and stable pricing, driven by a grid dominated by hydropower, helps maintain predictable operational expenditures.

Power Grid Reliability: The Swiss power grid is exceptionally reliable. The energy mix, with approximately 56% from hydropower and 33% from nuclear, provides a consistent and robust power supply, supported by well-maintained transmission infrastructure.

Market Access, Business & Tax Climate

Schaffhausen provides strategic access to both Swiss and German markets from within a secure and business-friendly legal framework.

Proximity To Key Business Districts: The area is home to advanced manufacturing, technology, and life sciences industries. Its location offers low-latency connections to the financial and business centers of Zurich, less than an hour away.

Regional Market Reach: Schaffhausen is well-positioned to serve as a digital gateway to southern Germany and northern Switzerland. Its strategic location outside the primary Zurich market is ideal for disaster recovery and secondary workload deployments.

Tax Advantage For Data Centers: While Switzerland does not offer specific tax incentives for data centers, the country's overall corporate tax environment is competitive within Europe. A stable and predictable fiscal policy provides a reliable foundation for long-term investments.

Natural Disaster Risk

Schaffhausen has a very low risk profile for natural disasters, with an INFORM Risk score of 1.8 out of 10, as of September 2025. This ensures excellent physical security and uptime for data center infrastructure.

Key risk factors are minimal and include:

• River Flood: The most notable, though still low, environmental risk in the region.
• Earthquake: A minor risk, with the area not situated on a major fault line.
• Drought: A negligible risk with minimal operational impact.