Offices generally begin their day between 8 A.M. and 9 A.M. and close between 5 P.M. and 6 P.M., Monday to Friday.

Shops usually open at 9 A.M. and close at 6:30 P.M., Monday to Friday, and are open from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. on Saturdays. Lunch breaks are quite common in smaller shops, usually from noon to 2 P.M.

There is growing pressure to keep shops open later in the evenings. In train stations, airports and service stations, you can find some shops that stay open till 10 P.M.

Government offices have widely different opening hours. Some open at 7:15 A.M. while others (generally smaller) open at 9:00 A.M. Lunch breaks are the rule, with people leaving the office from 11:30-12:00 A.M. to 1:30-2:00 P.M. While published closing time is between 4:00 and 5:00 P.M., you may find it difficult to find anybody after 3:00 P.M.