An incident involving a person on October 23rd disrupted the railway between Aarau and Rupperswil, a key route linking Zurich with Bern and western Switzerland. Police arrived at 8.18pm and a Swiss Rail incident manager at 8.29pm, according to Aarau24. Yet at Zurich main station, the operator’s app and platform displays were still directing westbound […]
Motorists cross borders for cheaper fuel
As fuel prices rise motorists quickly work out where to find cheaper fuel, reports SRF. At petrol stations in Vacallo, a Swiss town near the Italian border, few cars stop to fill up. Italy’s government has temporarily cut fuel duty, making petrol cheaper across the border. One woman says she shops and fills up in […]
Heat warped Swiss railway tracks in nearly 100 places this summer
Swiss Federal Railways recorded 97 cases of track distortion and buckling during the summer heatwave in 2026, according to a specialist team. The company confirmed the figure reported by the SonntagsZeitung, a Sunday newspaper. According to the paper, the total was almost four times that of the previous year. SBB said the increase in track […]
VAT rise to fund extra pension narrowly opposed in first poll
Swiss voters are divided over a proposed increase in value-added tax (VAT) to fund an extra annual state-pension payment, according to the first representative SRG poll. The survey, conducted by gfs.bern from 5 to 18 October and published this week, found that 49% of eligible voters opposed the proposal and 46% supported it, with 5% […]
Vapes containing synthetic cannabinoids have reached Switzerland
Sold as “Baller-Liquids”, “Zombie-Liquids” or “Knaller-Liquids”, vaping liquids containing synthetic cannabinoids, sometimes called Spice, have attracted attention in Germany and France. Now cases have been reported in Switzerland, where the substances are covered by the Narcotics Act. The newspaper 20 Minuten has reported cases in Zurich and St Gallen. Zurich cantonal police confirm that they […]
Zurich to raise the price of blue-zone parking for residents
Zurich’s city council will introduce new residents’ parking permits in January 2027, raising the cost of parking in blue zones, reported SRF. Concessions for tradespeople remain blocked by a legal dispute. Zurich residents will face higher costs. Under the “Biel model”, they must first use parking spaces attached to their buildings, which are considerably more […]
One in six people in Switzerland spends more than a third of their income on housing
One in six people (16%) in Switzerland spends more than a third of their income on housing, exceeding a widely recommended limit, according to a survey published on Thursday by Comparis, a price-comparison website. Among tenants, the share rises to 22%. A common rule of thumb is that housing costs should not exceed a third […]
Snow returns to the Swiss Alps after a warm, dry start to autumn
Snow returned to the Swiss Alps on Wednesday after an unusually warm and dry start to autumn, closing several mountain passes. More is forecast this weekend, with up to 25cm expected between the Dents du Midi and the Mont Blanc massif. Webcam images showed peaks including the Matterhorn and the Dents du Midi covered in […]
Switzerland continues to become more politically polarised
Switzerland is becoming more politically polarised. The latest SRG election barometer shows support rising for parties on the left and right as the centre shrinks. It also reveals marked differences between men and women. The Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) would win 29.9% of the vote if an election were held now, up two percentage points […]
Swiss flu vaccines delayed, but no shortage expected
Some flu-vaccine deliveries to Switzerland are delayed this autumn. RTS reports that about 40% of doses are affected. But the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) says everyone who wants to be vaccinated will be able to do so before the seasonal flu wave begins. The delays are affecting vaccination schedules. At Unisanté, Efluelda has […]
