Recently published figures show rail passenger numbers dropped by more than a third during the first half of 2020. During this period an average of 810,000 passengers a day traveled on the network, a number more than a third less than during the first half of 2019 when there was 1.29 million. The number of […]
Coronavirus: country of departure now counts, not stopover country
The Swiss government has closed a Covid-19 travel loophole. From 31 August 2020, it will no longer be possible to skirt Switzerland’s entry restrictions by arriving in Switzerland from a high-risk country by transiting through a country that is not on the list. Until this date, it has been possible to circumvent Switzerland’s entry restrictions […]
Coronavirus: why are some countries not on risk lists despite exceeding new case thresholds?
Switzerland currently exceeds the UK’s threshold number of recent new Covid-19 cases to be classified as a risk country and France currently exceeds Switzerland’s threshold. However, these nations are currently not on risk lists. Nearly every nation now maintains a list of countries from which entry is either restricted or comes with a quarantine requirement. […]
Switzerland adds Spain and 6 other nations to its compulsory quarantine list
From 8 August 2020, people returning to Switzerland from Spain and 45 other nations must quarantine for 10 days. On 5 August 2020, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) added 7 nations to its existing list of countries where there is an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Among them are Spain (with the exception […]
Coronavirus: 40% jump in new cases in Switzerland this week
In the seven days to 31 July 2020, the reported number of new SARS-CoV-2 infections recorded in Switzerland was 1,078, 40% more than the 772 cases recorded the week before. Over the weeks prior to this there were 589 and 692 new cases, according to worldinfometer.com. The number of new cases this week is at a […]
Coronavirus: health experts pressure Swiss government to tighten entry rules
A group of health experts would like to see Switzerland’s list of risk countries extended to include nations that do little or no testing, according to the newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ). The experts include epidemiologist Marcel Tanner of Switzerland’s Covid-19 task force. The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), which is in charge of […]
Masks now compulsory at Geneva Airport
This week, Geneva Airport made it compulsory for anyone entering its buildings to wear a face mask. The new rule applies to everyone entering the building, not only staff and passengers. In addition, hands must be disinfected upon entry. Those arriving without a mask can buy one from mask distributors at the airport. The new […]
Switzerland adds 15 nations to its list of compulsory quarantine countries
From 23 July 2020, people arriving in Switzerland from 42 nations must quarantine for 10 days. On 23 July 2020, the government added 15 nations to its existing list of nations where there is an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Among them are a further three European countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Luxembourg and Montenegro. The […]
Swiss parliament votes in favour of flight tax
A majority of Switzerland’s parliament voted in favour of introducing a tax on flights departing from Switzerland. 132 voted in favour of the tax, with 65 against. The tax would range from CHF 30 to CHF 120 depending on the distance and class of travel, according to 20 Minutes. Private flights would be taxed too. […]
Coronavirus: Switzerland to reopen borders with EU, EFTA and UK on 15 June
Switzerland recently announced that it will lift existing entry restrictions with all EU and EFTA nations and the UK on 15 June 2020. In mid-May the Swiss government announced plans to fully reopen borders with France, Germany and Austria. On 2 June 2020, it decided to hold off on a full reopening of borders with […]
