The town of Lauterbrunnen in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland, wants tandem base jump tourism stopped. The Swiss Base Association (SBA) is also against the practice, reported SRF. Base jumping, where people leap from high places and land with a parachute, was once a fringe sport. Although it is now far from mainstream, it has become increasingly […]
Swiss prefer to holiday close to home
Passing through a Swiss airport during peak holiday season might give an impression Swiss like holiday in far away places. However, a survey by the Swiss Bankers, a company that provides holiday related financial services, shows most like to stay close to home. In 2023, 25.9% of total holiday spending was made in Switzerland, followed […]
Skiers are going faster on Swiss slopes
Skiers in Switzerland are travelling faster. A significant number are now clocking speeds in excess of 100 kilometres an hour, reported RTS. Over a quarter of the Swiss population engages in winter sports annually. Unfortunately, around 33,000 employees are injured a year at a cost of CHF 307 million, according to accident insurer Suva. One […]
Swiss winter holidays – hotel association calls on cantons to avoid clashes
Most Swiss do not ski. Only a third of the population regularly takes to the snow in winter. One deterrent is school holiday planning. Many years ago, the typically two week break over Christmas fell during the prime ski season, a period with abundant snow. Now this period is hit and miss. Beyond this, most […]
Swiss Rail launches a new pass
The previously announced half price plus rail pass, which has some of the features of an annual pass, will be available from mid-December 2023, reported Swiss Rail this week. The pass comes in three flavours: Half-Fare travelcard PLUS 1000, Half-Fare travelcard PLUS 2000 and Half-Fare travelcard PLUS 3000. They all work the same. You essentially […]
US company buys another Swiss ski resort
After Andermatt, the US ski resort operator Vail Resorts is to buy the Swiss mountain resort of Crans-Montana in the canton of Valais. The US company will buy 84% of the lift company, reported SRF. Tourism director Bruno Huggler welcomes the deal. With Vail Resorts we have a new owner who really comes from this […]
International Olympic Committee drops Swiss bid
The Winter Olympics will not take place in Switzerland in 2030, decided the International Olympic Committee (IOC) this week, reported SRF. The IOC said it is refusing to allow the Swiss project to enter the next application phase, known as targeted dialogue. This means France will almost certainly be awarded the games for 2030, with […]
Places in Switzerland where the sun doesn’t shine (in winter)
Mountains are beautiful. But they can also leave you in the shade. Several corners of Switzerland are so well tucked away in Alpine valleys the sun does not shine on them for several months, reported SRF. In the municipality of Oberterzen in the canton of St. Gallen the sun made its final appearance on Tuesday […]
Gotthard train tunnel not fully open until September next year
The damage in the Gotthard Base train tunnel is greater than previously assumed and it will not reopen until September 2024, reported SRF. Swiss Rail boss Vincent Ducrot announced the news at a media conference this week where he presented the extent of damage and repair work in Switzerland’s most important rail tunnel. We knew […]
Serious sporting accidents on the rise in Switzerland
The number of serious sporting accidents in Switzerland continues to rise, according to BPA an accident prevention agency. Over the last 10 years the numbers of accidents from hiking and mountain biking have risen by close to 50%. Every year around 430,000 people are injured while engaging in leisure and sporting activities. Among these injuries […]