Switzerland’s Federal Council announced on June 2 that it plans to maintain border restrictions with Italy until further notice as a reciprocal border arrangement with Italy would be premature. From 3 June 2020, Swiss residents will be able to travel to and return from Italy, but Italians or Italian residents will not be able to […]
Mountain biking in the Jura
SPRING-SUMMER-AUTUMN The Alps have their attraction, but some of the best mountain biking is just outside Geneva. For most of us, Sunday mornings are meant for kicking back and relaxing. For me, it means waking up and hitting the trails as early as possible. That’s when they’re the best. Empty. Unridden. Pumped up with caffeine, […]
Swiss extends China flight cancellations
Lufthansa Group, which includes Swiss, announced that it is extending the cancellation of flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Shenyang and Quingdao until 28 March 2020. An earlier suspension ran until 9 February, which was then extended to 29 February 2020. The airline is offering free refund or rebooking for flights to/from mainland China. Flights to […]
4 best mountain spas in French-speaking Switzerland
ALL YEAR ROUND The Alps are synonymous with skiing but alpine geothermal springs and spas are sometimes overlooked. If the thought of lugging skis, poles and person to the ski lift to spend a day risking life and limb on snow isn’t appealing, or the sun has gone into hiding, then why not head to […]
Swiss authorities set up Coronavirus helpline
Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) has set up two helpline numbers to provide information to the public. They have also set up a page on their website with regular updates. So far no one in Switzerland has been diagnosed with the Coronavirus (nCoV) based on the samples analysed, but experts believe the risk […]
A quick guide on the Coronavirus
Since the initial outbreak of the virus in the city of Wuhan in December 2019, the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has spread rapidly. The Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is from the coronavirus family that contains SARS, MERS and some common colds. As of 29 January, 5,974 cases of infected individuals had been recorded in China, with 132 […]
Swiss cancels all flights to China
Today, Swiss announced it was temporarily suspending all flights to and from mainland China. Flights to Bejing Capital Airport (PEK) and Shanghai Pudong Airport (PVG) are affected, it said. The announcement is a response to the global spread of the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), a contagious virus that can lead to life threatening pneumonia. The virus […]
Swiss winter holiday traffic forecast
Ahead of the holidays, Switzerland’s Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) published its winter holiday traffic forecast. Traffic jams and slowdowns are expected on the following stretches of road: Spiez – Kandersteg Gampel – Goppenstein Brunnen – Flüelen (Axenstrasse) Rarogne – Brigue Bellinzone – Locarno The map below shows these are other stretches where progress is likely […]
Cancellation risk – flights out of Switzerland
The French love of strikes makes travelling in and out or within France a risky business. Strikes this week are a reminder of this risk. Airlines are warning Swiss travellers of potential flight cancellations this week due to French strikes. Geneva airport has posted a cancellation warning on its website. Easyjet, the airport’s largest carrier, […]
Lausanne ranked world’s best small city
Lausanne grabs top spot in the global affairs and lifestyle magazine Monocle’s debut ranking of the world’s best small cities. To qualify, a city needs to be home to roughly 200,000 people. This provides a sweet spot between social and cultural diversity and quaintness, according to the publisher. Lausanne has a population of 140,000. Once […]
