This week, Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) recommended Swiss nationals leave Iran in a post on X. It also advised against travel to the country. According to the FDDA, the situation regarding the conflict in the Middle East is very volatile. The risk of escalation has continued to increase, the evolution of the […]
Switzerland grounds its cloud seeding hail plane
Since 2018, a plane has flown over parts of Switzerland releasing silver iodide in clouds responsible for hail storms. This week, the project was abandoned, reported SRF. The pilots of the Cessna aircraft, which was operated by Baloise Insurance, worked closely with the weather service. Radar was used to locate clouds expected to cause hail […]
Swiss inflation dips below 1 percent for first time in three years
Consumer prices at the end of September 2024 were only 0.8% higher than the were at the end of September 2023, reported Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO) this week. This is the lowest annual rate of inflation since July 2021. Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) dropped by 0.3% during the month of September 2024. The recent […]
Rising number of Swiss report sleeping problems
In 2022, a third of Switzerland’s population suffered from challenges sleeping, up 5 percentage points from 1997, according to a survey by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The proportion of people with sleep disorders in Switzerland rose 5 percentage points over the 25 years between 1997 and 2022, with a significant rise starting in 2012. […]
EU rejects Swiss migration safeguard clause
Switzerland and the EU currently have an agreement that grants citizens freedom to live and work across Switzerland and the bloc. As part of a new agreement, Switzerland wanted a safeguard clause that would allow Switzerland to unilaterally impose permit quotas for a limited time. On 2 October 2024, the EU said it rejected the […]
Proposal to make Swiss motorways more expensive for foreigners
This week, two PLR/FDP parliamentarians proposed increasing the price of the motorway vignette required to drive on the Swiss motorway network, reported SRF. The two politicians making the proposal are from the cantons of Schwytz and Ticino, two cantons affected by the heavy traffic passing through the Gotthard tunnel, one of the key north-south connections […]
Federal Council aims for winter Olympics in 2038 – seventh time lucky?
The last time the winter Olympics were in Switzerland was 1948 when they took place in St. Moritz. Since then Switzerland has not been a host despite being in the running six times. This week, Switzerland’s sports minister Viola Amherd said she would welcome the Winter Olympics in 2038, reported RTS. On Friday, the Federal […]
Swiss Rail plans weekend night trains between main centres
Swiss Rail is planning night trains connecting Switzerland’s main cities starting in 2026, according to CH Media and RTS. The rail company plans to link centres such as Zurich, Basel and Geneva at night during the weekends, according to reports. Intercity trains would run between Geneva and Zurich with a transfer hub in Olten in […]
Swiss parliament votes in favour of stricter asylum policy
On 24 September 2024, Switzerland’s parliament voted in favour of several motions aimed at tightening asylum policy. These include moves to remove the right of temporarily admitted asylum seekers to bring their families, and tougher rules for Ukrainians in Switzerland with protection S status, reported SRF. The motion seeking to remove the right of temporarily […]
Swiss health insurance set to rise further in 2025
This week, Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, Switzerland’s Health Minister, announced health insurance premiums will rise by an average of 6% in 2025 to CHF 378.70 a month. However, the range of the increase varies from 1.5% to 10.5% depending on the canton of residence. According the minister, the increase is driven by rising health care costs and […]
