20 Minutes. Switzerland’s parliament voted 117 to 60 to reject the Federal Council’s plan to increase the tax on a packet of cigarettes in 2017. The Council of States, Switzerland’s upper house, will give its verdict next. From 2005 to 2015, the price of a packet of the most widely sold cigarettes has risen from […]
The Swiss commune that inspired a Nobel-prize-winning theory on communal ownership
A traditional village in the Upper Valais helped give the world two of the most influential modern ideas in sociology and environmental activism. The region’s also worth visiting for its breath-taking 300˚ view of the Alps, visible from the top of an amazing high marshland, and for a super restaurant 2048 metres up above the […]
Regular passenger trains start running through world’s longest train tunnel
Tribune de Genève. The world’s longest train tunnel (57km) now has trains running through it. After spending CHF 12.2 billion over 17 years the tunnel is now open for business. Regular passenger trains running between Zurich and Bellinzona will now get there around 30 minutes faster, in a total journey time of 1 hour and 38 […]
Swiss parliament rejects tobacco advertising ban
20 Minutes. According to a study published by the Swiss federal office of public health last December1, two thirds of the Swiss public were in favour of banning tobacco advertising, everywhere except at the point of sale. 58% were even in favour of a blanket ban, while one in six wanted to see cigarette price increases. Switzerland’s […]
Swiss fact: 90 percent of Swiss electricity came from hydro in 1970. Now it’s only 60.
According to Swiss statistics1, 90% of the nation’s electricity was generated hydraulically in 1970. By 2015, this percentage had fallen to 60. What happened? Between these dates hydroelectric output increased by 26%, from around 31,000 GWh to nearly 40,000 GWh. At the same time demand shot up faster requiring an 89% increase in output, an […]
Proposal to strip Swiss politicians of first class train passes
20 Minutes. National Councillor Lukas Reimann of the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SG) would like to see Swiss politicians, public servants and Swiss Rail staff stripped of their free annual first class Swiss Rail passes. He thinks they should be offered second class passes instead. From 11 December an annual first class pass on Swiss Rail […]
Swiss temperatures turn negative as ‘bise’ wind brings cold snap
Meteo Swiss has warned of low temperatures, particularly in the three lakes region of Switzerland. The overnight low last night was -7 degrees in La Chaux-de-Fonds. While these temperatures are not extremely low, winds of over 100km/h in some places making them feel much colder than they are. This temperature drop is due to a […]
No more compulsory training for dog owners
24 Heures. Last week, Switzerland’s Federal Council confirmed parliament’s decision to end the requirement for dog owners to undergo training. However, cantons will be able to pass their own laws if they wish. The Zurich politician Ruedi Noser (PLR/FDP) started the move to change the rules. According to him, the courses were expensive, administratively burdensome […]
Geneva and Vaud vote for early shutdown of Switzerland’s nuclear reactors
Today, Swiss voted on whether to accelerate the closure of the nation’s five nuclear reactors. The government’s existing plan to exit nuclear power generation involves initiating the shutdown of all five reactors between 2019 and 2034. Under the nuclear initiative, voted on today, shutdown would be accelerated, starting in 2017 with the last closure starting […]
Steep price increases for Swiss Rail passengers despite deflation
Today, Swiss Rail announced big price increases on some tickets and passes. The new prices will apply from 11 December 20161. According to the Swiss government consumer price index, average prices declined by 2.1% between October 2010 and October 20162. Over the same six years, from December 20103 to December 2016, the price of a […]
