Many of the 60,000 Ukrainian refugees arriving in Switzerland found accommodation in Swiss homes. Now more and more are seeking independent accommodation and are facing the same challenges faced by others arriving in Switzerland: vacant homes are rare and very expensive. In a typical year net migration into Switzerland is around 50,000. The number of […]
Swiss dam dumping water during drought and energy shortage
A dam in Switzerland is releasing huge quantities of water despite widespread drought conditions and hose bans across Switzerland, reported Blick. The Gibidum reservoir and dam in the canton of Valais has a problem that much of the rest of the country would like to have: too much water. The dam that contains the lake’s […]
Hydro electricity industry accused of record fish deaths in Switzerland
High temperatures, a lack of precipitation and competition for water from hydroelectricity is killing record numbers of fish is Switzerland, reported RTS. According to the Swiss Fishing Federation (SFF), we are currently witnessing fish mortality at a historic level with some species facing the threat of extinction. Across the Swiss plateau and the southern side […]
Portable electric heaters may face ban in Switzerland
After a steep rise in gas and heating oil prices, portable electric heaters have been flying of the shelves in Switzerland. However, with a squeeze on electricity production there are fears these extra heaters might destabilise the power grid, reported the newspaper Tagesanzeiger. Portable electric heater sales are up 300% compared to last year, according […]
Swiss plan to register air passenger details sparks criticism
Switzerland’s federal government wants to create a database containing the personal details of air passengers to counter terrorism and crime, reported RTS. However, the project has drawn serious criticism. After the terrorist attack in the US on 11 September 2001, America’s federal government demanded access to passenger data. Destination, name, passport number, birth date and […]
Trust in neighbours high in Switzerland, according to survey
A survey published this week shows high levels of trust and generosity towards neighbours in Switzerland. Published by the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute, an offshoot of Migros, the survey reported that three quarters of those surveyed felt very safe where they lived and practically no one reported being dissatisfied with their relationships with their neighbours. 67% […]
July 2022 Switzerland’s sunniest month on record
July 2022 broke a Swiss record. Never before has such a sunny month been recorded in Switzerland. Geneva was Switzerland’s sunniest city. There the sun shone for 373 hours, a Swiss record. The previous Swiss record dates back to July 1911, when the sun shone in Bern for 370 hours, reported the weather service Meteo […]
How important is the “CH” sticker on Swiss cars abroad?
The “CH” sticker that Swiss drivers must legally put on their vehicles before entering another country is required under the 1968 international convention on road traffic. Under the convention, any vehicle driven outside its home territory must display country initials made up of one to three latin characters. Most European plates incorporate the required identifying […]
Question of the week: why do so many Swiss rental cars have AI plates?
In Switzerland, cars are registered in the canton where the car owner resides, so most cars in a given canton bear the plates of that canton. However, there is a notable exception. Cars with plates from Appenzell-Innerrhoden (AI), Switzerland’s least populated canton, seem to pop up in large numbers everywhere. Why? Most car owners are […]
Swiss inflation remains stable in July 2022
Figures published by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO) on 3 August 2022 show annual inflation running at 3.4% in July, the same rate as June. Switzerland’s consumer price index (CPI) remained stable in July 2022 compared with the previous month, and 3.4% higher compared with the same month of the previous year, said FSO. Over […]
