On Monday, the Federal Council responded favourably to the idea of offering GA travel passes to Ukrainian refugees, reported the newspaper Le Matin. The GA pass is an annual ticket that offers unlimited travel on trains, boats, buses and trams. A second class GA pass normally costs CHF 3,860 for an adult and CHF 1,645 […]
In Switzerland, 400,000 people struggle with everyday mathematics
On 14 March 2022, UNESCO celebrated the International Day of Mathematics, an event started in 2019 to highlight the importance of mathematics in everyday life. The date was chosen because Pi, one of the world’s most widely-known mathematical constants can be rounded to 3.14, which matches the US abbreviation for March 14. Widespread mathematical illiteracy […]
Swiss skies turn orange
On 15 March 2022, people across parts of Switzerland awoke to strange orange skies. This phenomenon is caused by sand from the Sahara desert. It is a well known meteorological phenomenon that occurs roughly three times a year in Switzerland, typically during spring and autumn. The image above is from a Meteo Swiss webcam at […]
Chart of the week: Switzerland’s most popular sporting activities
Unsurprisingly, hiking and skiing are among the top sporting activities in Switzerland. Cycling, swimming, jogging, fitness training, weight lifting, yoga, dance and gymnastics complete the top ten. Switzerland’s most popular sporting activities in 2020 included walking and hiking (56.9%), cycling excluding mountain biking (42.0%), swimming (38.6%), skiing (34.9%) and jogging (27.0%). The sports with the […]
Swiss government issues special visa for Ukrainian refugees
On 11 March 2022, Switzerland’s government decided to issue special S visas from midnight, reported RTS. These visas will allow the holder to stay in Switzerland for a year and can be extended for longer if their safety is at risk. The S visas, something that has never been issued before, will allow employment, allow […]
Swiss fighters heading to Ukraine risk prison
Around 35 volunteers, including 3 Swiss citizens, have contacted the Ukrainian embassy in Switzerland about joining the war effort in Ukraine, reported 20 Minutes. However, Swiss citizens engaging in a foreign war risk up to three years in prison. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken of a 16,000 strong battalion of foreign volunteers and encouraged […]
Switzerland to donate 80 million francs to Ukraine
As the humanitarian crisis worsens in Ukraine, the Swiss government has agreed to send CHF 80 million in humanitarian aid to help those needing emergency help, reported RTS. According to Switzerland’s Federal Council, around 12 million people in Ukraine need emergency aid. Switzerland has already sent 500 tonnes of emergency supplies to Ukraine, Poland and […]
Compulsory Swiss military service: reform options include women
This week, against the backdrop of war in Ukraine, Switzerland’s federal government set out a number of options for the reform of Switzerland’s military service. By 2024, the government aims to have a reform plan, which might extend compulsory service to women. Work on the project began long before the war in Ukraine. A key […]
The people who moved in Switzerland in 2020
During 2020, 10.3% of Switzerland’s population moved. The average distance moved was 12.5 km. However, the likelihood of movement and the distance moved varied significantly by age and nationality. People in the age band between 20 and 40 were the most likely to move. There was also a small bump in numbers between the ages […]
Over 16,000 Swiss households ready to accommodate Ukrainian refugees
This week, RTS reported that there were more than 16,000 Swiss households extending offers of accommodation to Ukrainian refugees. The number equates to around 40,000 beds. A number of Ukrainian refugees have already arrived in Switzerland, reported the broadcaster. 1,314 were reported to be housed in federal refugee centres where there are around 5,000 available […]
