20 Minutes. Bern would like to discourage travel at peak times. One option under consideration is charging extra for travel at peak times. According to official figures, there were around 4.3 million commuters in Switzerland in 2014, a little over half the population. Many travelling at peak times suffer from crowded trains or traffic jams. In […]
The new Swiss trains with WiFi
At some point between now and 2019, travellers on some Swiss trains will be able to connect to WiFi. The WiFi equipment will be installed in trains used for two routes. The new Giruno trains linking Zurich, and nearby cities, to Italy via the new Gotthard tunnel, and the former Cisalpino trains linking Geneva to Italy […]
Swiss hand out first fine for wearing a burqa
On 1 July 2016, a law in the Swiss canton of Ticino, which bans anyone from hiding their face in public, came into effect. According to 20 Minutes, the first person to be punished under the new law was Nora Illi, a representative of the Islamic Central Council of Switzerland (ICCS). Last Friday, when the new […]
Stocks up on Brexit bargain hunting
1 July 2016 – Swiss and global market roundup. Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. Global equity markets are set to post gains this week as investors digest the impact of the UK’s historic vote to leave the European Union. Swiss stocks outperformed global markets as defensive heavyweights Nestlé, Roche and Novartis led gains. Volatility remained […]
Photos of the inside of a new Swiss prison
After investing CHF 21.8 million on transformation and renovation work, a prison in La Chaux-de-Fonds in the Swiss canton of Neuchatel, now has 102 new prison cells. On 18 March 2008, the canton’s leaders voted unanimously to invest in the project to transform existing buildings, some as old as 130 years, into a new prison facility. […]
Driverless buses let loose on the streets of Swiss Alpine town
The “SmartShuttle” is Switzerland’s first driverless bus. It’s running on an experimental basis through the narrow streets of the old town of Sion, the capital of The Valais. I took a ride on Wednesday. The bus has the same appeal as the old Volkswagen Beetle: ugly as hell but so practical. PostAuto’s yellow and white […]
Nestle’s coffee business is competing with itself
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. Nespresso beware: Your status as Nestle’s favorite child is under threat from your scruffy kid brother. Nestle SA, creator of the high-end Nespresso brand of coffee pods and espresso machines, is increasingly leaning on a cheaper range of single-serve coffees that it calls Nescafe Dolce Gusto. Since Nestle launched […]
Nestlé shares jump on appointment of new outsider CEO and speculation of revamp
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. Nestle SA rose the most in more than four months as investors welcomed the surprise appointment of Fresenius SE’s Ulf Mark Schneider as successor to Chief Executive Officer Paul Bulcke. The stock gained 2.7 percent to 73.05 Swiss francs at 10:16 a.m. in Zurich as analysts said the health-care […]
Summer camps – keeping the kids busy
Brought to you by InterSoccer. If you are a parent, and your boss is not kind enough to let you take the entire summer off, then you might be wondering what to do with your kids. Even if you do have time off, having energetic youngsters under your feet all day has the potential to […]
Brexit will affect Switzerland, says Swiss president
Swiss president Johann Schneider-Ammann said “This decision affects your country directly and indirectly.” Firstly, relations between Switzerland and the UK will need to be redrawn. This will not happen today, but once the UK formally leaves, in around two years time. The current rules for people and companies will stay in place until further notice. Switzerland […]
