On 19 July 2023, Valais Police reported they had charged a man with vandalism at Verbier. The man, a 38-year-old French national, is believed to be responsible for more than 100 graffiti offenses committed at the ski resort, reported the police. At the beginning of July more than 100 acts of spray painting took place […]
Body of climber found at Zermatt after 37 years
In September 1986, a 38-year-old climber from Germany disappeared without a trace in the mountains and glaciers above Zermatt. The search for the man at the time was unsuccessful. However, on 12 July 2023, 37 years later, the remains of a climber were found on the Theodul glacier above the town of Zermatt. DNA analysis […]
Swiss electronic motorway permits available from next week
Anyone wanting to drive on Switzerland’s motorway network must buy a vignette, a road tax sticker introduced in 1985 which currently costs CHF 40. This sticker must be displayed on the windscreen. From next week it will be possible to buy an electronic alternative to the physical sticker, reports Switzerland’s Federal Office for Customs and […]
Gotthard tunnel queues reach 15 kilometres
Switzerland’s Gotthard tunnel is a key link between northern and southern Switzerland. During the summer holiday season it becomes a major traffic choke point. On Sunday 16 July 2023, traffic queues north of the tunnel stretched as far as 15 kilometres, according to SRF. The waiting time to get to the tunnel was as long […]
Zurich air passenger numbers back to pre-Covid levels
On 16 July 2023, more than 100,000 air travellers passed through Zurich airport. This is the first time since the Covid pandemic that passenger numbers have reached six figures, reported the airport company. During the pandemic, some thought attitudes to air travel might change durably as people fell into a routine of holidaying closer to […]
Firefighters continue to fight Swiss forest fire
On Monday 17 July 2023, a forest fire started in the municipality of Bitsch in the canton of Valais. Firefighters continue to work to bring the blaze under control and will continue through the weekend, reported SRF. According to Valais Police the fire had covered an area of around 100 hectares by Tuesday. Six helicopters […]
Fertility reaches 20-year low in Switzerland
Data from Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office show a further decline in the average number of births per woman. In 2022, the rate was 1.39 children per woman or 9.3 births per 1,000 residents, the lowest level in 20 years. During 2022 around 82,000 babies were born in Switzerland, 8.5% fewer than in 2021. Extrapolating recent […]
1,000 franc annual train pass finds political support
The idea of encouraging greater use of public transport with a cheaper travel pass has been around for a long time. As Switzerland’s federal election approaches and Swiss Rail fare increases are set to kick in at the end of 2023 the idea has come back into the political spotlight. More specifically members of the […]
Limited cooling on Swiss trains deliberate
As summer temperatures rise, some users of public transport in Switzerland have been complaining about a lack of air conditioning on trains, trams and buses. This limited cooling is deliberate, according to SRF. In an interview with SRF, a spokesperson for Basel’s public transport company explained that cooling limits are designed to avoid thermal shock, […]
Switzerland records hottest day of year
On 11 July 2023, Switzerland experienced its hottest day of the year. The highest temperature in Switzerland of 37.6 degrees was recorded in Chur, the capital of Gruabunden, reported RTS. This temperature is striking given Chur sits at an altitude of 592 metres above sea level. High temperatures in July follow an unusually hot June. […]
