Switzerland’s worsening commuter nightmare may find some relief with the Federal Council’s decision to grant CHF 2.7 billion this year to improve highways, part of it to be channelled toward the Lake Geneva region’s own heavily populated zones, notably Lausanne and Geneva. While some Swiss are not particularly happy about this emphasis on the “Arc […]
Changing times at Le Temps
The Swiss Competition Commission last week approved publisher, Ringier’s take-over of flagship Swiss daily Le Temps. Managing director, Valérie Boagno has left the company and Daniel Pillard, CEO at Ringier Romandie, assumes operational management in the interim. From April 2015, Stéphane Benoit-Godet (44), Bilan’s current editor-in-chief, will be the newspaper’s editor-in-chief. Benoit-Godet worked for […]
SMS tickets to move smoothly around town
Both Geneva and Lausanne transport companies have recently introduced easy ways to buy tickets on public transport. Travellers just send an SMS (text message) to buy a ticket on their phones and voila! But be aware that you need to buy your ticket before you get on the bus, tram or metro. Gaming the system […]
Travel from your couch with a drone
You can now travel around Switzerland – and neighbouring France and Italy – via a recently established site, TravelByDrone.com, that allows you to visit a town, prepare a hike, or plan a boat trip or skiing holiday, by first viewing the area from the air. The site currently comprises over 3,500 quality drone videos by […]
Divonne railway station: Going, going…?
The French spa town of Divonne-les-Bains, well-known for its colourful Sunday market, is planning a major facelift of its former railway district. The area is currently serving as a parking lot with the late 19th century station lying largely derelict apart from an SCNF ticket boutique. The nearly seven hectare site will soon be turned […]
Housing: Going up or down?
Given a growing return migration of Swiss and expatriate residents from across the border in France, but also economic uncertainty in Switzerland itself, there appears to be a contradiction in the way property prices are moving. Nation-wide, prices have continued to rise in 2014 – albeit at a slower rate. The Lake Geneva region, however, […]
Uber ignores edict and comes to Geneva
Uber, a licensed taxi substitute operating in more than 200 cities worldwide launched in Geneva this week. The controversial service connects people with a “private driver” at the tap of a button, boasting “Anytime! Anywhere! Without cash!” But all is not as it seems: the company ignores local licensing rules. Recently, licensed cabbies in London […]
Michael Schumacher moves home to continue recovery
Michael Schumacher has returned to his home near Gland from the cantonal hospital in Lausanne to continue his rehabilitation after suffering serious head injuries in a skiing accident last year. No further details have been issued regarding his condition, although a statement issued by his manager Sabine Kehm did say that he has been making […]
Ronald McDonald House overnight stays up by 10%
The Ronald McDonald House Charity provides families of seriously ill children with heavily subsidised accommodation close to the major hospitals in seven Swiss cities including Geneva, Bern and Basel. The service greatly assists families that have other young children and those that live far away. It allows parents and siblings to be together close to […]
Explaining Switzerland’s issues
Earlier this week, I had lunch with an expat friend from Vaud at one of Geneva’s leading hotels overlooking the Rhone River. He has been living in Switzerland for nearly 30 years, including a nearly decade-long stint in the German-speaking north. So he is very much aware of the divides that exist within Switzerland itself, […]
