A pioneering Swiss project to install removeable solar panels between railway tracks has completed its first year of operation with encouraging results, suggesting the technology can generate electricity without disrupting train services, reported … [Read more...]
News and Features
Unions launch referendum against a minimum-wage reform they describe as attack on women
Minimum wages are one of the most contentious issues in Swiss labour policy, exposing tensions between Switzerland's federal government and the cantons over who should determine pay. Trade unions and left-wing parties have now launched a … [Read more...]
Traffic jams on Swiss motorways surged in 2025
Congestion on Switzerland's motorways worsened sharply in 2025, with traffic jams reaching almost 68,000 hours, around a fifth more than a year earlier, according to figures published by the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO). The country's busiest … [Read more...]
More young Swiss men embracing traditional masculinity
A new Swiss study suggests that attitudes towards masculinity are becoming more polarised. Männlichkeit im Wandel, a report by the University of Zurich’s Jacobs Center, is based on a representative survey of 6,138 people aged 18 to 64 living in … [Read more...]
New nuclear plants a difficult option for Switzerland
Switzerland does not need new nuclear power stations to complete the energy transition, according to a report by 19 energy specialists from ETH Zurich and the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), the country's leading nuclear-research centre. They conclude … [Read more...]
Guides
Language requirements for Swiss citizenship and visas – what you need to know
Brought to you by Swiss French School. On 1 January 2019, Switzerland’s federal government tightened and harmonised the rules on language requirements to qualify for some residence permits, B and C permits in particular, and … [Read More...]
15 things you should know about Swiss health insurance
It's health insurance season. Average premiums are increasing in 2018. Compulsory basic Swiss health insurance can generally only be changed once a year. To change you must notify your current provider by 30 November. This article explains the basics … [Read More...]
Activities
Switzerland’s spectacular dams and their uncertain future
Switzerland’s 604 hydroelectric plants aren’t just powerhouses for clean energy. Some dams are also dramatic destinations. But their source of fuel is literally drying up. By Bill Harby Switzerland’s glaciers are shrinking. In 2015, of 99 Swiss … [Read more...]
Montreux to Gruyères on the chocolate train. Switzerland’s most delicious trip.
By Bill Harby Sorry Willy Wonka, but you won’t want to eat your mode of transportation on The Chocolate Train tour. However, yes, before the day is out, you will taste delicious Swiss chocolate and cheese, and still have time to explore one of the … [Read more...]
Chaplin’s World – enter the home and life of a comic genius
Film legend Charlie Chaplin spent 24 years living in the Manoir de Ban, a grand old mansion above Vevey in Switzerland. In 2016, his charming former home and grounds were cleverly and artfully transformed into Chaplin’s World and opened to the … [Read more...]
