Switzerland’s state railway, Swiss Federal Railways, reported its best punctuality on record in 2025, with only 1 in 17 trains (5.9%) arriving late, down from 6.8% in 2024. In 2025, an average Swiss train commuter making the daily trip to and from … [Read more...]
News and Features
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...]
How some Swiss struggle to integrate in Switzerland
Internal migration across Switzerland’s linguistic borders sometimes tests local integration. In the canton of Fribourg, growing numbers of French-speakers are settling in German-speaking municipalities, drawn by cheaper housing and proximity to the … [Read more...]
Upcoming Swiss votes: one tight race, three clearer outcomes
With four federal proposals heading to a vote on March 8th, opinion polls suggest one contest remains finely balanced, while voters appear to have made up their minds on the other three. According to a mid-January survey commissioned by SRG, the … [Read more...]
Swiss government plans VAT hike for military spending
Switzerland’s government plans to raise value-added tax (VAT) temporarily to finance a substantial increase in military and security spending. The Federal Council wants to raise an additional CHF 31bn over ten years through a 0.8-percentage-point … [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...]
10-step guide to hiring an employee in Switzerland
Brought to you by quitt.business. For startups and small companies, hiring and onboarding new employees can be a real hassle. In Switzerland especially, there is a significant amount of admin to deal with. The following is a guide to all the … [Read More...]
Activities
Basel Fasnacht 2025 – no ordinary festival
A parade that starts at 4 in the morning? With piccolos? And drums? In winter? Really? Yes, and you’ll be enchanted by the whole thing. Every year in the city of Basel on the Monday after Ash Wednesday (this year, March 10th), the Morgestraich … [Read more...]
Swiss architect Le Corbusier’s Villa “Le Lac” turns 100
Granted UNESCO world heritage status in July 2016, Villa "Le Lac" in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland celebrates its 100 year anniversary in 2023. A number of celebrations are planned until October. The Villa, on the outskirts of Vevey, is open to … [Read more...]
How Switzerland’s best river swim became a summertime commute
Most people float down the Aare River in Bern just for fun. For Evelyn Schneider-Reyes, it was her summertime commute home. “I only had like 30 seconds walking from my office to the river,” she recalls. “I had an ‘Aare Bag’, where I put all my … [Read more...]
