Public transport fare rise less than planned
The cost of public transport travel in Switzerland will rise in December but less than previously announced, the Swiss public transport union (VÖV) said on Thursday.
Fares for trains, buses and boats are set to increase by an average of 2.3 percent — not the 2.9 percent hike earlier announced — after an intervention from Monsieur Prix, the country’s price watchdog, Stefan Meirhans.
All the same, holders of annual transport passes will see the price rise three percent to 3,665 francs for second class travel and 2.9 percent to 5,970 francs for first class as was initially announced in May.
The price of day passes for those with a half-fare card will jump 2.5 percent to 124 francs for first-class travel and 2.8 percent to 73 francs for second class.
But after negotiations with Meirhans, the public transport union agreed to freeze the price of half-price fare cards at 175 francs a year, the union said.
The cost of special passes valid for weekday travel after 9am (except on national holidays) also remains unchanged, along with the Junior travelcard for children aged six to 16.
The price watchdog additionally succeeded in securing ticket ticket price reductions of between 30 and 50 percent on 50 major long routes operated by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB).
All told, the price watchdog was able to roll back 48 million francs’ worth of planned increases over the year starting in December.
No further price increases will occur until December 2017, Meirhans’ office said.
The transport union said it planned to test a new six-month pass for travel after 7pm for a price that has to be determined.
The objective is to improve the occupancy level of trains at night and to gain new customers, the VÖV said.
A pilot test will be initiated before a definitive decision on the night pass is made, the union said.
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Fares for trains, buses and boats are set to increase by an average of 2.3 percent — not the 2.9 percent hike earlier announced — after an intervention from Monsieur Prix, the country’s price watchdog, Stefan Meirhans.
All the same, holders of annual transport passes will see the price rise three percent to 3,665 francs for second class travel and 2.9 percent to 5,970 francs for first class as was initially announced in May.
The price of day passes for those with a half-fare card will jump 2.5 percent to 124 francs for first-class travel and 2.8 percent to 73 francs for second class.
But after negotiations with Meirhans, the public transport union agreed to freeze the price of half-price fare cards at 175 francs a year, the union said.
The cost of special passes valid for weekday travel after 9am (except on national holidays) also remains unchanged, along with the Junior travelcard for children aged six to 16.
The price watchdog additionally succeeded in securing ticket ticket price reductions of between 30 and 50 percent on 50 major long routes operated by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB).
All told, the price watchdog was able to roll back 48 million francs’ worth of planned increases over the year starting in December.
No further price increases will occur until December 2017, Meirhans’ office said.
The transport union said it planned to test a new six-month pass for travel after 7pm for a price that has to be determined.
The objective is to improve the occupancy level of trains at night and to gain new customers, the VÖV said.
A pilot test will be initiated before a definitive decision on the night pass is made, the union said.
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