Commuters brace for train ticket price hike
Swiss rail commuters can expect a price rise of around seven percent for tickets from 2013 after the government announced it is asking Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and other operators to pay more for use of the railway network.
The Swiss government has been criticised for a move that is expected to bring in 200 million Swiss francs ($250m) of extra revenue annually at the cost of commuters.
The government claims that various developments in the last ten years have meant that its costs are no longer covered.
These developments include more traffic on the tracks leading to a higher workload, detailed planning, and shorter servicing intervals increasing servicing and renewal costs, according to the Department of Transport (BAV).
BAV say the money will be invested in the financing and development of the rail infrastructure.
Swiss commuters already pay almost three billion Swiss francs ($3.75bn) annually for their travel passes.
The government predicts that it will need to raise prices further in 2017 to bring in an extra 100 million Swiss francs ($125m) annually.
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