Passengers are seen in a near-deserted departure area at Heathrow airport Terminal 5, where staff is striking until Monday. Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP)
As is the case before any public holiday, travelling within or out of Switzerland during this time can be a huge headache. What can you expect on the roads and in the air this week?
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As schools in most cantons are out for two weeks over the Easter holidays, many families are taking a vacation either somewhere in Switzerland or abroad.
This means that traffic will be much heavier than usual, causing jams and bottlenecks along the way.
The official start of the holidays is Friday, April 7th, but the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) has warned of disruptions caused by heavy traffic from Wednesday April 4th, especially on the north-south axes of the A2 (Gotthard) and the A13 (San Bernardino).
“Experience shows that the traffic during the Easter holidays begins to intensify from the beginning of the afternoon of the Wednesday preceding the public holidays,” according to FEDRO.
"On this day, as well as on Thursday and Good Friday, travellers should expect waiting times – especially at the northern portal of the Gotthard road tunnel. To ride in the best conditions, it is recommended to take the road early in the morning of Wednesday or Thursday."
Expect traffic jams. Photo: Pixabay
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FEDRO is also advising drivers not to leave motorways to travel on secondary roads instead.
"When heavy traffic causes jams and delays on main axes, we often observe a transfer of traffic to the secondary network,” the Roads Office says.
"This undesirable phenomenon weighs on the inhabitants of the localities bordering the national roads and ultimately has the effect of paralysing transport in the regions concerned. It is therefore important that travellers stay on the motorway even in traffic jams, if only out of respect for the local population.”
Disruptions are to be expected in particular on the following roads:
In addition, expect heavy traffic in Bernese Oberland, Graubünden Valais, as well as at various border crossing points.
What about air travel?
If you are going to be catching a plane, be prepared for long lines at the airport.
“Easter and spring break are among the peak travel times in Switzerland. We expect to have a record number of passengers since the outbreak of the corona pandemic," said Elena Stern, a spokesperson for Zurich Airport.
Between 90,000 and 98,000 passengers are expected on peak days.
The situation will be chaotic at the Geneva and EuroAirport as well.
Therefore, “it is advisable to be at the airport between two and three hours before departure", Stern said.
Arrive at the airport early to catch your flight on time. Photo: Pixabay
What else should you be aware of before setting off?
If you are heading to France, expect your travel to be disrupted.
That is because the country’s unions are still continuing to oppose the pension reform bill, with more strikes and other industrial actions expected during the Easter holiday period.
According to our sister news site, The Local France, “air traffic controllers are continuing their industrial action, which means that around 20 percent of strikes going in and out of Marseille and Bordeaux airports are cancelled on Monday.
"Other airports are not affected by cancellations but may experience knock-on effects and delays. Flights going over French airspace may be rerouted. Cancellations are usually of short-haul flights only."
On the positive side, “Rail operator SNCF says train travel will be normal or quasi normal for the beginning of the week, while city public transport including the Paris Metro is also running as normal", says The Local France.
However, if you're driving in France, be aware of fuel shortages at some filling stations, caused by ongoing strikes and blockades at oil refineries.
The most recent figures show that around 30 percent of filling stations are reporting some shortages of petrol (gasoline) or diesel, however the effects are concentrated in certain areas, with the Paris region and western France currently experiencing the most severe effects. You can find the government's fuel shortages map, updated in real time, here.
Neighbouring Germany has been experiencing strike action too, but unions have vowed to pause action over Easter.
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What about other countries?
In Spain, airport ground staff have been striking every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday since February 27th and are set to continue until April 13th, affecting Easter travel.
The affected airports are Alicante, Almería, Barcelona, Burgos, Gran Canaria, Huesca, Lanzarote, Madrid, Málaga, Murcia, Reus, Salamanca, Tenerife Sur, Valencia, Valladolid, and Zaragoza.
In the UK, some 3,000 employees working at Terminal 5 in London's Heathrow Airport, will be striking until April 9th.
This has prompted British Airways, the terminal’s main occupant, to cancel some 300 flights.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
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Arrive at the airport early to catch your flight on time. Photo: Pixabay
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
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