Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
Motorway vignette could soon become more expensive; Switzerland heading for “one of the highest Corona waves ever”; and more news in our roundup on Tuesday.
Motorway vignette could soon become more expensive
In 2013, the government wanted to increase the price of the obligatory motorway sticker from 40 to 100 francs. The project was, however, rejected at the ballot box by 60.5 percent of voters.
The Federal Council is now considering this measure again because higher price of the vignette would generate more money for road projects.
According to the Federal Office of Customs and Border Security, 10.5 million stickers were sold last year.
At the current price of 40 francs, this represents revenues of 420 million francs.
At 100 francs, however, more than a billion francs would be generated.
The decision is not expected before the new 2024 vignette will be available for purchase from the end of November —still at 40 francs.
SBB reiterates interest in launching a direct train to England
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) is continuing to examine the introduction of a direct train from Basel to London, according to Philipp Mäder, head of SBB’s international passenger transport.
Speaking at the Swiss Travel Association conference last week, Mäder confirmed that a train from Basel that would reach London in about five hours via the Eurotunnel is still being considered, as originally announced in May.
Switzerland heading for “one of the highest Covid waves ever”
Wastewater analysis in Zurich indicated that by the beginning of November, around one in 60 people had been infected with Covid — twice as many as at the end of October.
These latest numbers are “insane,” according to molecular biologist Dominik Steiger.
While the current variants are milder than previous ones and are not expected to claim as many victims as the early strains, “we are heading towards one of the highest Covid waves ever.”
READ ALSO: What does the increase in the number of Covid cases in Switzerland mean?
Zurich district council rejects appeal against minimum wage
The Zurich District Court has rejected two appeals against the introduction of a minimum wage in the city .
In a June referendum, 69 percent of city's voters approved the minimum wage of 23.90 francs an hour, a measure that is set to come into force from 2024.
The court's decision is not yet legally binding. It can be appealed to the administrative court.
READ ALSO: What we know about Zurich's planned minimum wage
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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Motorway vignette could soon become more expensive
In 2013, the government wanted to increase the price of the obligatory motorway sticker from 40 to 100 francs. The project was, however, rejected at the ballot box by 60.5 percent of voters.
The Federal Council is now considering this measure again because higher price of the vignette would generate more money for road projects.
According to the Federal Office of Customs and Border Security, 10.5 million stickers were sold last year.
At the current price of 40 francs, this represents revenues of 420 million francs.
At 100 francs, however, more than a billion francs would be generated.
The decision is not expected before the new 2024 vignette will be available for purchase from the end of November —still at 40 francs.
SBB reiterates interest in launching a direct train to England
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) is continuing to examine the introduction of a direct train from Basel to London, according to Philipp Mäder, head of SBB’s international passenger transport.
Speaking at the Swiss Travel Association conference last week, Mäder confirmed that a train from Basel that would reach London in about five hours via the Eurotunnel is still being considered, as originally announced in May.
Switzerland heading for “one of the highest Covid waves ever”
Wastewater analysis in Zurich indicated that by the beginning of November, around one in 60 people had been infected with Covid — twice as many as at the end of October.
These latest numbers are “insane,” according to molecular biologist Dominik Steiger.
While the current variants are milder than previous ones and are not expected to claim as many victims as the early strains, “we are heading towards one of the highest Covid waves ever.”
READ ALSO: What does the increase in the number of Covid cases in Switzerland mean?
Zurich district council rejects appeal against minimum wage
The Zurich District Court has rejected two appeals against the introduction of a minimum wage in the city .
In a June referendum, 69 percent of city's voters approved the minimum wage of 23.90 francs an hour, a measure that is set to come into force from 2024.
The court's decision is not yet legally binding. It can be appealed to the administrative court.
READ ALSO: What we know about Zurich's planned minimum wage
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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