Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
Another hike of health insurance rates expected for 2025; new road rules for e-bikes and vehicles go onto effect; and more Swiss news in our roundup on Tuesday.
Medium-sized Swiss towns are best for cost of living, study shows
Medium-sized Swiss communities performed best in an evaluation of prices, according to an analysis by the consulting firm Wüest Partner.
In addition to lower rents and property purchase prices, as well as accessibility by transport, these communities also offer advantages in terms of taxes and health insurance premiums.
In this respect, the best towns are located in the central plateau along the A1 motorway between Fribourg and eastern Switzerland, the study found.
The commune of Kerzers (FR) tops the list. Aargau towns of Rheinfelden and Spreitenbach also got high scores.
At the bottom of the rating, on the other hand, are remote villages in the cantons of Graubünden, Valais. and Ticino.
Health insurance premiums to rise further in 2025
It’s early days yet, but experts are already forecasting higher rates for the obligatory health insurance (KVG / LaMal) next year.
That’s because the overall cost of healthcare is already 6.6 percent higher now than it was at the same time in 2023.
This is the national hike so far; in certain cantons, the numbers are even higher: 12 percent in Jura and Neuchâtel, 10 percent in Vaud, 9 percent in Fribourg and Geneva , and 7 percent in Valais.
Meanwhile, in the next round of national referendums on June 9th, the Swiss will vote on two issues directly related to the cost of health insurance: one calling for curbing the premiums at 10 percent of income, and the other seeking to base premiums on earnings.
READ ALSO: In which Swiss cantons is most income spent on health insurance?
Three killed in Swiss Alps
An avalanche at the top Swiss ski resort of Zermatt on Monday killed three people and injured one, police said, as authorities warned of the risk of more disasters amid heavy winds and snowfall.
Video images on social media showed a wall of snow crossing an off-piste sector of the Riffelberg sector of Zermatt, one of the most luxury ski resorts in the Alps.
For the full story click here: Three killed in avalanche at Swiss Alps ski resort
New safety standards for vehicles and e-bikes are now in effect
Two new laws are in effect from Monday:
The first one stipulates that all high-speed e-bikes that exceed 45 km/h, will have to be equipped with a speedometer when they are put into circulation for the first time.
Owners of fast electric bikes that are already in circulation, on the other hand, have until April 1st, 2027 to equip their bikes with a tachometer — an instrument which measures the working speed of an engine.
The second rule states that new vehicles will now have to be equipped with new driver assistance systems.
They will make it possible, for example, to alert the driver in the event of drowsiness or distraction, to carry out emergency braking, or to provide assistance when reversing and changing direction.
New vehicles must also be equipped with an accident data recorder.
Geneva bans disposable tableware in public places
From today, organisers of public events subject to authorisation will have to replace all disposable utensils with the reusable kind to serve food and drinks.
The reasons for the move is that single-use tableware generates waste, and its disposal requires that additional human and financial resources be allocated to cleanups.
They also create environmental concerns.
“Carried away by waterways and the wind, this waste affects natural environments. In addition, disposable tableware has an environmental impact during its production and disposal, which is disproportionate to its single use and short duration,” Geneva authorities said.
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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Medium-sized Swiss towns are best for cost of living, study shows
Medium-sized Swiss communities performed best in an evaluation of prices, according to an analysis by the consulting firm Wüest Partner.
In addition to lower rents and property purchase prices, as well as accessibility by transport, these communities also offer advantages in terms of taxes and health insurance premiums.
In this respect, the best towns are located in the central plateau along the A1 motorway between Fribourg and eastern Switzerland, the study found.
The commune of Kerzers (FR) tops the list. Aargau towns of Rheinfelden and Spreitenbach also got high scores.
At the bottom of the rating, on the other hand, are remote villages in the cantons of Graubünden, Valais. and Ticino.
Health insurance premiums to rise further in 2025
It’s early days yet, but experts are already forecasting higher rates for the obligatory health insurance (KVG / LaMal) next year.
That’s because the overall cost of healthcare is already 6.6 percent higher now than it was at the same time in 2023.
This is the national hike so far; in certain cantons, the numbers are even higher: 12 percent in Jura and Neuchâtel, 10 percent in Vaud, 9 percent in Fribourg and Geneva , and 7 percent in Valais.
Meanwhile, in the next round of national referendums on June 9th, the Swiss will vote on two issues directly related to the cost of health insurance: one calling for curbing the premiums at 10 percent of income, and the other seeking to base premiums on earnings.
READ ALSO: In which Swiss cantons is most income spent on health insurance?
Three killed in Swiss Alps
An avalanche at the top Swiss ski resort of Zermatt on Monday killed three people and injured one, police said, as authorities warned of the risk of more disasters amid heavy winds and snowfall.
Video images on social media showed a wall of snow crossing an off-piste sector of the Riffelberg sector of Zermatt, one of the most luxury ski resorts in the Alps.
For the full story click here: Three killed in avalanche at Swiss Alps ski resort
New safety standards for vehicles and e-bikes are now in effect
Two new laws are in effect from Monday:
The first one stipulates that all high-speed e-bikes that exceed 45 km/h, will have to be equipped with a speedometer when they are put into circulation for the first time.
Owners of fast electric bikes that are already in circulation, on the other hand, have until April 1st, 2027 to equip their bikes with a tachometer — an instrument which measures the working speed of an engine.
The second rule states that new vehicles will now have to be equipped with new driver assistance systems.
They will make it possible, for example, to alert the driver in the event of drowsiness or distraction, to carry out emergency braking, or to provide assistance when reversing and changing direction.
New vehicles must also be equipped with an accident data recorder.
Geneva bans disposable tableware in public places
From today, organisers of public events subject to authorisation will have to replace all disposable utensils with the reusable kind to serve food and drinks.
The reasons for the move is that single-use tableware generates waste, and its disposal requires that additional human and financial resources be allocated to cleanups.
They also create environmental concerns.
“Carried away by waterways and the wind, this waste affects natural environments. In addition, disposable tableware has an environmental impact during its production and disposal, which is disproportionate to its single use and short duration,” Geneva authorities said.
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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