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TODAY IN SWITZERLAND

Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday

Fewer train connections in Switzerland, cheaper housing in Zurich and the rest of the news roundup on Thursday.

Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday
Fewer connections are planned for 2023. Photo by Kajetan Sumila on Unsplash

Coming soon: more affordable housing in Zurich

Rents are notoriously high in Switzerland’s largest city, but some relief is on the way.

Municipal authorities have successfully negotiated a barter deal with Welti-Furrer real estate company to offer a number of reasonably priced apartments in the Altstetten neighbourhood.

While the amount the flats are renting for was not published, Blick reports that the negotiations yielded “974 square metres of affordable living space to be rented out during 25 years”.

READ MORE: EXPLAINED: How inflation is increasing housing costs in Switzerland

Swiss Federal Railways want to eliminate some train connections

In its draft timetable for 2023, the company (SBB ) proposes to reduce the number of trains circulating between some Swiss cities.

For instance, SBB is planning to do away with the trains departing from Bern at 7:10 am and 4:10 pm, and the departures from Zurich at 6:49 am.

Two morning connections on the Lucerne-Zurich route are also to be eliminated, along with come off-peak-hour trains in other parts on Switzerland.

However, the draft timetable for 2023 also provides for an expansion for the leisure traffic on weekends, including between Geneva and Chur.

New direct connections are also planned on the Romanshorn-Interlaken route. This means that the tourist destinations in the Bernese Oberland will be better linked to eastern Switzerland and the Zurich area.

Swissmedic to Moderna: It’s too early for second boosters

After Paul Burton, chief medical officer of the vaccine manufacturer Moderna, announced in the Swiss media this week that vaccines will have to be administered “year after year”, Switzerland’s drug regulatory body responded that second boosters are not yet planned in the country.

Swissmedic said that neither Moderna nor other vaccine manufacturers have submitted an authorisation request for a second booster in Switzerland.

In order for the process to get off the ground,the Federal Vaccinations Commission (FVC) will also have to issue a recommendation for the booster dose before it is given to all age groups.

For people over 65 or with chronic illnesses, this will likely be possible in the fall, according to FVC head. Christoph Berger.

READ MORE: Reader question: When will Switzerland roll out second Covid boosters?

Switzerland wants to speed up the purchase of American fighter jets

Although the decision to buy 36 US-made F-35A planes remains controversial, the Federal Council decided to accelerate the purchase.

With a number of other countries buying these fighter jets as well, the government is concerned there could be delivery delays. “In order for Switzerland to be able to protect its population from air threats beyond 2030, it must receive its first F-35As as early as 2027”, the Federal Council said in a press release.

Under the terms of the agreement, the offer is valid only until March 31st, 2023, but “the deterioration of the security situation prompts the Federal Council to want to fill the gaps in military capabilities quicker than expected”.
 
No specific date is given but it will be before the March deadline, 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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TODAY IN SWITZERLAND

Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday

Government decides on 13th pension modalities; Switzerland and Germany agree on fining each other's drivers; and more news in our roundup on Thursday.

Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday

Federal Council decides on 13th pension payouts and funding

After a referendum on March 3rd, when Swiss voters accepted the ‘13th pension’ initiative, the executive branch of the government was tasked with figuring out how to best implement the new law, and how to finance it

On Wednesday, the Federal Council decided to pay the 13th pension once a year, rather than spread it out over 12 months. 

In terms of financing the new scheme, the Federal Council is still mulling over two options: either to increase employee contributions by 0.8 percent, or raise them by 0.5 percent, with the rest of the revenue coming from a 0.4-percent hike in the Value-Added Tax.

The new measure will go into effect from 2026.

Switzerland and Germany agree on fining each other’s motorists

German motorists fined in Switzerland for traffic violations will soon be required to pay the fine in Germany — and vice-versa.

This measure is stipulated in a new bilateral police agreement between the two countries, to go into effect on May 1st.

The new regulation applies if the fine imposed exceeds 70 euros or 80 francs.

In Switzerland, these thresholds are reached quickly: exceeding the speed limit by 20 km per hour on the motorway  costs 180 francs (184.30 euros), and is even more expensive on secondary roads. In Germany, this type of offence costs 60 euros (58.75 francs). 
 
READ ALSO: Do I have to pay a fine if I get caught speeding in Switzerland in a foreign car?

Looking ahead at the rest of the week:

Geneva public transport disruption

Major disruptions are expected on lines 15 and 17 of the TPG network during part of the Easter school holidays.

That’s because power supply will be interrupted throughout the Route des Acacias sector for a week due to work related to the cleanup of the Drize. 

The TPG will take advantage of this temporary interruption to carry out maintenance work on the tracks in this section. Consequently, no trams will run on lines 15 and 17 between Plainpalais and Lancy-Piscine from today  at 11 pm until Friday April 5th at 4 am.

A replacement bus on line 15 will be put into service between Plainpalais and Palettes.

The Easter holidays were chosen for these works to “minimise nuisance for users of public transport,” the TPG said in a press release.

Also ahead :

Daylight savings time will begin on Easter Sunday, March 31st, at 2am. Clocks will be set one hour forward.

March 31st is also the deadline for tax declarations in most of Switzerland.

And this what you can expect to be open on Easter:

READ ALSO: What will be open in Switzerland over the Easter holiday weekend?

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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