SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

WHAT CHANGES IN SWITZERLAND

Everything that changes in Switzerland in June 2024

From important referendums to train and road travel disruptions, these are the events and changes that are planned in Switzerland in June 2024.

Everything that changes in Switzerland in June 2024
Swiss voters (here in canton Vaud) will go to the polls on June 9th. Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)

June 1st: Switzerland strengthens its borders 

Due to the increased threat of terrorism during the European Football Championship in Germany and the Summer Olympics in France, Switzerland is ‘temporarily increasing’ controls at its borders, the Federal Council said.

Faced with these threats, the government has decided to reinforce controls at Swiss borders from June 1st until the end of the Paralympic Games, on September 8th, 2024.

June 1st: Swisscom could drop 20,000 customers

According to media reports, the country’s largest telecom operator will abandon its web hosting activity on June 1st. 

“It is suggesting that affected customers switch to one of the company’s subsidiaries: Localsearch, MTF Solutions, or Global IP Action,” 

The latter, however, requires a ‘switch’ fee of 9.50 francs .

June 4th: Fighter jets on a motorway

The A1 motorway between Avenches and Payerne in canton Vaud will be closed to ‘regular’ traffic from June 4th to 6th.

That’s because F/A-18 fighter jets will be landing on, and taking off from, this section of the highway.

The reason is that the Swiss Air Force will be testing whether in case of emergencies its fighter aircraft can also be deployed from improvised locations, such as motorways.

June 9th: National referendums

The Swiss will vote on some hot-button issues in a second round of national referendums.

Two proposals aiming to curb the cost of the obligatory health insurance (KVG / LaMal) are on the ballot.

The first one calls for capping the insurance rates at 10 percent of income, with the excess be paid for by the federal and cantonal governments.

The second provides for a ‘brake’ on health costs, which should evolve according to the economy and wages.

READ ALSO: How Switzerland’s two crucial health insurance referendums could impact you 

Also on the ballot is a proposal titled “For the freedom of physical integrity,” launched by the STOP compulsory vaccination committee of a group called Swiss Freedom Movement.

The initiative demands “protection of the body” against interference by the state — anything from vaccinations and other medical procedures to actions involving physical contact that could impact a person’s physical and mental state.

READ ALSO: What’s at stake in Switzerland’s ‘physical integrity’ referendum on June 9th? 

The fourth issue is the electricity supply.

That’s because supplying Switzerland with sufficient energy has become a challenge due to International conflicts and the restructuring of the European power grid.

Therefore, a new law sets the ground for Switzerland to rapidly produce more electricity from renewable energy sources such as water, sun, wind, and biomass. 

June 9th: Geneva to weigh in on foreigners’ voting rights

Geneva residents will go to the polls to decide on an initiative launched by the trade unions and political left, calling for foreigners who have lived in the canton for at least eight years to be able to vote and stand as candidates for political offices at the cantonal level.

Foreign nationals can already vote in Geneva on municipal level, but supporters of the initiative argue that his ‘upgrade’ to the cantonal voting rights is important, because it would enable foreigners to have more political impact.

READ ALSO: Could Geneva be first Swiss canton to grant foreign residents more voting rights? 

June 9th: International train disruption

From this day and for at least three months, the train service between Italian cities of Domodossola and Milan will be interrupted due to railway works, also disrupting travel between western Switzerland and Italy.

To make it easier for people from Switzerland to reach Italy during the peak summer travel, Swiss national rail company SBB is considering setting up direct buses from Geneva and Lausanne to Milan via the Grand Saint-Bernard tunnel.

“We are planning around three buses in each direction every day,” the company said. 

June 14th: Feminist strike

As in years past, women in Switzerland will take to the streets to highlight the gender bias that is widespread in the country, especially regarding work, wages, and childcare conditions. 

This annual event began in 2017, with women in various countries, including Switzerland, rallying for equal pay, as well as other gender and trans-gender rights.

June 15th -16th: Switzerland to host high-level conference on peace in Ukraine

The summit, to be held at the Bürgenstock resort in the canton of Nidwalden, aims to establish a forum on ways to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine, in accordance with international law and the UN Charter.

While a number of countries have already accepted an invitation from the Swiss president Viola Armherd to attend the conference, Russia said it would not be there. 

June 20th: The first day of summer

Regardless of weather, June 20th marks the astronomical first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

It will last until the first day of fall, that is, September 22nd.

Throughout the month: traffic disruptions 

Avoid these roads where congestion is expected to be heavier than usual:

A1

The motorway will be closed between the junctions of Gland and Coppet for nine nights between May 27th and July 11th. 

The road will first be closed between 10 pm and 5 am between Nyon and Coppet (direction Geneva),and  then between Nyon and Coppet (direction Lausanne).

Detours will be put in place on the secondary network.

Between Yverdon-Sud and Essert-Pittet, closure is planned from May 28th to June 4th.

And also during the nights of May 30th to June 4th, the Jura roadway will be closed off towards Lausanne, between the Yverdon Sud and Essert-Pittet junctions. Here too, detours will be clearly marked.

Gotthard tunnel

In June, the Gotthard road tunnel will be closed to traffic for a total of eight nights for maintenance work .

Nighttime closures will take place from June 17th to 21st and June 24th to 28th, from 8 pm to 5 am.

The Gotthard Pass, which remained closed at Pentecost due to heavy snowfall but was recently reopened, is among the detour routes.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

WHAT CHANGES IN SWITZERLAND

Everything that changes in Switzerland in July 2024

From price hikes to disrupted train travel, this is what you can expect in Switzerland in July 2024.

Everything that changes in Switzerland in July 2024

July is a traditional holiday month in Switzerland and much of the country comes to a standstill (the same way as Italy and France do in August).

The government is also on a break, so political life slows down as well.

Additionally, a number of offices work on a reduced schedule, so it may seem that nothing at all happens in the country this month, but in fact quite a few changes, and other events, are underway:

July 1st: Price of Swiss milk to go up

You will have to pay 3 cents more for a litre of milk — an increase which is meant to bring some financial relief to Swiss dairy farmers.

But only the milk intended for drinking will become more expensive; the product which is used for cheese production will not be impacted by the price hike. 

July 1st: Cost of certain medications will increase

Swiss consumers pay significantly more for their medicines than those in neighbouring European countries. 

From July 1st,  inexpensive medicines whose factory price is less than, or equal to, 15 francs, will become more expensive. 

This change will affect more than half of medications currently being sold in Switzerland.

As a result of this move, “additional costs of several hundred million will be passed on to patients,” according to Intergenrika, which represents generic drug manufacturers in Switzerland. 

In a nutshell, consumers will pay slightly lower prices for medicines that were previously more expensive, but will also end up paying more  for those that are currently cheaper – like generics.

July 1st: SBB will change public announcements concerning suicides on train tracks

About 112 people throw themselves under moving trains each year in Switzerland.

When that happens, and the train stops midway, the public system announcement over loud speakers in the train and at all stations impacted by the delay, cites “personal accident” as a reason for the disruption.

Everyone knows, however, that this is a code word for suicide, and such announcements upset commuters.

For this reason, Swiss national rail company, SBB,  said that from July 1st, “personal accident” will be replaced by a more neutral “event linked to an external cause” — which will cover all disruptions, and not just suicides. 

More price hikes: Swisscom’s new ‘package’ to become more expensive

From July 24th, Switzerland’s largest telecom will abandon its inOne Home package, which includes the telephone, Internet and television.
It will be replaced by a new service called Basic Home. But as it offers a high speed internet of 50 Mbps instead of the current 10 Mbps, the cost of the subscription will be higher as well: it will increase from 50 francs a month right now to 59.90 francs.  

The transition to the new package will be done automatically, so anyone who doesn’t want to pay higher subscription price should notify Swisscom as soon as possible.

July 1st: Legal definition of ‘rape’ is changed

The new criminal law on sexual matters, to go into force on July 1st, will introduce a new definition of sexual violence: ‘No is no.’

This is a reform of a longstanding legislation, which has a much narrower definition of what constitutes rape.

For instance, current law requires that penetration takes place and that victim shows resistance for the act to qualify as sexual violence.

Under the new rule, however, participants need to agree in words or clearly demonstrate they want to engage in sexual activity.

If this condition is not fulfilled, the act will be considered as taking place against the person’s wishes, and thus be a criminal offence.

Also, to be considered as sexual assault, the actual penetration no longer needs to occur.

July travel news: international trains are likely to be unreliable

If you’re planning to go abroad by train this summer, arm yourself with patience.

The reason is the abundance of construction sites across Europe, which slow down, or disrupt altogether, the train schedule.

In Switzerland, railroad maintenance work is carried out at night in order not to disturb the daytime timetable. Some neighbouring countries, however, “have decided to completely close train lines for the duration of the works”, Swiss media reports.

As a result, train travel to and from Switzerland will be chaotic amid the summer holiday rush.

You can see were in Europe train travel will be disrupted the most:

READ ALSO: Why you should not rely on trains to and from Switzerland this summer 

Also:

Culture!

There are plenty of festivals, concerts and other events taking place all over Switzerland in July.

You can see them here:

READ ALSO: 7 unmissable events in Switzerland this July

SHOW COMMENTS