Swiss motorists flock to cheaper Austrian fuel pumps

Due to soaring prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East, many Swiss motorists are crossing the border to find cheaper fuel, primarily in Austria. Keystone / Christian Beutler

Swiss shopping tourism in search of bargain prices outside "high price" Switzerland now also extends to filling up with cheaper petrol.

Due to soaring prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East, many Swiss motorists are crossing the border to find cheaper fuel, primarily in Austria.

With petrol prices hitting record highs, many motorists are on the hunt for the cheapest petrol station, even if it means driving a little further and crossing the Austrian border.

“I live in Switzerland, near the border. I often come to fill up in Vorarlberg [Austria’s westernmost state]. The price difference is about 30 cents a litre,” said one motorist.

“It’s a good deal. In Switzerland, you pay a lot more. I don’t know why,” said another driver. “It’s shocking to see how much we have to pay,” one motorist told Swiss public broadcaster SRF.

In Austria, petrol costs €1.85, or CHF1.72. Diesel is priced at €2.18, or CHF2.03. Austrian prices are around 20% lower than in Switzerland.

“One in two cars, and one in two customers, are Swiss. At present, petrol stations near the border generate the bulk of their turnover from Swiss customers,” said Petra Girardi, spokesperson for the Vorarlberg Chamber of Commerce.

On Tuesday morning, the price of a barrel of Brent crude once again exceeded the $110 mark, but prices at the pumps in neighbouring countries are often more favourable thanks to the government subsidies in place there.

Backlash from politicians

This price difference encourages “petrol tourism”, argues Markus Schnyder, a Swiss People’s Party politician. “In neighbouring countries, this sort of fuel discount is widespread. We are now at a disadvantage.”

“This is very damaging to our competitiveness and it also leads people to fill up abroad and then do their shopping there, which further stimulates shopping tourism.”

In parliament, several motions from the centre-right parties are calling for a reduction in fuel prices. Left-leaning parties, including the Greens, oppose this. In their view, it would create false incentives in terms of climate policy and favour heavy users.

Translated from German, sub-edited by Matthew Allen/sb

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