Switzerland is cutting the number of trains to neighbouring Italy, Germany and France amid partial coronavirus lockdowns and falling numbers of cross-border passengers.
“The current situation and the stricter measures against the coronavirus have led to a significant drop in demand for international train travel,” Swiss Federal Railways said in a statement on Thursday.
Five services to Italy will be suspended from Monday. High-speed (TGV) services to and from France are being cut with immediate effect to two services between Geneva and Paris and one Zurich/Basel-Paris service.
In addition, night trains run by Austrian Railways between Zurich, Berlin and Hamburg are also being cancelled starting this weekend until at least early December.
These decisions have been taken in consultation with train companies in the countries concerned, says the Federal Railways. It says that “current developments of the corona pandemic in Switzerland and neighbouring countries are forcing the railways to act” and that there has been a “massive decline in travel, particularly to and from Italy and France”.
Swiss justice minister hopes EU reform will reduce irregular migration
This content was published on
The European Union’s (EU) New Pact on Migration and Asylum aims to curb irregular migration within Schengen, Justice Minister Beat Jans said on Tuesday.
Swiss electricity supply outlook positive despite uncertainties
This content was published on
Thanks to well-filled gas stores in Europe and increased availability of French nuclear power, the Swiss Federal Electricity Commission is optimistic.
Finance minister wants Swiss banks to hold more equity
This content was published on
Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter has repeated calls for banks and their holdings in subsidiaries abroad to hold more equity.
Telecoms sector kept Swiss competitions regulator busy in 2023
This content was published on
Last year, the Swiss Competition Commission (COMCO) conducted 27 investigations and initiated 17 preliminary investigations.
This content was published on
Although Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) achieved higher revenue at the start of the year, it suffered a dip in profits.
40,000 signatures against animal testing in Switzerland
This content was published on
Switzerland should do away with “restrictive” animal testing and should become a model for innovative, effective, and pain-free scientific research.
More than 45,000 signatures in favour of federal funding for UNRWA
This content was published on
The Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives (FAC) is expected to decide on the funding of the UNRWA at the beginning of the week.
This content was published on
At the end of January 2024, 6,881 men and women were behind bars in Switzerland. Almost 95% of all places were occupied, the highest number since 2014.
This content was published on
The number of people taking trains in Switzerland has fallen since the outbreak of the coronavirus, resulting in a huge financial hit.
This content was published on
Jump on, ride to your stop, hop off — without offending anybody. Sounds easy, but it’s not, warns a guru of Swiss transport etiquette.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.