Commuters in the Geneva region are becoming increasingly disillusioned with private cars and are embracing “multimodal” forms of transport, a survey has found.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Born in London, Simon is a multimedia journalist who has worked for www.swissinfo.ch since 2006. He speaks French, German and Spanish and focuses on science, technology and innovation issues.
An in-depth survey of commuter behaviour in the Greater Geneva region – covering canton Geneva, the Nyon region in neighbouring canton Vaud, and France – has revealed an increasingly negative attitude towards driving.
In 1994, 12% of respondents described private cars as “polluting” and “expensive”; in 2018, the percentage stood at 33%, the survey by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) found.
Meanwhile, attitudes towards public transport appear to be slowly improving. Half of the people questioned in the 2018 survey were positive about local public transport, compared with 39% in 1994.
The surveyExternal link by researchers at the Urban Sociology Laboratory (LASUR) said commuters had “embraced multimodal transport with open arms”.
“Car, motorcycle and scooter owners are no longer wedded to their vehicles, with most reporting a willingness to use a different mode of transport instead,” it said, adding that most commuters living in France would be happy to leave their vehicle at home if viable alternatives were available.
Geneva, Switzerland’s second-biggest city, is at a busy crossroads with France and the Alps. Just under one million people live in the city and the extended region known as Greater Geneva. Every day 550,000 people cross Geneva’s borders with France and Vaud, most (83%) in private cars.
Rail network
The EPFL survey comes two months ahead of the inauguration of the long-awaited Léman Express cross-border rail networkExternal link on December 15, which officials hope will revolutionise local mobility and commuting.
When it is opened, the train systems of France and Geneva will be connected to create a seamless link between Cornavin, Geneva’s central train station, and Annemasse in FranceExternal link (known as CEVA). Regular regional trains will make the 16km journey in 20 minutes, with one every ten minutes during rush hour. But the cross-city link will form part of the much bigger regional rail network extending into Switzerland and France.
Officials say that when it is built, 240,000 people will live less than 500 metres from a station. They estimate that 50,000 passengers will take one of the 40 Léman Express trains criss-crossing the network every day.
More
More
Why young people are falling out of love with cars
This content was published on
Geneva attracts global attention for its motor show, but fewer and fewer young adults in Geneva itself are showing an interest in cars.
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
Swiss Federal Railways launches campaign for safety on public transport
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Railways is launching a campaign for greater respect and safety on public transport, with posters to go up in stations and on trains starting next week.
Swiss scientists to use AI for improved weather and climate forecasts
This content was published on
MeteoSwiss and the Swiss Data Science Center have signed a four-year agreement to make greater use of AI in meteorology and climatology going forward.
This content was published on
Prices of owner-occupied homes rose in the third quarter of 2024 by 0.5%, with inflation affecting both apartments and single-family houses, says the Federal Statistical Office.
This content was published on
The honey harvest is projected to be lower than usual this year, as Swiss beekeepers report harvesting an average of just 16kg of honey per bee colony.
More young refugees in Switzerland following vocational training
This content was published on
More than half of young refugees and temporarily admitted persons between the ages of 16 and 25 are now in training. This is significantly more than five years ago.
One in five Swiss children suffers psychological abuse at home
This content was published on
In Switzerland, one in five children suffers psychological violence, and one in three has witnessed psychological violence between parents, says the association Kinderschutz Schweiz.
Swiss government minister breaks silence over Trump remarks controversy
This content was published on
Transport Minister Albert Rösti explained himself in a television interview on Sunday evening, after being called out for expressing support for Donald Trump.
Swiss Covid expert calls for caution on vaccination recommendations
This content was published on
The head of the vaccination commission would be “even more cautious today” when it comes to Covid-19 vaccination recommendations.
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.
Read more
More
Geneva’s cross-border workers are less qualified, live further afield
This content was published on
A survey shows that cross-border workers in the Geneva area now travel greater distances to work and are less likely to be managers and executives.
Geneva’s property shortage continues to fuel exodus
This content was published on
Despite the construction of new homes in Geneva, the lack of property for sale continues to lead to an exodus to neighbouring canton Vaud and France.
This content was published on
Officials in canton Geneva and neighbouring France have reached an agreement to reduce the heavy traffic that clogs up small border posts.
Can a cross-border rail link end Geneva’s gridlock?
This content was published on
Geneva’s roads are regularly snarled up in rush hour by hundreds of thousands of cars from neighbouring France and canton Vaud.
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.