Banking & Fintech

Swiss queue to become first owners of Euro banknotes

This content was published on Jan 1, 2002 The Swiss Federal Railways opened bureaux de change at mainline stations in Zurich and Basel at the stroke of midnight for customers wishing to exchange Swiss francs for the new currency. The first customer to exchange Swiss francs for Euros was a 56-year-old man from St Gallen. “I had to wait in line for an…

Swiss celebrate arrival of frosty New Year

This content was published on Jan 1, 2002 Average overnight temperatures of between -7 and -10 degrees were not enough to deter people from heading outdoors to ring in the New Year with fireworks and champagne. Mobile phone operators said the Swiss set a new record for the number of text messages sent around midnight to friends and family. Switzerland’s largest telecommunications operator,…

Counting the coins

This content was published on Jan 1, 2002 One Swiss company profiting from the demise of euroland’s 12 national currencies is Prema, based in Oftringen, canton Aargau, which makes machines that count and sort coins. These machines are having to be adapted across Europe to cope with the new currency, which will have eight coins – 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50…

Switzerland gears up for euro

This content was published on Dec 31, 2001 Though the country is not in the Euro zone, a number of financial institutions and retailers have announced they will accept the new currency as an alternative to the Swiss franc. The following is a brief guide to where the euro is welcomed in Switzerland: Swiss Federal Railways From January 1st, ticket offices at all…

Border banks have euro well in hand

This content was published on Dec 31, 2001 The Swiss city of Basel borders both Germany and France – so preparing for the euro’s arrival there has been of crucial importance. The euro, which comes to life in the form of notes and coins at the start of the year, has been a tradable reality since 1998 with many local Basel companies already…

Passion for pasta pays off for Italian-born chef

This content was published on Dec 31, 2001 He came to Switzerland 37 year ago, making his home in the central Swiss canton of Lucerne. After working in the hotel business for years, he opened his own restaurant and a speciality pasta production facility in Ebikon. He told swissinfo that he originally came to Switzerland just to learn German. “I thought I might…

Swiss banks ready for e-day

This content was published on Dec 31, 2001 Even though Switzerland remains outside the eurozone its banks and financial institutions have been preparing with gusto for the advent of the new currency. The launch of euro notes and coins on January 1 means that euroland participants will surround Switzerland as the 12 participating euro states give up their national “legacy” currencies. In the…

Report suggests Swiss know little about champagne

This content was published on Dec 30, 2001 According to research undertaken by the editor of the wine magazine, “Vinum”, Swiss people are very well informed about wine “but know nothing about champagne”. “Your average Swiss is the sort of person who would order a Dom Pérignon because he has heard that it is the stuff James Bond drinks,” Rolf Bichsel suggests in…

Thurgau looks north for new investment

This content was published on Dec 30, 2001 Thurgau, a medium-sized canton in the north-east of the country, is nicknamed “Cider-India” – a reference to its unspoilt countryside and the historic predominance of agriculture in the region’s economy. Agriculture and forestry, however, currently cover just 10 per cent of Thurgau’s economic activity, while industry accounts for 40 per cent and services 50 per…

Tunnelling for culture

This content was published on Dec 30, 2001 When work on them is finished, the new 57-kilometre Gotthard and 35-kilometre Lötschberg tunnels will dramatically shorten the travel time by rail between northern and southern Europe. They will also mark a major step in moves to divert transalpine heavy goods traffic from road to rail, thus making freight transport safer and much more environment-friendly.…

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Banking & Fintech

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Swiss queue to become first owners of Euro banknotes

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Swiss celebrate arrival of frosty New Year

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Counting the coins

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Switzerland gears up for euro

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Border banks have euro well in hand

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Passion for pasta pays off for Italian-born chef

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Swiss banks ready for e-day

More

Report suggests Swiss know little about champagne

More

Thurgau looks north for new investment

More

Tunnelling for culture

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