Ascension Day Exodus Creates 10-Kilometre Tailbacks at the Gotthard, Disrupting North-South Business Travel
SBB Switches On Derailment Detectors Outside Gotthard Base Tunnel After 2023 Freight Accident
New Italy-Switzerland Tax Rules Force Ticino Cross-Border Workers to Re-think Budgets
Latest News
24-Hour Holiday Truck Ban in Switzerland Adds to Alpine Logistics Bottlenecks
Switzerland enforced a full 24-hour heavy-goods vehicle ban on Ascension Day (14 May), forcing freight operators to suspend road deliveries or detour via rail. The restriction, combined with parallel bans in Austria and Germany, created fresh bottlenecks on key Alpine corridors and disrupted just-in-time supply chains.
Switzerland and Tunisia launch 2026 Rabat Process chairmanship with focus on reintegration of returning migrants
Switzerland, as 2026 chair of the Rabat Process, co-hosted a conference with Tunisia that prioritises the sustainable reintegration of returning migrants. The programme links return assistance with development funding, aiming to raise effective return rates and preserve political support for regular labour migration. Companies may benefit from future ‘circular skills’ schemes and a digital reintegration passport that should accelerate repeat work-visa applications.
France turns up heat on Switzerland over jobless benefits for cross-border workers
France’s labour minister said Paris will pressure Switzerland to accept EU rules that make the country of employment pay unemployment benefits for frontier workers. Switzerland fears an annual cost of up to CHF 900 million and insists any deal must form part of wider EU negotiations. Multinationals relying on French cross-border staff could face higher Swiss payroll costs or tighter hiring quotas if Bern agrees.
Belgian national strike snarls air traffic; Swiss travellers advised to re-route via Germany or France
A nationwide strike shut Charleroi Airport and slashed capacity at Brussels Airport on 12 May, causing diversions and cancellations that disrupted at least 3,800 passengers with Swiss-origin or Swiss-destination tickets. Airlines, including SAS, offered free rebooking, and Swiss carriers advised travellers to reroute via neighbouring hubs. The episode highlights the need for robust contingency planning for Switzerland-based employees who rely on Belgian airports.
Swiss roads authority warns of heavy border congestion over Ascension and Pentecost weekends
ASTRA forecasts major traffic jams at Swiss-EU border crossings and alpine tunnels during Ascension, Pentecost and Corpus Christi weekends. Businesses moving staff or freight across the borders should expect multi-hour delays, adjust schedules or switch to rail. The warning comes as new border-control technology beds in, potentially lengthening checks for third-country nationals.
SBB, SNCF Voyageurs and Eurostar sign memorandum on direct Switzerland–London high-speed service
SBB, SNCF Voyageurs and Eurostar have signed an MoU to develop a direct high-speed rail link between Swiss cities and London, with journey times of 5–6 hours. Detailed studies of schedules, border formalities and rolling stock will run through 2027, with a possible launch in the early 2030s. The project could divert a sizeable share of Switzerland–UK air traffic, cut CO₂ emissions and give businesses a visa-free alternative for cross-channel travel.