The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel advice for Switzerland to alert British nationals to **“severe delays”** expected at several road and rail crossings with France around an unspecified high-level summit in the Lake Geneva region. The notice, published on 26 September, says Swiss authorities plan to close multiple minor crossing points for security reasons and to channel traffic through larger, better-staffed posts. Travellers are urged to factor in additional journey time or, where possible, avoid transiting between the two countries on the affected dates. While the FCDO does not name the event, local media link the measures to ongoing preparations for the G7 summit in neighbouring Évian-les-Bains and a string of other high-profile diplomatic gatherings scheduled through early October. Under the Schengen Borders Code, Switzerland may temporarily reinstate controls at its internal borders when ‘a serious threat to public policy or internal security’ exists—a mechanism Bern has already invoked for previous WEF and UN conferences. The Canton of Geneva’s cantonal police and the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) are coordinating the operation. Traffic management plans include diversions for heavy goods vehicles and dedicated lanes for accredited summit delegations, which could further constrain throughput for ordinary motorists and cross-border workers. Rail services via the Léman Express are expected to run but may encounter spot ID checks onboard or on platforms. For corporate mobility managers, the advisory has two immediate implications. First, employees holding UK passports who live in France but commute to Swiss offices should carry both passports/residence permits and allow extra time for checks. Second, supply-chain planners should review just-in-time deliveries through the Geneva–Annemasse corridor and, if feasible, reroute freight via Basel–Mulhouse or Vallorbe. As the security footprint evolves, additional notices may follow. Companies are encouraged to sign up to the FCDO’s alert service, consult real-time updates from the Genève-Région Terre Avenir (GRETA) traffic platform, and keep copies of any letters of business travel necessity in case authorities request proof of purpose at the border.
Source: FCDO Travel Advice – Switzerland
