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Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The roadworks announced several weeks ago for the stretch of A9 autoroute between Vennes, above Lausanne, and Villeneuve to the east of the city, begin Monday 6 July. Traffic will be diverted to makeshift lanes for several months, slowing traffic to 100 kph for much of the stretch. Details, A9 autoroute, Fre
Brussels, Belgium (GenevaLunch) - The European Union’s transport commissioner, Antonio Tajani, called for a worldwide blacklist of unsafe airlines, at a press conference in Brussels Tuesday morning 30 June, following the crash of a Yemeni airlines Airbus near the Comoros Islands.
Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The summer travel season begins in earnest 30 June and the Swiss federal government has issued its list of roads and dates when travelers can expect heavy traffic.
Les axes routiers et les jours présentant un fort risque de perturbations sont les suivants :
Autoroutes
Heading south
- A1 St Margrethen - Geneva, between Zurich and Bern, between Lausanne and Morges (roadworks), customs at Geneva/Bardonnex
- A2/E35 Basel - Chiasso - Milan: Bâle/Weil am Rhein customs, between the Belchen tunnel and the Wiggertal junction, between Erstfeld before the north end of the Saint Gotthard (see Gotthard below), the Chiasso/Brogeda customs, to the Como/Grandate toll booth
- A3 Basel - Zurich: between Basel/Saint-Louis customs and the Wiese junction
- A13 Sargans - Bellinzona: between entre Nufenen and Hinterrhein (roadworks), to the north entrance of the San Bernardino tunnel
- Ring roads around Bern (A1/A6), Lausanne (A1/A9) and Zurich (A1/A3)
Times when you can expect traffic jams
Fridays between 15:00 and 21:00 and Saturday from 08:00 to 16:00
Dates with particularly heavy traffic
July: 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25
August: 1
Heading north
- A1 Geneva - St. Margrethen: Geneva/Bardonnex customs, betwee entre Morges and Lausanne (roadworks), between Bern and Zurich
- A2/E35 Milan - Chiasso - Basel: from the Como/Grandate toll booth to the Chiasso/Brogeda customs, between Quinto and the south entrance to the Saint-Gothard tunnel, between Reiden and the Härkingen junction, to customs at Basel/Weil am Rhein
- A3 Sargans - Zurich - Basel: between Zurich/Brunau and the end of the autoroute, Basel/Saint-Louis customs
- A4a Zoug - Sihlbrugg: between Baar and the end of the autoroute at Sihlbrugg
- A9 Martigny - Lausanne: between Bex and the Glion tunnel
- A13 Bellinzone - Coire: at the southern entrance to the San Bernardino tunnel, between Hinterrhein and Nufenen (roadworks)
- Ring roads around Bern (A1/A6), Lausanne (A1/A9) and Zurich (A1/A3)
Times when you can expect traffic jams
Fridays 15:00-21:00, Saturdays 10:00-20:00 and Sundays from 13:00 to 20:00
Dates with particularly heavy traffic
July: 11, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26 and 31
August: 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29
September: 5
Saint Gotthard tunnel
Heading south
Tailbacks are likely at the north end of the tunnel on these dates: Friday 3 July from 12:00-24:00, Saturday 4 July 05:00-18:00. The nights of 10-11 and 17-18 and 24-25 July, non-stop from Friday 12:00 to Saturday 18:00. Traffic jams are also possible Saturdays from 08:00-16:00 during August and up to mid-eptember, as well as Sundays in July from 10:00-16:00.
The entrances to the Göschenen, Monday to Thursday during July, noon to 20:00 are also likely to have traffic jams.
Heading north
Traffic jams can be expected at the south entrance to the tunnel these days: Fridays, 10-31 July from 12:00-22:00, 7-14 August from 10:00-23:00, 21 August to 4 September from 13:00-20:00, Saturdays 11-25 July from 10:00-22:00, 1 August and 8 August from 09:00-01:00, 15 August to 5 September, 10:00-21:00, Sundays, 19 July to 6 September, 11:00-21:00.
Traffic jams could occur Saturday 4 July, 10:00-18:00. From mid-July to the end of August, traffic jams can also be expected occasionally afternoons Monday to Thursday, noon to 20:00.
Main roads inside Switzerland and customs stations
Heavier traffic can be expected on the following roads within Switzerland: Spiez-Kandersteg (start of holidays), Gampel-Goppenstein (end of holidays), Bellinzona-Locarno, Wädenswil-Hirzel-Sihlbrugg, Sihlbrugg-Zurich (Sihltal), Flüelen-Brunnen (Axenstrasse), as well as on some Alpine region roads, including main Alpines passes. Expect some delays at these customs stations: Au, Koblenz, Sankt-Margrethen and Thayngen.
For traffic updates
• Telephone in French, German and Italian: Viasuisse (No 163 - 50 cts/call+50 cts/min)
• Radio DRS/RSR/RSI
• web sites: www.tcs.ch, www.cff.ch, www.teletext.ch (rail: p 486/487, road: p 491 - 497), www.bls.ch.
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Forty people lost their lives in accidents in 2008 that were linked to public transport: three of them in buses, one in a tram accident and the other 36 in accidents that involved “unauthorized” crossings or inattention at crossings of trains and trams. Switzerland has one of the world’s lowest rates of accidents linked to public transport systems, but the government, in its annual report on public transport safety, notes that more needs to be done to protect crossings.
The figures show a 33 percent increase over 2007 figures, but Bern notes that 2008 figures were lower than those for every year since 2001 except 2007.
Valais, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Valais becomes a no-smoking, at least in public, canton Wednesday 1 July. Cafe and rstaurant owners, who vehemently opposed the move, are coming around to the idea, says their representative association. Gastrovalais says that 60 percent of restaurant and cafe owners now support the change in the law but more out of resignation than conviction. Eighty percent of the group, which fought to keep the law from being passed, was originally opposed to the change.
Background on smoking bans in Switzerland: “No smoke without fire in Neuchatel”, 16 June 2009, GenevaLunch
Related: Le Nouvelliste, Fre
Bern and Sion, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Southeastern Valais will continue to have five small airfields high in the Alps, the Federal Council has decided as part of the country’s sustainable development review of mountain airstrips. Landing and takeoff altitude and seasonal restrictions will be put in place as part of the approval process. The Federal Aviation Office has outlined the new system, after months of study and consultations with groups that included environmentalists, tourism offices, local residents and heli-skiing fans. Four of the five exist already, but one, Unterrothorn, will disappear and be replaced by a new airstrip in the Trift region near Zermatt, which will be a base for heli-skiing. The airfields are used by mainly by pleasure craft.
Lucerne's bridge, reputed to be the most photographed site in Switzerland
Neuchatel, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Foreign tourists continued to visit Switzerland at a strong rate in 2008, despite the start of the economic crisis, spending CHF15.6 billion, up by more than CHF1 million over 2007. The increase of 6.7 percent was offset, for the balance of payments, by a 2.3 percent drop in the amount Swiss tourists spent abroad. Overall, the trade balance was positive, at CHF3.8 billion.
Lake Geneva region, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Train traffic between Geneva and Lausanne has been stopped since around 09:00 Friday morning due to problems with the power lines. 20 Minutes reports that the lines should be repaired by mid-morning but the CFF site says delays are indefinite.
Geneva-Coppet and Lausanne-Allaman trains in service
Trains are running between Geneva and Coppet as well as between Allaman and Lausanne. The rail company suggests that travelers allow an extra 120 minutes travel time for inter-city trains. CFF updates in English and map of the area affected
Lawyers for Brossard told journalists after the sentencing that they will not appeal
Journalists crowd around Palais de Justice entrance
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Cécile Brossard, who killed her lover Edouard Stern in Geneva in 2005, has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison. She has served four of those. Yesterday’s harsh judgement by the jury, convicting Brossard of homicide rather than of a crime of passion, was softened by the relatively light sentence: she could have received as much as 20 years, and a crime of passion normally carries a lighter sentence of one to 10 years in prison.
It was a hot day in Geneva and crowds headed for the cafes near the Palais de Justice rather than courtrooms while Cécile B, as she was known in the French press, was sentenced
The public defender had called for 11 years but her lawyers asked for compassion, suggesting she be allowed to leave prison as soon as possible. She will in fact most likely be eligible to leave at the end of 2010.
TSR notes that the documents, photos, latex suit in which the murdered man was found, the weapon and other items related to the crime and trial will be destroyed, citing the court president.
Related: TSR, Fre
Click on images to view larger
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The CHF5 you now pay if you’ve rushed onto a Swiss train without buying your ticket in advance will go up to CHF10 on Switzerland’s national day, 1 August. The CFF rail company and public transport authorities have agreed to the increase in order to discourage the growing number of people who get on trains without a ticket, slowing down ticket-checkers and making it difficult for them to complete their tour of the train.
Celebrations after boring through to link 2 tunnels, St Gotthard new rail line (photo: AlpTransit)
St Gotthard rail tunnel, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The miners digging the new St Gotthard train tunnel, which at 57 km will be the longest in the world, Tuesday 16 June celebrated the final boring of the 7.5 km Erstfeld-Amsteg leg, completing the eastern side of the tunneling project.
Lausanne, Switzerland (20 Minutes, Fre) - The driver of a car that drove straight into the side of a house (see photo on 20 Minutes) in Epalinges Monday was hospitalized with injuries that police reportedly say are not serious, after the “spectacular” accident.
Col de Bernina, Graubuenden, Switzerland (20 Minutes/ATS) - A chain reaction crash involving seven motorcycles has put seven people in hospital, some in critical condition.
The accident was provoked by one bike going up the pass road, which was in the wrong lane, colliding head-on with another one coming down. Other bikes were unable to stop on time. One of the bikes caught a piece of clothing in the wheel, causing the biker to fall.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Baboo, which serves 16 destinations from Geneva has put 60 percent of its staff on partial unemployment, reports Le Temps, despite continuing strong growth. Growth in fact is the source of the problem, the newspaper quotes company director Jacques Bankir as saying. Baboo’s sales increased 87 percent in 2008 to CHR56 million. The number of passengers rose 75 percent.
Greenland, next leg of the trip after Nova Scotia, Canada
Halifax, Canada (romandie/ats, Fre) - American Airlines flight 64 from New York’s JFK to Zurich Tuesday night 9 March was forced to land in Halifax after a fire started in the toilets. No one was injured. The fire appears to have been caused by a short-circuit in the toilet fan’s motor.
St Gotthard tunnel, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The road between Lucerne and Chiasso near and including the Gotthard tunnel is closed in both directions because of roadworks, during the nights of 15-19 June from 20:00 to 05:00. Trucks are being held on either side of the tunnel starting at 19:30 and cars are being sent on a detour over the pass.
Swiss road news updates:
Lyon, France (GenevaLunch) - Interpol, the international police organization headquartered in Lyon, France, will assist in identifying bodies of victims of the 1 June Air France disaster. According to Interpol, , an officer from the Command and Control Centre in Lyon will help in the French gendarmerie’s crisis centre in Paris.
London, England (Economist Intelligence Unit) - The annual Economist liveability survey of 140 cities worldwide ranks Vancouver in first place with an almost perfect 98 score out of 100. There are four European cities among the top 10. Vienna is in second place, Helsinki in seventh, just ahead of eighth-tied Geneva, Sydney and Zurich.
Swiss rail premium class: more than a place to hang your coat
Bern, Switzerland (Sonntagsblick, Ger and ats/TSR, Fre) - Swiss rail company CFF is studying the possibility of creating a “premium” class that would provide the same kind of luxury travel that first class on airplanes affords.
Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The famous Swiss system of consulting widely on political issues is now bringing public transport users - local, regional and national - the chance to have their say in the new schedules for 2010/2011. The “projet d’horaire” web site, in German, French and Italian, provides the current schedules for all transport systems, changes that the transport companies are suggesting, and a form for people to fill out with their own requests.
Renens, Vaud, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The first team of volunteers at the train station in Renens went to work 3 June to help travelers and keep the calm. The volunteer project is part of the CFF rail company programme to reduce vandalism and violence. Renens, canton Vaud police and the CFF rail company joined forces to train the volunteers, who will work at the station every evening.
Similar systems have been in place in Yverdon and Aigle for several months and are linked to a larger CFF programme that includes Big Brothers working on trains, particularly evenings, to reduce violence.
Zurich, Switzerland (ats/romandie, Fre) - First-class travellers on Swiss CFF trains will have access to the rail company’s first lounge, in Zurich, starting 8 June. The lounge, with four rooms, is designed for 50 people and is open from 05:00 to 21:00 seven days a week. It is on the first floor of the train station building.
arrival, Chateau d'Oex 2008 (image Marcel Combremont)
Vaud, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Drivers are warned to use caution Friday evening to Sunday in the towns where the Tour du Pays de Vaud cycling race will take place. The first run is Friday starting at 17:30 in Avenches. For the complete route with starting times:
Morges, Vaud, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The A1 autoroute was completely closed to traffic between Tuesday night 2 June from 20:30 and 05:30 Wednesday morning, in both directions between Morges-Ouest and Ecublens. The highly unusual move by the federal roads department was made to allow the second of phase of work to begin. The project to enlarge the highway from four to six lanes began in early May and will last until December 2010.
The second phase, in June and July, will rebuild the Jura side of the road, Lausanne-Geneva direction. The work involves:
Paris, France (GenevaLunch) - Air France officials have confirmed that six Swiss nationals are among the passengers of the missing flight from Brazil to France. Most of the 228 persons on board were French and Brazilian with 61 and 58 passengers respectively.
Debris has been found off the coast of Senegal although it has not been confirmed it belongs to AF447. The missing plane sent an automatic message to Air France signalling an electrical circuit malfunction and loss of pressure about four hours into the flight.
