This was a particularly bad day on the train
Keystone
Switzerland is famous for its railway system, but when it comes to commuting, how many people really take the train?
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A day after the cabinet said it wanted to introduce a trial tax on mobility, swissinfo.ch takes a look at how the Swiss get to work.
In total in 2014 there were 3,901,350 commuters in Switzerland (the population at the time was 8,237,700). How these people get to their place of work has not changed much in recent years. The breakdown of different forms of transport was similar in 2000 and in the years in between.
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However, the number of people commuting via any of the above forms of transport has gone up overall in recent years, meaning there are more vehicles on the roads and more people on trains and buses.
Below is a specific example of how many people commute by car, the most popular method of transport to travel to work.
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It’s increases like this that have lead the government to consider a trial where drivers would pay according to how far they travel on main roads. And a system of different ticket prices for public transport could also be introduced.
Transport Minister Doris Leuthard said the country’s road infrastructure could not cope with peak traffic hours. Therefore, it was necessary to look for alternative options, notably to reduce rush hour mobility.
Critics say the system could make it more costly for commuters while the possibility to work flexible hours remain limited.
Does it make sense to change how people pay for travel?
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
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.
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Cabinet looks for ways to curb rush hour traffic
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The cabinet has decided to review the legal basis paving the way for pilot projects with mobility pricing. Under the system drivers would pay according to the distance they travel on main roads. A system of different ticket prices for public transport could also be introduced. Transport Minister Doris Leuthard said the country’s road infrastructure…
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Readers of one of Switzerland’s major Sunday newspapers had a shock last weekend: petrol could go up by seven centimes a litre, the headline warned. The German-language SonntagsZeitung featured an interview with Rudolf Dieterle, head of the Federal Roads Office, which set out the stark choices likely to face the Swiss motorist in the new…
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Just imagine: the cost of train tickets, particularly at peak times, has shot up. Driving on minor roads is cheaper than on major highways. Petrol has just about doubled in price. Groups can only book train seats for times when commuters are safely at work. Every trip by car is noted and monitored. These are…
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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.