Public transport firms to draw up national list of fare dodgers
An inspector checks commuters' tickets on a train from Lausanne to Brig
Keystone
Anyone caught without a valid ticket on public transport in Switzerland will end up on a national register from April 2019, Swiss public radio, SRF, reports. The aim of the list is to improve the coordination of fines handed out by public transport companies.
CH-direct,External link an association responsible for public transport in Switzerland, confirmed to SRF on SaturdayExternal link that a fare-dodgers register would be gradually introduced in Switzerland to cover the entire country. An individual’s name will remain on the list for two years, it said.
The aim of the register is to improve firms’ ability to prosecute people who repeatedly refuse to buy tickets on different public transport in Switzerland, and to impose higher fines.
At present, transport companies and transport associations – such as the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB/CFF), Bern Mobil or Postbus Switzerland – only keep individual registers of ticket dodgers. In the future, if someone is caught without a valid ticket on a Bern tram for the first time, they will pay the lowest fine there. If they are caught again without a valid ticket on an SBB/CFF train, they will be charged a higher-level fine.
A CH-direct spokesman told SRF that the national register had been jointly agreed by all transport companies in Switzerland. This move represents as change, as until recently many regional transport companies had opposed a national register, SRF said.
CH-direct is in touch with the Federal Data Protection Commissioner to ensure the national list complies with data protection requirements, SRF reported.
Popular Stories
More
Multinational companies
Azeri fossil-fuel cash cow brings controversy to Switzerland
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
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.
Read more
More
Swiss PostBus company claimed millions in illegal subsidies
This content was published on
The Swiss PostBus company has claimed almost CHF80 million in excessive subsidies over the past decade by manipulating accounts.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
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.