Road to rail: a passenger train passing over an underpass in Zurich
Keystone
The Swiss Federal Railways has launched a travel package that combines different sustainable modes of transport, for example the use of e-bikes, e-cars and car-sharing.
The pass, known as SBB Green Class (SBB is the German abbreviation for the federal railways), now makes it possible to “part from your own car step by step”, as the website explainsExternal link.
“With SBB Green Class, complete mobility can be obtained as a service, meaning that you don’t need to buy a vehicle. The Premium and Comfort combined mobility solutions not only include use of public transport and an e-car, but use of a parking space at the station and the 2,950 or so Mobility cars at over 400 stations too.”
All this does not come cheap, however. The total cost depends on whether you opt for Premium or Comfort and how long you sign up for (the longer, the cheaper).
A 12-month pass in Premium, for which you get first-class unlimited travelExternal link on all Swiss public transport and various other perksExternal link, will set you back CHF1,310 ($1,360) a month. A Comfort pass, which involves unlimited second-class travel, will cost CHF910 a month if you commit to three years.
Despite these prices, the federal railways said customers in a year-long trial were overwhelmingly satisfied with the programme, with 70% wanting to extend their subscription for another year.
The railways said that during the Green Class trial, the average test participant reduced the amount of carbon dioxide they produced by 1.5 tonnes a year – the equivalent of 20% of their total emissions connected to mobility.
More
More
Environmental alliance calls on Switzerland to encourage sustainable travel
This content was published on
Switzerland must make climate-friendly modes of travel more attractive, an environmental group said Monday in an open letter.
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 trains to experiment with lower carriage temperatures
This content was published on
In a bid to save energy and the environment, Swiss Federal Railways is experimenting with a lowering of temperatures in selected trains around Zurich.
After 20 years, Alpine truck traffic still not on track
This content was published on
On that night of February 20, 1994, then-transport minister Adolf Ogi must have had trouble getting to sleep. The nation’s voters had just accepted the “Alpine Initiative”. The “yes” side had won with 51.9% of the votes and 19 cantons out of 26, and the popular Swiss People’s Party politician had just acquired the dubious distinction,…
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.