Switzerland - Helvetica Times

Swiss Cities Top Global Pay Survey: Zürich First, Geneva Second In Disposable Income

The study indexed New York's salaries at 100 for comparison purposes. Zürich achieved a salary index of 476, while Geneva came in at 457.

Local · Jul 13

SBB Cargo Under Fire: Major Retailers Like Migros Threaten Shift Back To Road Freight

Negotiations between SBB Cargo and Migros on a long-term freight contract are ongoing, with SBB describing the discussions as "partnership-oriented".

Local · Jul 10

Turkish Consulate Vandalised In Zurich: Three Arrested

The three suspects, two Swiss men aged 18 and 20, and an 18-year-old woman from Bosnia and Herzegovina, were taken to a police station.

Politics · Jul 8

Swiss Voters To Decide On Four Federal Measures In November: Fireworks, War Material, 13th AHV Pension, Marriage Penalty

The first measure is a federal resolution to raise the standard VAT rate by 0.4% points to 8.5% in order to co-finance the 13th AHV pension, which was approved by voters in March 2026 and is due to be paid out for the first time this year.

Business · Jul 8

Moment Of Truth For Markets As Inflation Bites: Raiffeisen Investment Outlook H2 2026

Given geopolitical and economic uncertainties, increased price fluctuations are expected in H2 2026.

Breaking News · Jul 8

Switzerland Reach First World Cup Quarter-Final In 72 Years After Penalty Shoot-Out Win Over Colombia

The Swiss team now looks ahead to a formidable opponent in World Cup Quarter-Final: Argentina.

Breaking News · Jul 8

Zurich Climbs To Second As Singapore Retains Top Spot For Luxury Spending

For high-net-worth individuals, the cost of maintaining a premium standard of living has risen sharply.

Local · Jul 7

UBS Shifts Front-Office Asset Management Roles To Krakow: A First For The Bank

UBS has operated a major service hub in Krakow since the early 2010s, initially moving HR, IT and other support functions from Zurich to the Polish city.

Expat · Jul 7

Swiss Home Prices Stay Hot: Condos Up 1%, Single-Family Homes Hold Steady In Q2 2026

There is continued pressure on buyers across the country as single-family homes see strongest annual price increase.

Local · Jul 7

Man Injured In Langstrasse Altercation: Zürich Police Appeal For Witnesses

Several people have been arrested and the Zürich Police are now appealing for witnesses to help reconstruct what happened.

World · Jul 6

Switzerland Pulls Rescue Teams From Venezuela, Shifts To Aid Support

With the critical first 72 hours after the disaster having passed, and after a week of non-stop search operations, Swiss Rescue concluded its mission on Wednesday evening and returned to Switzerland on Thursday.

Expat · Jul 2

Moving To Switzerland For Work: The 2026 Guide To Visas And Permits

For EU/EFTA citizens, moving to Switzerland for work in 2026 remains straightforward. For everyone else, it is possible but requires careful planning, an employer willing to sponsor you, and patience with the process.

Business · Jul 2

Oil Crisis Bites Less In Switzerland As Energy Efficiency Shocks To Rescue

Despite the headwinds, Swiss consumers' purchasing power remains a solid pillar of growth. The moderate rise in unemployment continues coinciding with the delayed industrial recovery.

Crime · Jul 2

New Data Shows 21 Daily Police Calls For Domestic Violence In Zürich

Domestic violence in Zürich is more prevalent than thought. Three out of four people affected by domestic violence are women.

Local · Jul 2

Zürich’s Lake Crossing Postponed To 8 July: Second Date On Standby

If weather conditions remain unfavourable, a further postponement to Wednesday, 16 July, is possible. The organising committee is due to make that call on Monday, 6 July.

Travel · Jul 2

70 Flights Cancelled: Thunderstorm Strands Hundreds Of Passengers At Zürich Airport

Zürich Airport's exposure to summer thunderstorms is a well-documented structural challenge. The airport sits in a part of Switzerland that is climatically prone to convective storms.

Politics · Jun 30

Half Of All Swiss Voters Are Now Over 60, And The Gap Is Growing

Over half of all ballots are cast by Swiss voters aged 60 or over. Avenir Suisse warns that this trend should not be ignored.

Breaking News · Jun 30

Another Heatwave Is Already On The Way As Switzerland Barely Draws Breath

The June heatwave peaked at 33 to 37 degrees in parts of Switzerland, with the Basel region and the northwest recording the highest levels. MeteoSchweiz may raise warning for another heatwave.

Health · Jun 29

Infant Formula With Cereulide Traces Still On Swiss Shelves, Despite Safety Questions

In March 2026, the Geneva cantonal chemist detected cereulide in six infant formula products during checks carried out after a Europe-wide contamination scandal that triggered major recalls.

Local · Jun 27

Swiss Median Salary Jumps To CHF 87,000: The Sharpest Rise In Years

The CHF 87,000 Swiss Median Salary figure translates to a gross monthly salary of CHF 7,250 for a full-time worker, up from CHF 7,024 per month recorded in the previous survey year, 2024.

Breaking News · Jun 27

Switzerland To Host 2038 Winter Olympics And Paralympics? Federal Council Backs Bid

According to the government’s outline, the proposed federal contribution for 2038 Winter Olympics And Paralympics would be capped at CHF 200 million and divided across several areas.

Local · Jun 27

Geneva May Ease Strict Air Conditioning Rules Amid Swiss Heatwave

Geneva's regulations have stood out as an outlier even by Swiss standards. The debate is intensifying as the Swiss heatwave grows longer and hotter.

Health · Jun 26

Flu And Chlamydia Drive Zürich’s 17,000 Infectious Disease Cases In 2025

Flu and chlamydia together ranked among the top reported diseases, with gonorrhoea and syphilis cases also recorded, though significantly lower in number.

Local · Jun 26

Forest Fire Risk At Level 4-5 In Switzerland: Zürich Bans Open Fires Near All Forests

Fire ban imposed across Zürich Canton as drought pushes forest fire risk to Level 4 to 5.

Sport · Jun 25

Switzerland Wins 2–1 In Vancouver: Canada Pays For Playing Safe

Switzerland wins yesterday's match and tops Group B after silencing Vancouver. Canada pays the price for hesitation.

Technology · Jun 24

Zürich City Hospital’s Delivery Robots Pass The Test, And Are Here To Stay

"Robot transport has proven its worth in everyday hospital life. It relieves the burden on staff, simplifies processes and creates more time for core tasks in the hospital," said City Councillor Andreas Hauri, head of the Department of Health and Environment, commenting on Zürich City Hospital's delivery robots.

Local · Jun 24

Drug Network Unravelled: Fugitive Driver Leads Zürich Police To 25 kg Haul

The seized narcotics include MDMA, marijuana, cocaine, ketamine, hashish and amphetamine, as well as 15 kilograms of silver, as drug network is unravelled in Zürich.

Local · Jun 24

Zürich Mourns 16-Year-Old Killed By Falling Branch During Severe Storm

Zürich's city president Raphael Golta expressed his condolences for the teen who lost her life during Zürich Storm. "Today’s news of the 16-year-old’s death fills us all with deep sorrow," he said.

Politics · Jun 15

Tear Gas, Burning Cars, Hundreds Detained: Geneva’s G7 Protests Turn Violent

Geneva's G7 protests turn violent as protesters hurl bottles, stones, cement blocks, and fireworks at security forces. Buildings close to the UN campus have been damaged, while a bank's windows were smashed. A Tesla was also set on fire, left with "Eat the Rich" spray-painted on its side.

Sport · Jun 15

Switzerland’s World Cup Opens In Heartbreak: Own Goal In 94th Minute Gifts Qatar Historic Point

Switzerland took the lead in the 17th minute, when Breel Embolo converted a penalty with characteristic composure, rolling the ball into the upper left corner of the net.

Local · Jun 15

Switzerland Braces For Record-Breaking Heatwave, With 38°C Possible In Basel

Meteorologists are warning that the heat building over the country from Wednesday 18 June could be historic as Switzerland braces for record-breaking heatwave.

Travel · Jun 15

Zürich-Vienna Night Train Upgraded With Next-Gen Nightjet Pods From 15 June

The Zürich-Vienna service is the ninth route on which the next-generation Nightjet now operates. The Zürich–Amsterdam route is expected to follow later in 2026.

Expat · Jun 15

Swiss Voters Deliver A Clear Defeat To Right-Wing SVP’s Anti-Immigration Agenda

With nearly 55% voting against the proposal to limit the country's population to 10 million, Swiss Voters reject population cap in blow to People's Party's anti-immigration agenda.

Business · Jun 12

Hitachi Energy Chooses Otelfingen for New Swiss Campus, Beating Aargau

Aargau loses out on 1,000 existing jobs as Hitachi Energy chooses Otelfingen for new Swiss campus.

Travel · Jun 12

SBB Launches Direct Basel to Brussels TGV With London Connections

Launching in July 2027, the new Basel to Brussels TGV with London connections will link Switzerland, France, and Belgium with a direct high-speed service.

Local · Jun 12

Zurich Canton Claims No Systematic Gender Pay Gap

Switzerland's revised Gender Equality Act (GEA) requires companies and public employers with 100 or more employees to carry out an internal equal pay analysis every four years and have the results verified by an independent body.

Local · Jun 11

Zurich Knife Crime Rises As 31-Year-Old Man Stabbed, Suspect Arrested

A man was stabbed and injured at a shop in Zürich's Seebach neighbourhood on Wednesday afternoon after an altercation with another man. The suspected attacker was later arrested at his home.

Local · Jun 11

Zug To Pay Record CHF 4,001 Per Resident Into National Equalisation Fund

Zug's extraordinary tax revenues mechanically increases its obligation to National Equalisation Fund poorer cantons year after year

Local · Jun 11

Zurich And Winterthur To Introduce Minimum Wage After Supreme Court Ruling

Switzerland remains one of the few wealthy nations without a national statutory minimum wage. Zürich and Winterthur to introduce minimum wage soon.

Health · Jun 9

ETH Zurich Brain Discovery Offers New Hope In Fight Against Alzheimer’s

ETH Zurich researchers develop drug compound that slows Alzheimer's in mice.

Politics · Jun 9

Switzerland Orders 32 New Artillery Systems To Replace Cold War-Era Howitzers

The M109 howitzer has been in Swiss Army service for decades and is now approaching the end of its operational lifespan.

World · Jun 9

Switzerland Signs Joint Statement Demanding Humanitarian Access To Gaza

Of the 36 hospitals in Gaza, not one is fully operational. Only half are still considered partially functional. Humanitarian access to Gaza is being demanded by 19 states.

Travel · Jun 9

SWISS India Routes Plagued By Fleet Failures As Second Engine And Electrical Crisis Triggers Disruption

Flight LX155 had departed Mumbai at 21:34 CEST on Thursday evening when the fault was detected. This is the second recent failure on SWISS India route.

Business · Jun 8

Switzerland’s Startup Ecosystem Faces A Scale Problem: Zurich Ranks 10th In Europe

Within Switzerland's startup ecosystem, Zurich ranks tenth, a respectable result within Europe but well outside the global elite.

Local · Jun 8

New Swissmint Coin Honors Switzerland’s Role In European Space Exploration

Switzerland’s role in European space exploration is being immortalised in silver, with the Federal Mint Swissmint set to release a limited-edition commemorative coin honouring the country's contribution to the European Space Agency.

Local · Jun 5

G7 Summit: France Bans Protests Leaving Geneva To Absorb Activist Pressure

Swiss Armed Forces deployed as Geneva authorities and Anti-G7 Protesters clash over scheduled demonstration.

Local · Jun 5

Gunvor Geneva Headquarters Raided In Major Swiss Fraud Raid

Gunvor said it is not the target of the investigation and is cooperating with authorities.

World · Jun 3

EU Working Week Falls To 35.9 Hours, With Greece At Top And Netherlands At Bottom

Greece recorded the longest average EU working week at 39.6 hours, followed by Bulgaria and Poland at 38.7 hours each, and Lithuania at 38.4 hours.

Business · Jun 3

US Tariff Threats Put Swiss Exporters On Edge As Washington Raises Pressure

For Switzerland, US tariff threats are especially sensitive because the US is one of its most important export destinations, particularly for pharmaceuticals, machinery, precision instruments and high-value industrial goods.

World · Jun 3

“Era Of Deportations Has Just Begun,” Says MEP As EU Strikes Deal To Expand Migrant Detention Abroad

At least five member states including Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark and Greece are already in talks with third countries, mostly in Africa, about such arrangements.