https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed When it comes to time spent on public transport or in traffic jams or the cost of a monthly travel pass, not all cities in Switzerland are equal. In some places commuters find it easier and cheaper to get to work. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251015/which-swiss-city-is-the-best-for-commuters-to-get-to-work Wed, 15 Oct 2025 11:11:35 +0200 which-swiss-city-is-the-best-for-commuters-to-get-to-work Welfare recipients in the Swiss capital Bern will be required to speak - or be learning - one of the Swiss canton’s official languages, German or French in future. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250908/swiss-city-to-make-language-skills-mandatory-for-welfare-benefits Mon, 08 Sep 2025 18:53:28 +0200 swiss-city-to-make-language-skills-mandatory-for-welfare-benefits A recent landmark study has placed Paris and Milan as being closer to the goal of being a ‘15 minutes city’ than any other cities worldwide - but how do Swiss cities Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Bern and Lausanne compare? https://www.thelocal.ch/20240918/compare-maps-reveal-the-areas-of-swiss-cities-with-best-access-to-services Wed, 18 Sep 2024 11:12:29 +0200 compare-maps-reveal-the-areas-of-swiss-cities-with-best-access-to-services It is smaller and less cosmopolitan than Zurich and Geneva. So how did Bern — also called Berne — end up being the political centre of Switzerland? https://www.thelocal.ch/20210916/why-is-bern-the-capital-of-switzerland Thu, 16 Sep 2021 18:35:18 +0200 why-is-bern-the-capital-of-switzerland A Swiss cost-of-living demonstration called by unions and leftist parties, seeking wage rises and pension hikes, drew thousands to central Bern on Saturday a month out from parliamentary polls. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230916/swiss-cost-of-living-demo-draws-thousands Sat, 16 Sep 2023 21:42:55 +0200 swiss-cost-of-living-demo-draws-thousands If you’ve lived in Bern for a while, chances are you are no longer appreciating how special the city really is. Here are six things (some) Bern residents take for granted. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230830/six-things-people-who-live-in-bern-may-take-for-granted Wed, 30 Aug 2023 12:24:45 +0200 six-things-people-who-live-in-bern-may-take-for-granted The Swiss capital of Bern is not known for being wild. But the city has been getting hundreds of noise complaints this summer. What's going on? https://www.thelocal.ch/20230815/why-the-swiss-city-of-bern-is-receiving-hundreds-of-noise-complaints Tue, 15 Aug 2023 18:38:43 +0200 why-the-swiss-city-of-bern-is-receiving-hundreds-of-noise-complaints Moving to Switzerland and can't decide between Basel and Bern? We look at some factors to consider in these two cities, from the population to wages, rents, and international connections. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230620/basel-vs-bern-which-swiss-city-is-the-best-to-live-in Tue, 20 Jun 2023 19:07:05 +0200 basel-vs-bern-which-swiss-city-is-the-best-to-live-in If you live in Bern or are visiting you have numerous option for a quick ski trip. We've picked out three of the most accessible ski resorts within reach of the Swiss capital. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230127/the-top-3-ski-resorts-within-easy-reach-of-swiss-capital-bern Fri, 27 Jan 2023 15:40:53 +0100 the-top-3-ski-resorts-within-easy-reach-of-swiss-capital-bern Want to feel the Bern on the cheap? Here’s how to save a franc or two in the Swiss capital. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220729/verdict-how-to-save-money-in-bern Fri, 29 Jul 2022 14:23:46 +0200 verdict-how-to-save-money-in-bern Switzerland’s two largest cities are the traditional expatriate hubs, and they are also the most expensive ones. But there are also other Swiss towns with lots to offer the international community. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200831/four-great-swiss-cities-for-expats-apart-from-geneva-and-zurich Mon, 31 Aug 2020 19:07:01 +0200 four-great-swiss-cities-for-expats-apart-from-geneva-and-zurich Residents of the Swiss canton of Bern have been warned to boil water, after storms caused flooding across much of the region. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220708/bern-residents-warned-to-boil-water-after-thunderstorms-sweep-switzerland Fri, 08 Jul 2022 11:43:01 +0200 bern-residents-warned-to-boil-water-after-thunderstorms-sweep-switzerland Not everything runs on time in Switzerland. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220216/bern-central-station-renovation-to-be-delayed-by-two-years Wed, 16 Feb 2022 11:26:32 +0100 bern-central-station-renovation-to-be-delayed-by-two-years Do you live in Bern? Let us know your tips on saving money. https://www.thelocal.ch/20211102/have-your-say-how-to-save-money-in-bern Tue, 02 Nov 2021 14:55:00 +0100 have-your-say-how-to-save-money-in-bern With the pandemic now (hopefully) in the rearview mirror, Switzerland has relaxed rules for bars, restaurants and events. Here’s where you can watch Euro 2020 games live in Bern. https://www.thelocal.ch/20210615/where-can-i-watch-switzerlands-euro-2020-matches-in-bern Tue, 15 Jun 2021 14:13:22 +0200 where-can-i-watch-switzerlands-euro-2020-matches-in-bern A hefty police presence thwarted plans for Saturday's unauthorised demonstration against Switzerland's measures to curb the Covid-19 pandemic in Bern, while a similar protest in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden was allowed to go ahead because of a last-minute location change. https://www.thelocal.ch/20210516/bern-police-put-paid-to-illegal-protest-against-switzerlands-coronavirus-measures Sun, 16 May 2021 20:22:42 +0200 bern-police-put-paid-to-illegal-protest-against-switzerlands-coronavirus-measures Whether or not you are a member of a risk group, you will need to register in order to get the coronavirus vaccine in Bern. Here's what you need to know. https://www.thelocal.ch/20210505/how-to-get-the-coronavirus-vaccine-in-bern Wed, 05 May 2021 11:21:01 +0200 how-to-get-the-coronavirus-vaccine-in-bern Police stepped in Saturday to shield health workers gathered in Bern to demand better working conditions, after protesters against fresh virus restrictions tried to disrupt their demonstration. https://www.thelocal.ch/20201101/swiss-protests-for-health-worker-rights-against-virus-restrictions Sun, 01 Nov 2020 09:54:43 +0100 swiss-protests-for-health-worker-rights-against-virus-restrictions Police broke up a two-day protest outside the Swiss parliament overnight, carrying away demonstrators who had camped out to demand more action against climate change. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200923/police-clear-climate-protesters-camped-outside-swiss-parliament Wed, 23 Sep 2020 12:48:25 +0200 police-clear-climate-protesters-camped-outside-swiss-parliament Swiss capital Bern was this week announced as number three on the list of Europe’s healthiest capital cities. Here’s why. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200122/air-water-and-quality-of-life-why-bern-ranks-so-highly-on-the-healthy-capitals-index Wed, 22 Jan 2020 11:50:08 +0100 air-water-and-quality-of-life-why-bern-ranks-so-highly-on-the-healthy-capitals-index