Switzerland’s largest hospital treats elderly patients in ‘stifling heat’; EU Parliament votes for a major tightening of air passenger rights – including in Switzerland; and more news in our roundup this Monday.
Switzerland’s largest hospital treats elderly patients in ‘stifling heat’
At older buildings of the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG), where there is no air conditioning and ventilation is poor, elderly and vulnerable patients are being cared for in rooms where indoor temperature reaches 30C.
Medical personnel too continue to provide care in these conditions, Tribune de Genève reported over the weekend.
The healthcare workers’ union is therefore sounding the alarm about this situation, warning that employees “are becoming exhausted in the heat, which directly threatens patient safety.”
A protest rally is planned for today at HUG’s the Trois-Chêne Hospital.
The European Parliament votes for a major tightening of air passenger rights – including in Switzerland
Even though the current law gives travellers in Europe a degree of protections, getting refunds from the airlines remains difficult.
From 2027, however, Switzerland will have to adopt the new rules as well.
Specifically, when flying on national airlines like SWISS, Edelweiss, Helvetic, and Chair, passengers will benefit from clearer pricing, better conditions when changing reservations, re-booking, and seat choices.
And in other travel news:
Petition seeks the return of an abolished train line between Switzerland and France
A petition for the return of the fourth TGV Lyria service between Lausanne and Paris, via Vallorbe – which was discontinued in 2019 – has gathered more than 10,000 signatures,
“This mobilisation shows the growing momentum of a genuine cross-border movement, driven by a shared desire to strengthen rail links between our two countries,” the petitioners said.
As a reminder, TGV Lyria has cut the number of trains between Lausanne and Paris passing through Vallorbe, in favour of more connections via Geneva.
In French-speaking Switzerland, the price of houses is rising twice as fast as elsewhere in the country
According to the Raiffeisen bank, prices for detached houses have risen most significantly in French-speaking Switzerland over the past year.
This surge is largely due to a shortage of available land in the Lake Geneva region.
Compared to the second quarter of 2025, the price of single-family houses jumped by 6.3 percent in the French-speaking region, compared to only about 3 percent in Central Switzerland and the Northwest.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at news@thelocal.ch
