Tenants of Zurich’s municipal apartments will see lower rents; two trains from Germany will terminate in Basel to ensure punctuality; and more Swiss news in our Wednesday roundup.
Zurich lowers rent for municipal apartments
Affordable accommodations in Zurich, which suffers from acute housing shortage, are almost non-existent.
But about 10,000 tenants of city-owned apartments are about to get lucky: their rents will become cheaper, municipal authorities announced on Tuesday.
This is due to the reduction of the reference interest rate from 1.75 to 1.5 percent on March 3rd.
The lower rent will take effect from July 1st, depending on the rental agreement.
SBB terminates two German trains in Basel
Deutsche Bahn trains which are delayed for at least 20 minutes are already stopped in Basel and their passengers transferred onto Swiss trains.
What is new is that the journey will end at Basel until at least the next timetable change in mid-December.
Two German trains are affected by this change: the EuroCity 7 from Hamburg to Interlaken Ost station, and the EuroCity from Dortmund to Zurich, both of which are notoriously late arriving from Germany, affecting connections on the Swiss side of the border.
READ ALSO: Why Switzerland beats Germany for reliable trains
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And speaking of trains:
SBB tests conversion of ‘shaking trains’ to make the journey smoother
Together with manufacturer Alstom, the SBB is attempting to stabilise its shaky double-decker FV-Dosto trains, which are notorious for shaking passengers every which way when switching gears.
The first train will be transferred this week from Zurich to Velim in the Czech Republic, where it will be equipped with modified chassis located under each carriage, to see whether it would ensure a smoother, shake-free ride.
The train is scheduled to return to Switzerland in summer 2025, where various tests will be conducted to see if this ‘conversion’ is effective.
The SBB will then decide in the autumn whether all FV Dosto trains should also be modified.
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Assisted dying could be allowed in Solothurn nursing homes
The cantonal government announced on Tuesday that it is sending a corresponding amendment to the health law out for consultation.
By granting assisted suicide organisations access to public nursing homes — as is already the case in some other cantons — the amendment “is intended to strengthen the right of self-determination of people at the end of their lives,” according to the government.
Currently, “the affected individuals must go to a hotel or move to another facility” to access assisted dying services, which “represents a high burden for those mostly over 80 years of age.”
READ ALSO: What methods of assisted dying are legal in Switzerland?
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