Victims of the fatal bus fire have been identified; Switzerland to suffer housing shortage long-term; and more news in our Thursday roundup.
Victims of the fatal bus fire have been identified
The identity of all six people who died when a bus was set on fire in Kerzers, Fribourg, on Tuesday night is now known.
They include the bus driver, who was a 63-year-old man of Portuguese origin.
The other four people killed were all Swiss citizens living in the region. They were two women aged 25 and 39, and two men aged 16 and 29.
Revealed: How much has the price of petrol increased in Switzerland?
The price of fuel in Switzerland has gotten more expensive since the beginning of the war in Iran.
TCS motoring organisation has calculated just how much higher the prices are now in comparison to the end of February, when the US and Israel launched their airstrikes.
To do that, the the TCS has surveyed 3,200 service stations across Switzerland, finding that diesel experienced the highest increase: it rose by 8.6 percent to 1.90 francs per litre.
Next, the price of Unleaded 95, costing 1.70 francs per litre, went up by 3.7 percent.
Unleaded 98 is faring slightly better, with a price increase of 3.4 percent per litre.
READ MORE: Where can you buy cheapest petrol in Switzerland right now?
Switzerland to suffer housing shortage long-term, experts say
The Swiss real estate market is not about to ease, according to an analysis carried out by Raiffeisen Bank.
Part of the reason is that two opposing forces are compressing the market: a stalled construction sector and a vital need for more foreign labour.
The retirement of baby boomers combined with the low birth rate means that “companies will need to find a large number of workers abroad,” the bank said. “This will have a significant impact on the demand for housing.”
Therefore, “it is unlikely that the real estate situation will ease over the next ten years, it added..
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To promote local tourism, Valais is offering free train travel
Together with the SwissPass Alliance, Valais is launching the “Mobility Ticket,” allowing Swiss residents staying in its hotels to receive a round-trip ticket on public transport.
This move aims to promote more sustainable tourism and encourage visitors to choose trains over cars for leisure travel. It also seeks to boost direct hotel bookings and promote longer stays.
This pilot project is spearheaded by several partners in the tourism and public transport sectors, with support from the federal Innotour program.
The results will be analysed to assess the impact of the measure and consider a possible expansion.
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