Diesel prices in Switzerland have risen to a record high. A litre now costs an average of CHF 2.41 nationwide, according to the Touring Club Switzerland (TCS), surpassing the previous peak reached in 2022. Since the begining of the year the price has risen 35% from CHF 1.78 a litre.
Petrol prices are also climbing. A litre of unleaded 95 costs an average of CHF 2.10, five centimes more than a week ago. That remains below the 2022 record of CHF 2.31. Since the begining of the year the price has risen 27% from CHF 1.65 a litre.
The TCS attributes the rise to several factors. The war in Iran and disruptions to oil shipments in the Middle East have put pressure on energy markets. Russian exports of diesel and petrol have also fallen sharply, while damage to oil infrastructure and refineries has further constrained supply.
Switzerland faces problems of its own. The refinery at Cressier, in the canton of Neuchâtel, which supplies about 30% of the country’s petroleum products, was shut for several days.
Low water levels on the Rhine have also hampered shipping for months. Transporting goods from Rotterdam to Basel now costs more than CHF 220 a tonne, compared with a typical rate of CHF 22-28. The TCS estimates that higher transport costs on the Rhine alone are adding about 15 cents to the price of a litre of fuel.
Why is diesel more expensive than petrol and more exposed to price increases?
Diesel prices are supported by demand well beyond passenger cars. The fuel is closely related to heating oil and is widely used in construction, industry and freight transport. In countries with limited railway electrification, it also powers trains, while remote communities often rely on diesel generators for electricity and air conditioning.
Demand can rise further when natural-gas prices surge, prompting some countries to burn diesel-like petroleum products for power. Consumers with generators may also stockpile fuel when shortages or price rises loom.
Petrol, by contrast, is used mainly in cars, light vans, motorcycles, small boats and garden machinery. Falling demand for diesel cars therefore has relatively little effect on the wider market. Nor can refineries quickly shift production from petrol to diesel: doing so requires substantial investment.
With fuel prices rising and electricity costs set to fall, switching to an electric car makes ever more sense.
More on this:
TCS price data (in English)
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