From higher tuition fees for foreign students, to hot-button issues to be voted on in a national referendum – these are some of the changes you can expect in Switzerland in September 2025.
September 1st: Basel ‘Mobility Challenge’
The “31DAYS Basel” mobility challenge starts in September and runs until November 31st.
This is how it works: If you give up your car for a month within this timeframe, you will be entitled to use public transport for free during this period.
If you live in Basel and want to participate in this environmentally-friendly ‘challenge’, you can find more information about it here.
September 8th: Autumn session of the parliament
MPs from both chambers of the parliament will debate, until September 26th, dozens of issues on their agenda.
They will also vote on matters left over from the previous sessions.
They include, among others, the move to criminalise ‘obsessional stalking’; approval of individual taxation of married couples; as well as the federal law on National Economic Supply, aiming to guarantee the country’s supply of essential goods and services in the event of a serious shortage.
September 8th and 18th: Foreign students to pay higher tuition
When the new academic year begins at the Federal Polytechnic Institute of Lausanne (EPFL) on September 8th, and at its sister institution ETH in Zurich on September 18th, international students will see their tuition triple.
This means their per-semester fees will increase from 730 to 2,190 francs.
The increase will apply only to new students, however; those who are already enrolled at the two universities can complete their studies at old rates.
These hikes are meant to compensate for lower federal contributions because the government’s financial aid to the two public institutes is sharply reduced.
READ ALSO: How much will foreign students have to pay for Zurich’s top university?
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September 11th and 21st: Geneva and Federal Days of Thanksgiving
Unlike in North America, where Thanksgiving is celebrated in the fall (October in Canada and November in the United States), the Swiss version — minus the turkey — is marked on the third Sunday of September.
Known as known as Eidgenössischer Dank-, Buss- und Bettag in German, Jeûne fédéral in French, Digiuno federale in Italian, and Rogaziun federala in Romansh, the Federal Day of Thanksgiving, Repentance and Prayer is celebrated all over Switzerland, with the exception of Geneva, which has its own comparable holiday, le Jeûne genevois, celebrated this year on September 11th.
READ ALSO: How does Switzerland mark its ‘Thanksgiving’ day?
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September 22nd: Autumn begins
The so-called Autumnal Equinox marks the official start of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.
In Switzerland, it will officially kick off at 8:44 am on this day.
It is too early to know ahead of time what the weather will be like once autumn officially begins, but after a summer with some extremely hot spells, most people are probably looking forward to sunny and cooler (but not TOO cool) days.
September 28th: Referendums
Swiss voters will have to decide on two issues in this second round of national referendums – both of them controversial.
The first one concerns the electronic proof of identity (e-ID).
Voters had already rejected this legislation in 2021, mainly because it was going to be issued by private companies.
The new, ‘improved’ law stipulates that the federal government will issue the e-ID and operate the required technical infrastructure, thereby ensuring the best possible protection of privacy and data security.
The issue nevertheless remains controversial, with some claiming this type of digital document will still not be totally secure and could violate privacy of its holders.
READ ALSO: What you need to know about Switzerland’s controversial ‘electronic-ID’
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The second issue at stake is the rental imputed value.
This refers to a tax term used to describe the theoretical rental value that you would have to pay if you were renting your own property.
In Switzerland, this value is used to calculate taxes, even if you live in your own apartment or house and do not pay rent.
In return, you can deduct your mortgage interest and maintenance costs from your taxable income.
But parliament has passed an amendment to the law (which is put to vote on September 28th) that abolishes the taxation of the imputed rental value and restricts the options for making deductions. This applies to both main homes and second homes.
At the same time, MPs have passed an amendment to the Constitution that allows the cantons to introduce a special property tax on second homes.
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Travel news:
Train
From August 30th to September 13th, EuroCity trains to Milan from Basel, Bern and Geneva will only run to/from Domodossola due to track works in Italy.
Some EuroCity trains between Geneva, Lausanne and Milan will be completely cancelled during this time.
To ensure that you can still get from Switzerland to Milan, the rest of Italy and back home again, the SBB and Trenitalia are organising replacement buses on the affected route.
Air
EasyJet is inaugurating a new route on September 4th: a direct flight from Geneva to the Polish city of Krakow.
These flights will operate on Thursdays and Sundays from September to October, and on Mondays and Fridays from November.
Also: if you are planning to travel to Italy during September, expect transport disruptions due to strikes:
READ ALSO: The transport strikes to expect in Italy in September 2025
