DON’T MISS
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingIamExpat Webinars
Newsletters
EXPAT INFO
CAREER
HOUSING
EDUCATION
LIFESTYLE
EXPAT SERVICES
NEWS & ARTICLES
Home
Expat Info
Swiss news & articles
Swiss politicians want to cut tax breaks for drivers
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy

Swiss politicians want to cut tax breaks for drivers

Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy
or
follow us for regular updates:



Related Stories

Petrol and diesel prices in Switzerland fall to 4-year lowPetrol and diesel prices in Switzerland fall to 4-year low
March 2025 in Switzerland: 10 important things expats need to knowMarch 2025 in Switzerland: 10 important things expats need to know
Which Swiss cities have the cheapest (and most expensive) parking?Which Swiss cities have the cheapest (and most expensive) parking?
Cost of owning a car in Switzerland set to rise in 2025, study findsCost of owning a car in Switzerland set to rise in 2025, study finds
New cyclist tax proposed in Switzerland: What you need to knowNew cyclist tax proposed in Switzerland: What you need to know
Switzerland in 2025: Major changes you need to know aboutSwitzerland in 2025: Major changes you need to know about
Guide to the national referendums in Switzerland for November 2024Guide to the national referendums in Switzerland for November 2024
Swiss motorway expansion likely to lead to fuel price hike, report suggestsSwiss motorway expansion likely to lead to fuel price hike, report suggests
For expats of all colours, shapes and sizes

Explore
Expat infoCareerHousingEducationLifestyleExpat servicesNews & articles
About us
IamExpat MediaAdvertisePost a jobContact usSitemap
More IamExpat
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingWebinarsNewsletters
Privacy
Terms of usePrivacy policyCookiesAvoiding scams

Never miss a thing!Sign up for expat events, news & offers, delivered once a week.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy


© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Nov 9, 2021
Jan de Boer

Editor at IamExpat Media

Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016. While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more

As other European nations like Germany begin to abolish commuter deductions, politicians are calling for an expansion of vehicle taxes in Switzerland and abolishing tax breaks for drivers. The move is part of an effort to curb carbon emissions and push people to use public transport.

Current vehicle tax break encourages longer commutes

Under the current rules, people who use vehicles to get to work can deduct 3.000 Swiss francs a year from their tax return. The policy was originally established to help people in rural areas commute to Swiss cities for higher-paid jobs. Now, politicians want to scrap the current system of taxation to reduce carbon emissions.

Speaking to 20 minuten, National Councillor for the Social Democratic Party, Gabriela Suter, said the “commuter deduction for drivers should be cancelled.” She noted that the scheme rewarded those who commuted the furthest and therefore emitted the most.

Abolishing the vehicle tax deduction a "bourgeois demand"

Suter called on the government to abolish the tax break so that more people would take public transport. She suggested that the government could instead provide a special "commuting allowance" to low-income groups that rely on their cars for transport. Kurt Egger, from the Green Party, echoed the comments, saying the "public transport network is so well developed that most people have the opportunity to switch to public transport if they want."

The discussions started after the German Environment Agency called for their own commuting allowance to be phased out from 2027. Despite the recent push by some politicians, reactions in Switzerland have been mixed. National Councillor for the Swiss People’s Party, Christian Imark, claimed that only the wealthy population wanted the tax break to be scrapped, and that “once your attack drivers and the rural population, these bourgeois demands will fall through.”

By Jan de Boer