As Swiss motorways brace for heavy traffic and delays during the Ascension holidays, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), the largest provider of public transport in Switzerland, has announced that it will be increasing rail services over the weekend to cope with the higher demand.
For drivers in Switzerland, May 26 to 29 is set to be a slow weekend. Already, Swiss police have warned that passes through the mountains - like the Mont Blanc Tunnel near Geneva, the Gotthard Road Tunnel and the San Bernardino Pass - are all expected to have traffic jams over the holiday weekend that may last for hours.
Authorities in France, Italy and Switzerland have asked drivers to check traffic reports regularly and avoid the busiest travel periods - expected to be between midday on May 25 to May 26 going southbound and between midday on May 28 to May 29 going north.
To cope with the increased demand, SBB has announced that it will be “significantly expanding” the number of services to Canton Ticino - a top holiday destination and gateway to Italy. The number of trains between Zurich, Basel and Ticino is expected to increase significantly between May 25 and 29, and travellers are advised to check the online timetable for more information.
In addition, SBB will be increasing the number of seats available on regular services through the Gotthard. There is also expected to be an increase in the number of travellers at Swiss airports, so holidaymakers are encouraged to check the websites of Zurich, Geneva and Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg Airport to see the average waiting time at security.