Switzerland Leads European Coalition Offering Emergency Visa Relief Amid Middle-East Travel Bans
Easter Monday Gridlock: 20-Kilometre Jam at Gotthard Tunnel Paralyzes North-South Traffic
Stadler Rail Drops Legal Challenge, Clearing the Way for Siemens to Build SBB’s 200 New Double-Deck Trains
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Switzerland Re-imposes Visa Requirement for Georgian Diplomats & Officials
Effective 3 April 2026, Georgian diplomatic, official and service passport holders once again need a visa to enter Switzerland. The move, adopted by the Federal Council after the EU activated its visa-suspension mechanism, forces Swiss employers and international organisations to build extra lead time into visit planning for Georgian delegations. While ordinary Georgian citizens keep visa-free access, Bern has signalled that broader restrictions could follow if democratic standards in Georgia deteriorate further.
Zurich Airport Begins Full Roll-Out of EU Entry/Exit System as Deadline Nears
Zurich Airport activated the EU’s biometric Entry/Exit System on 4 April, requiring third-country nationals to provide fingerprints and a facial scan on their first crossing. Swiss authorities say average processing time is under a minute, but companies are advising staff to plan for longer queues during the bedding-in period. The change automates 90/180-day calculations, raising the compliance stakes for frequent business travellers.
Easter Getaway Gridlock: Gotthard Tunnel Queue Stretches 21 km
Queues outside the Gotthard road tunnel hit 21 km on 4 April, translating into waits of more than three hours for motorists heading south. The Easter-holiday squeeze disrupted both leisure travel and time-critical freight, highlighting the vulnerability of Switzerland’s key north-south corridor before the second tunnel tube comes online in the 2030s.