Switzerland Is About To Get Even Sweeter With A New Chocolate Destination

While the country is already home to the world-famous Lindt Home of Chocolate in Zurich, a massive new "chocolate paradise" is officially on the horizon.

Nestlé has unveiled plans for a major expansion of its historic Maison Cailler site in Broc, transforming it into the Parc du chocolat Cailler.

A 400 Million Franc "Chocolate Paradise"

Located in the Gruyère region, where chocolate has been produced since 1898, this project is stepping far beyond a simple museum. With a projected cost of 400 million francs, the Parc du chocolat Cailler is designed to be a "city within a city" for cocoa lovers.

The ambition is massive: developers are targeting one million visitors per year, which would put it on par with Switzerland's most popular tourist destinations.

What to Expect: The "Vertical" Cocoa Experience

The new park will span roughly 30,000 square meters and offer an immersive journey that could take up to five hours to complete. Highlights include:

Cocoa-Bean Greenhouses: Architecturally stunning glass structures shaped like cocoa beans where visitors can see real cocoa trees growing.

Sensory Tours: An expanded visitor experience focusing on the intense smells and tastes of traditional Swiss chocolate making. Enhanced rail links via the Broc Chocolaterie station, encouraging visitors to arrive by train rather than car.

Timeline: When Can You Visit?

While the Maison Cailler museum remains open during the transition, the full "Mega Destination" experience is expected to open in phases, with the first major completion goal set for 2030.

"The goal is to create an immersive experience centered on the taste and smell A "Chocolate Village": The plans include on-site hotels, restaurants, a wellness center, and a rooftop emporium.

Revitalized Heritage: Disused factory workshops will be restored and opened to the public for the first time in over a century.

Sustainability & Smart Travel

One of the most interesting aspects of the project is how you’ll get there. To protect the charm of the local village of Broc, the project includes:

A dedicated cable car to transport visitors from a new underground parking hub directly to the park.

Enhanced rail links via the Broc Chocolaterie station, encouraging visitors to arrive by train rather than car.

Skyscraper Height Of Rockefeller Center Planned For Remote Skiing Village In Switzerland

A new skyscraper proposed for Switzerland aims to transform housing in the mountain village of Zermatt in the Swiss Alps.

Matterhorn and swiss alps in Zermatt, Switzerland. | Getty

Renderings of the Lina Peak skyscraper shown on its website reveal a slender, rectangular glass tower. The building is designed to rise to 260 meters (just over 853 feet), placing it at roughly the same height as New York City’s Rockefeller Center, which stands 850 feet tall. The height of the tower could potentially change and be made taller or shorter if required, architect Heinz Julen, who designed the skyscraper, told New Atlas.

The Lina Peak website states that the tower is planned for plots no. 7223, 4716, 4708, and 7216 in the Biel area, around 800 meters (less than half a mile) before the entrance to Zermatt. The location has already been examined from a geological standpoint by Dr. Hans Rudolf Keusen, who concluded that the project’s basic feasibility has been confirmed but noted that more work remains.

“The Lina Peak project would be feasible from the point of view of natural hazards. Additional clarifications are needed to quantify the hazard and to dimension the necessary protective structures,” Keusen said, according to the website.

Julen has described Lina Peak as a kind of pressure release for Zermatt itself. “Lina Peak is a release valve for Zermatt–it creates space, relieves pressure, and gives the village back the peace it needs so that locals and guests will feel comfortable in the future,” he told New Atlas.

On the project’s website, the building is framed not merely as a striking tower, but as a “vertical village” that helps provide affordable housing for locals.

According to the website, the tower would include around 500 apartments ranging from 35 square meters (about 378 square feet) to 150 square meters (1,615 square feet), and offer a combined total of over 30,000 square meters of living space.

These apartments are intended to be available for sale or rent for locals and employees, and are described as “bright” units offering panoramic views of the Matterhorn and the wider Zermatt mountain landscape.

The project would be divided into two living areas. One area would occupy floors 2 through 32 and is described as providing “affordable first homes for locals and employees,” with a ban on price speculation and a commitment to fair pricing. That section would also include the possibility of renting supervised senior residences with preferential prices for Zermatt locals.

The second housing area would span floors 34 to 62 and would be sold on the free market in accordance with current Zermatt guidelines, with the intention of using those sales for cross-subsidisation of social housing. The website says this would result in “a model that combines social diversity and economic viability,” adding that “the upper floors make it possible for Zermatt to remain affordable living space downstairs–permanently and fairly.”

The proposal also seeks to address concerns about long-term affordability by setting limits on how the units can be priced in the future. The website states that 50 percent of apartments must remain as affordable housing and that price increases should be no more than two percent per year.

It argues that such measures are necessary in Zermatt, where, according to the project description, “market prices [are] often 50 percent higher than real value,” and “capped prices and fair financing ensure balance.”

Beyond housing, Lina Peak is also positioned as part of a broader system intended to relieve the village center from congestion. “The direct gondola connection to the Kumme cable car will make the project part of a new guest management system, so the village center remains relieved and Zermatt gains space to breathe,” the website says.

By Soo Kim

If President Trump’s 31% tariffs On Switzerland Are Imposed, Then Instead Of Buying The Rolex Land-Dweller In The U.S. It Will Be Cheaper To Fly First Class From New York To Geneva, Buy The Watch, Stay In A Suite At The Four Seasons, Dine At A Michelin Restaurant And Fly Back

In a world where luxury and logic rarely coexist, a curious financial paradox is emerging in the world of fine watches. Thanks to a proposed tariff hike on Swiss watches imported into the United States, the cost of owning a brand-new Rolex Land-Dweller might skyrocket. If the tariffs are implemented as planned, prices for Swiss watches could jump by as much as 31%. That means, in theory, a watch that has a retail price of €47,400 (about $52,300) would now cost closer to $68,500 for American buyers.

This potential markup of over $16,000 is enough to make even the most brand-loyal Rolex enthusiasts take pause. But more than that, it opens the door to a fascinating and very real possibility: it could soon be cheaper to fly to Geneva in first class, stay in a luxury suite, dine at a Michelin-starred restaurant, and buy the Land-Dweller locally, all for less than what it would cost to buy the same watch stateside.

The thought reads like the beginning of a luxury heist or a well-researched finance blog hack, but it’s grounded in hard numbers. A round-trip first-class flight from New York City to Geneva with American Airlines can be booked for around $11,000.

The loft suite at the Four Seasons Geneva

Furthermore, a suite at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues—arguably one of the most exclusive stays in the city—can cost about $3,000 for one night. Add in a dinner at one of Geneva’s renowned Michelin-starred restaurants like Domaine de Châteauvieux or Le Chat-Botté, and you’re looking at another $1,000 for a decadent, wine-paired evening.

The Le Chat-Botté

Add all that up—flight, lodging, gourmet experience—and the total cost comes to approximately $15,000. Subtract that from the $16,000 saved by avoiding the tariff-inflated price in the US, and you’re still left with roughly $1,000 to spare. That’s $1,000 after having flown first class across the Atlantic, indulged in five-star hospitality, and walked out of a Swiss boutique with one of the most anticipated Rolex releases of the year strapped to your wrist.

Buyers queued up outside the Rolex store in Geneva.

It sounds outrageous, and yet it is a perfectly rational response to an irrational pricing distortion. Rolex’s pricing structure is famously opaque, with allocation policies and boutique politics sometimes standing in the way of even the wealthiest buyers. But at least for those who have access to the Land-Dweller at MSRP in Switzerland, this workaround not only makes financial sense—it turns the act of purchasing into an experience worthy of the brand’s prestige.

Image – The White House

To be clear, the prices have not changed yet. As of now, the U. price remains untouched, and Swiss boutiques are still selling their models at current retail rates. The scenario, then, is a thought experiment—a projection of what could happen if the US follows through on the proposed 31% tariff on Swiss timepieces. But it’s a scenario that buyers, resellers, and even rival luxury brands are watching closely.

Geneva, long regarded as the beating heart of horology, has always been a kind of pilgrimage site for watch aficionados. But in a world where trade policy warps the cost of global luxury, the Swiss city could become a strange new outpost for American retail therapy. Weekend jaunts to Switzerland may become less of a novelty and more of a calculated financial decision. For those spending five figures on a watch, it’s not absurd to tack on a European vacation—especially when it effectively costs nothing.

There’s also something undeniably poetic about it. A buyer leaving JFK, settling into a lie-flat seat, sipping champagne at altitude, arriving in the cradle of watchmaking, and walking cobbled streets to a boutique perched on the edge of Lake Geneva. They make their purchase in the place where the watch was born, sleep in a suite once occupied by diplomats and dignitaries, and dine under the artistry of chefs who plate with the same precision as a master watchmaker.

Of course, not every buyer will have the time—or inclination—to cross the Atlantic for their watch. But for those who do, this may be one of those rare instances where indulgence is not only enjoyable, but economically justified. In the strange math of luxury under tariffs, flying first class to buy a watch abroad might not be a splurge. It might just be smart shopping.

https://luxurylaunches.com/author/sayan/

New Travel Options For North Americans Going To Switzerland

New travel options for North Americans going to Switzerland - SWISS expands network with four destinations in Canton Graubünden due to SBB cooperation SWISS and SBB, the largest railway in Switzerland, have steadily expanded their partnership connecting air and rail travel since it was first established in 2019. This is certainly great news for those travelers on long-haul flights from North America that want to go beyond the SWISS hubs of Zurich and Geneva and explore the entire country. The SWISS and SBB joint travel network provide easy and convenient transfers from plane to train, all on one reservation. Furthermore, four additional destinations have recently been added: Chur, Davos, Klosters and St. Moritz in Canton Graubünden.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) have steadily developed and expanded their joint product and service offer, linking air and rail travel, since it was first established in 2019. What began with a strategic partnership on the Zurich Airport-Basel route has evolved into today’s network of more than 20 SWISS Air Rail destinations. The concept has proved very popular with travelers, and SWISS and SBB expect to report further growth of approximately 15% in demand for these services this year. The partnership was initially limited to a five-year period, but Switzerland’s two leading transport companies have decided to extend their successful collaboration indefinitely.

For travelers from North America, much of the allure of Switzerland lies within the entire country, from larger cities, such as Zurich and Geneva, to the quaint villages and mountainous regions that are found scattered throughout. As a result of the SWISS and SBB air/rail partnership, it is easier than ever to travel to Switzerland’s many Canton regions that may be, at times, more challenging for visitors to reach.

“SBB and SWISS are both bywords for Swiss values, quality and reliability,” said Heike Birlenbach, Chief Commercial Officer at SWISS. “This partnership enables us to offer our customers an overall travel experience that seamlessly combines the strengths of air and rail travel and, in doing so, sets new benchmarks in comfort and convenience terms.”

The partners are also further expanding their present joint product offer through the addition of four attractive destinations in Canton Graubünden. By linking the corresponding SBB services with the SWISS route network, Chur and (via the Rhaetian Railway) Davos, Klosters and St. Moritz will now also be more easily reachable for international travelers. The new routes are bookable for travel on or after 2 October 2024. “I’m especially pleased,” CCO Birlenbach continued, “that our now-extended collaboration with SBB will enable us to offer even more convenient connections within Switzerland that optimally meet our air travelers’ needs.”

“The open-ended continuation of our collaboration and the addition of these new connections to Chur, Davos, Klosters and St. Moritz tellingly demonstrate how SBB and SWISS are jointly developing a broad range of viable travel solutions,” added Véronique Stephan, Member of the SBB Management Board and Head of Passenger Services Markets. “And the benefits for all our customers are seamless connections and an expanded network of travel services that bring the world and Switzerland even closer together. We’re teaming up to bring people on board!”

Flexible travel planning

With the overall aim of optimally linking further points in Switzerland (and tourist destinations in particular) with its global route network, SWISS puts a particular focus on providing direct connections and on optimizing its customer services in the event of operational irregularities.

SWISS Air Rail can be booked in combination with a SWISS flight on www.swiss.com or at any travel agency. In doing so, customers can select any of the rail stations offered as their point of origin or destination and book both their air and their rail travel in a single step. SWISS Air Rail travelers need only check-in once and will obtain all their boarding passes directly from SWISS. They also have the option of using their rail ticket the day before their air departure or the day after their air arrival, to give them greater planning flexibility.

SWISS further offers its customers a connection guarantee in the event of delays on all SWISS Air Rail routes. SWISS First and SWISS Business passengers are further entitled to first-class rail travel on their SWISS Air Rail connection. This further expansion brings the SWISS Air Rail network to a total of 21 destinations. The network already extends to Basel, Bellinzona, Bern, Brig, Fribourg, Geneva Cornavin (main station), Interlaken, Lausanne, Lucerne, Lugano, Montreux, Sierre, Sion, Vevey and Visp in Switzerland, and to Munich in Germany and Bregenz in Austria.

Full details of the SWISS Air Rail services offered in partnership with SBB are available here: https://www.swiss.com/ch/de/book-and-manage/partner-offers/swiss-airrail

Swiss International Airlines Begins New Service From Toronto To Zurich

Great news for those in the Toronto area looking to travel to Switzerland, Europe and beyond: Today, SWISS launched five weekly flights from Toronto to Zurich, that will operate throughout the summer season. Toronto joins Montreal as the two Canadian gateways with SWISS service. With this new flight, and the recent addition of service to Washington DC from Zurich, SWISS is expanding its route network throughout North America.

“We are extremely excited to launch direct service from Zurich to Toronto,” said Heike Birlenbach, Chief Commercial Officer, SWISS. “SWISS expands its intercontinental service again. We just launched flights to Washington DC, and now with this new Toronto flight, we have increased our footprint in North America to ten gateways.”

The Toronto flight is one of three new intercontinental routes SWISS is launching this summer season, with Washington DC launching on March 28 and Seoul, South Korea, which just began service on May 8.

SWISS flight LX81 departs Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) at 4:25pm and arrives in Zurich at 06:30am, the following day. SWISS flight LX80 departs Zurich Airport (ZRH) at 09:55am and arrives back in Toronto at 1:00pm. All times are local. The seasonal flights will be operated five times a week by an A330-300 long-haul aircraft with 236 seats in a three-class configuration on this new route.

SWISS – the airline

SWISS, the leading airline of Switzerland, operates one of the youngest fleets in Europe with 87 Airbus and Boeing aircraft. It has transformed Zurich Airport into one of the continent’s leading hubs. Currently serving 114 destinations from Switzerland, the airline carried some 16.5 million passengers in 2023 and is focused on continuing to offer customers in Switzerland and beyond a premium experience in all classes. As part of its investments for the future, SWISS has earmarked five billion Swiss Francs by 2027 encompassing new environmentally friendly aircraft, like the A350-900, entering service next year, as well as its Swiss Senses onboard long-haul product upgrade. The investments will also boost sustainability endeavors and new staff recruitment.

SWISS onboard experience

The SWISS A330-300 aircraft has a three-class configuration consisting of eight First Class armchair seats, 45 Business Class seats and 183 Economy Class seats.

In First Class, the seats can be turned into a lounge armchair, a table for two, or a bed with a mattress and privacy walls. Guests can adjust the integrated air cushions to suit their individual needs. Business Class seats offer a spacious workplace that converts into a roomy two-meter flat bed. Also, the seat’s integrated massage function will pamper guests while enroute and ensure that you arrive relaxed at your destination.

Culinary offerings while onboard

Since December 2002, SWISS has been taking First and Business Class travelers on its long-haul services from Switzerland on a journey of culinary discovery through its home country’s various regions. Every three months a new Michelin-starred and GaultMillau-point top chef is invited to create a varied selection of quality dishes from their ‘home’ canton, with a particular focus on regional and seasonal specialties.

Sustainability goals

SWISS has set the goal to redefine air travel for its customers, all while staying true to its ambitious sustainability goals for the future. The company plans to halve its 2019 net CO2 emissions by 2030 and make its business and operations entirely carbon-neutral by 2050, particularly by promoting the use of sustainable aviation fuels. The coming A350 aircraft will cut CO2 emissions by some 25 percent compared to its predecessor A340. While SWISS has one of Europe’s most modern aircraft fleets already, the A350s will assist in continuing to offer a high level of customer satisfaction while further reducing the carbon footprint.

Lufthansa Group in Toronto and North America

The Lufthansa Group carriers fly from 31 North American gateways, offering 484 weekly frequencies. At Pearson International Airport, Group carriers – Lufthansa and SWISS – now operate 19 weekly frequencies to Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich and 88 weekly frequencies throughout Canada.

SWISS brings Switzerland closer to Toronto

While SWISS is popular for its global network, as the airline of Switzerland it is eager to offer Canadian travelers a new service straight to the country’s leading tourist destinations.

“Switzerland is high on the list as one of Europe’s most breathtaking countries, offering skiing in the Alps, pristine landscapes and a stellar rail system that brings travelers to all parts of the country with extreme ease,” said Christina Meakin, Head of Sales Canada for the Lufthansa Group. “Our new SWISS flight brings a much-needed direct access to Zurich, and for this we are grateful,” she added.

Worldwide connectivity with the Lufthansa Group network

SWISS customers gain access to a worldwide network as the airline is a part of the Lufthansa Group, Europe’s largest airline group. Passengers benefit from the direct connection to all major LHG hubs, as well as a continuous booking process and seamless transfers to destinations across the globe.

The New Service in Brief

Route Flight number Flight days Departure – Arrival (local times) Toronto – Zurich LX81 5x Weekly 04:25pm-06:30am Zurich – Toronto LX80 5x Weekly 09:55am-01:00pmRoute Flight number Flight days Departure – Arrival (local times) Toronto – Zurich LX81 5x Weekly 04:25pm-06:30am Zurich – Toronto LX80 5x Weekly 09:55am-01:00pm Route Flight number Flight days Departure – Arrival (local times) Toronto – Zurich LX81 5x Weekly 04:25pm-06:30am Zurich – Toronto LX80 5x Weekly 09:55am-01:00pm Flights are now available at http://www.swiss.com.Flights are now available at http://www.swiss.com. Flights are now available at http://www.swiss.com.

Swiss International Air Lines Begins New Service From Washington, DC To Zurich

Great news for those in the Washington DC area looking to travel to Switzerland, throughout Europe and beyond: This past week, SWISS launched daily flights to Washington DC from Zurich, and with this, continues to expand its route network throughout North America.

We are thrilled to launch this flight, linking these two great cities, and offering new travel opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic. Our new route is not only an important addition to the SWISS intercontinental network, but another significant milestone in the bourgeoning Swiss – US relationship,” said Dieter Vranckx, SWISS CEO, on his US visit celebrating the launch of the new service. “Washington DC is more than just another city in our growing North American network, it is the capital of our most significant market with catchment area of customers from government, business, academia and leisure,” noted Vranckx.

The daily flight is one of three new intercontinental routes SWISS is launching this summer season, with Toronto, Canada and Seoul, South Korea slated in the coming months.

SWISS, the leading airline of Switzerland, operates one of the youngest fleets in Europe with 87 Airbus and Boeing aircraft. It has transformed Zurich Airport into one of the continent’s leading hubs. Currently serving 114 destinations from Switzerland, the airline carried some 16.5 million passengers in 2023 and is focused on continuing to offer customers in Switzerland and beyond a premium experience in all classes. As part of its investments for the future, SWISS has earmarked five billion Swiss Francs by 2027 encompassing new environmentally friendly aircraft, like the A350-900, entering service next year, as well as its Swiss Senses onboard long-haul product upgrade. The investments will also boost sustainability endeavors and new staff recruitment.

As a key component of the Lufthansa Group in North America, SWISS’s new DC routes make Dulles Airport one of the airline group’s leading North American gateways.

"This new SWISS route is a significant step for the Lufthansa Group in that finally all four of our network passenger airlines, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa and SWISS, now serve the capital of the United States, making Washington Dulles only the second US gateway to offer customers flights to all five Lufthansa Group hubs,” said Dirk Janzen, Vice President Passenger Sales, The Americas, Lufthansa Group Airlines. “Outside of our home markets, North America is our most important region, and expanding our footprint in DC solidifies our presence across the US and Canada,” he added.

Lufthansa Group in DC and North America

The Lufthansa Group carriers fly from 31 North American gateways, offering 484 weekly frequencies. At Dulles Airport, the group operates 39 weekly frequencies. Further bolstering its presence locally, on May 31, Lufthansa will place its Airbus A380 aircraft on its Washington DC – Munich route, for the duration of the summer season.

Following the inaugural flight, Chryssa Westerlund, Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, said: "We extend a warm welcome to our 41st airline partner at Washington Dulles, Swiss International Air Lines. With the introduction of their new service to Zurich, Switzerland, travelers now have more options than ever to visit Europe and beyond. Washington Dulles offers nonstop service to 140 cities across the United States and around the world."

While SWISS is popular for its global network, as the airline of Switzerland it is eager to offer US travelers a new service straight to the country’s leading tourist destinations.

"In 2023, Switzerland saw a record increase of 23.4% (compared to the previous record, 2019) in overnights generated from the USA,” said Claudio Zemp, Switzerland Tourism Director, The Americas. “We see ever-increasing demand for Switzerland’s wonderful boutique towns, rustic alpine resorts, and scenic train journeys and we are extremely happy that SWISS provides additional airlift out of DC to our guests."

SWISS onboard experience

The SWISS A330-300 aircraft has a three-class configuration consisting of eight First Class armchair seats, 45 Business Class seats and 183 Economy Class seats.

In First Class, the seats can be turned into a lounge armchair, a table for two, or a bed with a mattress and privacy walls. Guests can adjust the integrated air cushions to suit their individual needs. Business Class seats offer a spacious workplace that converts into a roomy two-meter flat bed. Also, the seat’s integrated massage function will pamper guests while enroute and ensure that you arrive relaxed at your destination.

Culinary offerings while onboard

Since December 2002, SWISS has been taking First and Business Class travelers on its long-haul services from Switzerland on a journey of culinary discovery through its home country’s various regions. Every three months a new Michelin-starred and GaultMillau-point top chef is invited to create a varied selection of quality dishes from their ‘home’ canton, with a particular focus on regional and seasonal specialties.

Sustainability goals

SWISS has set the goal to redefine air travel for its customers, all while staying true to its ambitious sustainability goals for the future. The company plans to halve its 2019 net CO2 emissions by 2030 and make its business and operations entirely carbon-neutral by 2050, particularly by promoting the use of sustainable aviation fuels. The coming A350 aircraft will cut CO2 emissions by some 25% compared to its predecessor A340. While SWISS has one of Europe’s most modern aircraft fleets already, the A350s will assist in continuing to offer a high level of customer satisfaction while further reducing the carbon footprint.

The New Service in Brief

Route Flight number Flight days Departure – Arrival (local times) Washington DC – Zurich LX 73 Daily 8:45pm-10:50am Zurich – Washington DC LX 72 Daily 12:55pm-4:15pm

Flights are now available at http://www.swiss.com.

Travelore News: Key Swiss Rail Tunnel Damaged By Derailment Won’t Fully Reopen Until Next September

GENEVA (AP) — Switzerland’s national rail operator said Thursday the world’s longest rail tunnel won’t be fully reopened to train traffic until next September, again pushing back the target date for repairs of damage caused by a cargo train derailment.

The Swiss federal railway operator, known by its German-language acronym SBB, said the damage from the Aug. 10 derailment in the Gotthard tunnel, Switzerland’s main north-south rail thoroughfare, is “much more significant than first imagined.”

“The rail tracks need to be entirely replaced over 7 kilometers (4.2 miles). The work will take much more time than anticipated,” SBB said. The cost of the repairs is expected to be 100 million to 130 million Swiss francs (about $110 million to $140 million).

Limited passenger and cargo train traffic through the tunnel is continuing. Previously, SBB said repair work would continue through the end of this year.

No one was injured in the derailment, but the damage was considerable. Large swaths of track and an evacuation portal were torn up.

The tunnel is a crucial thoroughfare for goods and cargo, particularly between Germany to the north and Italy to the south. Last year, more than two-thirds of rail freight traffic through the Alps passed through the tunnel, according to the Swiss government.

Swiss Bask In Reopened Shops As COVID-19 Cases Drop

GENEVA (AP) — The timing couldn’t have been better for Michele Pesson for Swiss authorities to order a reopening of stores across Switzerland amid a recent drop in coronavirus cases and deaths: Her son’s birthday is coming up, and she wanted to get her hands on something special for him to read.

Pesson, a school teacher and administrator, was one of the droves of shoppers who turned out on Monday in a Geneva shop of well-known Swiss bookstore chain Payot to buy up magazines, books and other wares after a six-week shutdown that left only essential stores in Switzerland open because of the pandemic.

“Honestly, it does a lot of good,” she said. “You get the feeling that it’s something that’s not just the stores that are opening — but it’s a whole social aspect that’s reopening.”

Swiss authorities last week gave a go-ahead to what they called a “cautious” reopening despite a new, more-transmissible COVID-19 variant that first appeared in Britain that is increasingly circulating in the rich Alpine country.

In mid-January, authorities ordered the closure of stores except for supermarkets, pharmacies and other essential businesses — around the time that the country of 8.5 million was tallying more than 3,000 new coronavirus cases per day based on a seven-day average. That rate has gradually dropped in recent weeks, now to about 1,000 per day — or less.

The seven-day average of deaths has come in in the single digits in recent days, declining steadily from more than 70 on New Year’s Day and a plateau of over 80 per day in most of November and December.

The new measures don’t just affect stores: museums, zoos, library reading rooms and outdoor sports facilities like tennis courts and skating rinks can reopen. The government also is allowing more people to gather in public or private — 15 people, up from five.

President Guy Parmelin last week acknowledged public pressure for a faster reopening, but called for “discipline” in the face of the new variant’s spread. A reopening of restaurants and bars is planned for April 1, but that could be moved forward “if the situation continues to improve,” he said.

He cited rising vaccinations and COVID-19 testing in Switzerland as reasons to be confident.

Shop owners too expressed relief Monday that life was getting a bit closer to normal.

Nabil Slimani, manager of a Geneva store of snowboard, freeski, surf, skate and streetwear vendor Blue Tomato, said the closures last month and other forced closures in November “were really starting to weigh us as much as on the customers.”

He said more customers flooded into the store after a previous shutdown last year, and this time, “it’s been pretty calm ... it hasn’t been crazy.”

Ikea reported a few longer lines than usual. Spokesman Aurel Hosennen said Monday wasn’t nearly as busy as after a reopening from a longer lockdown last spring, when visits to reopened stores were nearly twice as much as on a normal day. On Monday, traffic was up about 30% from a normal Monday.

But the managers of the Payot bookshop said a combination of a back-to-school rush after university holidays and an eagerness to return to the feel of new books — after some online shopping in recent weeks — was driving up traffic on Monday.

“For a month and a half, people missed coming to bookstores,” said Christophe Jacquier, the Payot store manager. “There’s a real pleasure for people to come to hunt for and chose their books — it’s not the same thing as searching on the Internet.”

By JAMEY KEATEN

Switzerland-Italy Train Travel To Be Suspended Amid Pandemic

GENEVA (AP) — The Swiss national rail operator says nearly all train travel between Italy and Switzerland will be suspended indefinitely starting Thursday because of COVID-19 control measures that have been required by Italian authorities. An Italian government decree requires that train operators carry out temperature checks on passengers, who also must show they’ve tested negative for the coronavirus and carry a document from their employers authorizing travel, Swiss federal railway service spokeswoman Ottavia Masserini said. “We don’t have the resources to apply these requests,” Masserini said by phone. She said the measures amounted to “almost entirely a halt” to train travel between the two countries, though some regional trains on a single line linking Brig, Switzerland, and Domodossola, Italy, that are run by a different operator would continue their traffic.

The railway standstill could affect many cross-border workers, particularly in the health care sector, who travel from Italy to southern Switzerland every day. The halt to traffic comes amid heightened concerns about the spread of COVID-19 during Europe’s second wave. Switzerland has recorded high levels of transmission, but hasn’t enacted control measures that are as strict as in neighboring countries like France, Italy and Germany. Masserini said train travel between Switzerland and Italy is down by 50% this year amid the pandemic, which left cross-border traffic between Switzerland and those European neighbors at a virtual standstill in the spring for at least two months -- during the first wave of COVID-19 in Europe.