Switzerland

Austria and Switzerland: Passport Controls During Euro 2008, Vienna Airport Closed to Vehicles on Certain Dates

Date: June 11th, 2008 |

Passport controls are in effect in both countries through June 29 during the 2008 European Football Championship. All visitors must enter at official border crossings and must have a valid passport to be allowed entry. On certain days during the tournament Vienna’s Schwechat Airport will close access to all traffic except buses and vehicles with [read more]

Switzerland: World Economic Forum Demonstrations Possible

Date: January 10th, 2007 |

1 comment

The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos Jan. 24-27. In past years, anti-globalization protesters caused significant traffic disruptions in Basel, Bern, Chur, Davos, Lucerne, Winterthur and Zurich and may do so again this year. No terrorist threats have been made, however, and authorities consider the overall risk of violence to be low. Protester numbers [read more]

Central Europe: Floods

Date: August 23rd, 2005 |

No Comments

Three days of torrential rain caused extensive flooding in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria. In Switzerland, rail service through the Alps to Italy was shut down and many major roads were closed. Several villages, including the resort town of Grindelwald, were cut off and floods threatened parts of Interlaken and Bern, the [read more]

Switzerland

Date: December 3rd, 2003 |

No Comments

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) meets in Geneva Dec. 10-12, and all major hotels are reported full during the conference. Swiss authorities are bringing in 1,000 extra police from surrounding cantons to strengthen security. Thus far there is no specific threat against the conference or attendees, and no evidence to suggest a [read more]

Switzerland

Date: May 28th, 2003 |

No Comments

Switzerland has stiffened its border controls as a security precaution for the G8 summit in Evian, near Geneva, systematically checking vehicles and luggage, so travel in the area around Geneva could be disrupted. Authorities in Geneva have banned masked demonstrators from rallies and intend to hold organizers responsible for any disturbances. About 100,000 protesters are [read more]

Switzerland and Austria: Euro 2008 Soccer Tournament June 7-29

Date: May 21st, 2008 |

No Comments

Switzerland and Austria will host the Euro 2008 soccer tournament June 7-29, and because it is a major sporting event that is expected to draw 5 million fans, concerns have surfaced about possible terrorist attacks. Posts have appeared on Islamist web sites calling for attacks on the tournament, but Swiss authorities have stated that they [read more]

Switzerland: St. Gotthard Tunnel Closed

Date: June 14th, 2006 |

1 comment

The St. Gotthard Tunnel between Switzerland and Italy is closed until June 25 because of rockslides that killed two drivers and blocked the tunnel May 31. Traffic is being diverted to the San Bernardino Pass, which adds almost 100 miles to the trip between Zurich and Milan. The route may be congested because of the [read more]

Switzerland

Date: July 20th, 2004 |

No Comments

An increase in graffiti and a 25 percent jump in attacks on railway personnel has prompted Swiss officials to implement tighter security measures on the rail network. A key component is a new team of officers modeled on the Guardian Angels to patrol the trains. These officers, known as “Big Brothers,” do not wear berets [read more]

Switzerland

Date: September 2nd, 2003 |

No Comments

Most of Geneva�’s hotel rooms have been booked between Oct. 8 and 22 because of a Telecom conference. Avoid these dates or plan ahead if contemplating travel to Geneva at [read more]

Switzerland

Date: April 29th, 2003 |

No Comments

The 2003 G8 meeting is scheduled for June 1-3 in the resort of Evian, France on Lake Geneva, and some 12,000 security personnel, half from France, half from Switzerland, are planning to seal off the area and keep protesters several miles away from the resort. The Swiss government has announced that it will ban aircraft [read more]