Merged Swiss company cuts more jobs than originally announced; affordable rents remain rare in Switzerland, new study reveals; and more news in our roundup this Friday.
Merged Swiss company ro cut more jobs than originally announced
The merger of Helvetia and Baloise insurance groups will hit Switzerland harder than initially expected.
Instead of the announced 1,400 to 1,800 redundancies, up to 2,300 jobs could be cut.
The company will release the exact number of redundancies in mid-April.
READ ALSO: All the job cuts announced in Switzerland for 2026
Affordable rents remain rare in Switzerland, new study reveals
The rental market in Switzerland remains tight and is not expected to ease significantly during 2026, despite a slight increase in new construction.
This is according to a study published by UBS on Thursday.
The bank’s experts predict that approximately 2,000 more new rental apartments will be completed this year than in 2025..
However, this is “just a drop in the ocean,” the study’s authors say.
Only a few regions, such as the cantons of Aargau, Geneva, and St. Gallen, could see a significant improvement.
In the cantons most affected by the housing shortage – Zurich, Zug, and Graubünden – construction activity is expected to stagnate or even decline.
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SWISS doubles its flights between Zurich and Delhi
From April 1st and until May 31st, the national airline is increasing the number of its direct flights to the Indian city.
This move is due to the cancellation of scheduled flights to the Middle East destinations, which limits access to Asia.
This how the timetable will look:
Regular flights (daily):
LX146: Zurich 12:10 pm – Delhi arrival 12:35 pm
LX147: Delhi 01:05 am – Zurich 6:20 am
Additional flights (daily):
LX2646: Zurich 7:35 om – Delhi 7 am
LX2647: Delhi 8:40 am – Zurich: 2 pm
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And more travel news:
SWISS and SBB launch Air Rail service to Grindelwald
The airline and the national railway are further expanding their Air Rail offering by adding Grindelwald to the list of their destinations.
“In collaboration with SBB and Jungfrau Railways, international air travellers can now reach the heart of the Bernese Alps even more easily,” the airline said in a press release on Thursday.
“The new connection is available with immediate effect, and tickets can be booked from today.”
With this addition, the SWISS Air Rail network now comprises 25 destinations in Switzerland and abroad.
READ MORE: How does the Swiss ‘Air Rail’ booking system work?
Ahead this weekend:
Sunday: Rewind the clocks
Daylight saving time will begin this Sunday, March 29th at 3 am, when Swiss clocks will go forward an hour.
Sunrise and sunset will be about one hour later and there will be more light in the evening.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at news@thelocal.ch