Swiss government officials required to travel green
Swiss government officials will have to travel by train rather than plane if the journey time does not exceed six hours.
The measure, which comes into effect on July 1, fits into the country’s broader strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from air travel by 30% by 2030. Cities such as Paris, Florence, Leipzig and Salzburg are among the “train only” destinations.
The Federal Personnel Office said on Thursday that even if the journey time were longer, government officials would have to travel by train if that option were shorter than taking a flight.
Otherwise, air travel should be carried out on the cheapest-available economy-class fare. Upgrading to business class is possible for direct flights exceeding nine hours, or flights with layovers exceeding 11 hours.
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