Swisstainable – consciously and mindfully through Switzerland
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Nature touches us when we leave it untouched.
Switzerland as a travel destination stands for spectacular mountains, wild gorges and mystical forests; our nature has the power to give energy. We want to preserve this – for many generations after us.
A new way to travel
Sustainable travel does not necessarily mean doing without. Sustainable travel stands for more awareness, enjoyment and depth. Switzerland as a travel destination therefore follows a sustainability strategy that is typical of Switzerland: Swisstainable. Swisstainable stands for the spirit of the times - and maximum relaxation in nature: enjoy nature up close and pristine, experience the local culture authentically, consume regionally, stay longer and immerse yourself deeper.
Swisstainable is made up of the terms Switzerland and Sustainable. It was launched by Switzerland Tourism and is the flagship of current sustainability developments.
Swisstainable:
TRAVEL SUSTAINABLY IN SWITZERLAND
Why Switzerland is a sustainable travel destination
Switzerland can describe itself as a sustainable travel destination because a multitude of facts speak for themselves: Switzerland offers one of the densest rail networks in the world, is considered a recycling champion and has air and water quality that is astonishing - Switzerland gives the path to a sustainable future.
Mobility
More than 3000 trains travel daily on the approximately 11.000 kilometer long SBB network, meaning that the SBB transports more than 1,1 million passengers per day. With one of the densest rail networks in the world, even the most remote places can be reached by public transport.
Water
Switzerland holds around 6 percent of the continent's freshwater reserves and is considered Europe's water castle. Many large rivers such as the Rhone, Rhine, Ticino and Inn have their source here. What's unique is that you can swim safely even in larger cities.
Nature Conservation
A total of 20 Swiss parks cover a seventh of the country's area (5839 km2). Since 1876, the Forest Act has also ensured that the area of Swiss forests does not decrease. Today, Switzerland is 31 percent forested - and the trend is rising.
Air
Switzerland has always been known as an air and climate health resort with therapeutic effects and the health-promoting climate of the Davos mountain air was discovered as early as 1853. Switzerland is one of the countries in Europe with the lowest concentrations of fine dust.
Food
In an international comparison, the Swiss consume the most organic products per capita. In addition, Swiss retailers have been leading the international sustainability rankings for years.
Recycling
Switzerland is one of the world's leading countries in the area of recycling and waste management. Almost 85% of PET bottles find new uses.
Get from A to B in a climate-friendly way
Public transport in Switzerland is known worldwide for its punctuality, efficiency and environmental friendliness. With a well-developed and easy-to-use network of trains, buses, boats and cable cars, it is easy for travelers to be mobile while enjoying the impressive Swiss landscape - with a low carbon footprint. The SBB is a pioneer when it comes to green mobility, but Swiss cities are already following this example very successfully. This is precisely where guests can experience how sustainable mobility works and how it is extremely pleasant: with the Swiss Travel Pass All public transport can be used. The all-in-one ticket offers free travel by train, bus and boat, including free use of public transport in over 90 Swiss cities and free entry to over 500 museums. The rides on the panoramic trains along the Grand Train Tour are particularly impressive, where you can enjoy wonderful, unique views.
SBB – the green role model
Green mobility is at the SBB has been capitalized for a long time. Through innovative projects and numerous energy-saving measures, it makes a significant contribution to sustainable mobility in the country. 90 percent of the electricity for all trains is already generated from hydrogen and the train stations as well as the office, operational and production buildings are supplied with 100 percent CO2-neutral electricity. The company's goal is to obtain all electricity from renewable sources by 2025. In addition to the power supply, SBB is developing other measures to make daily operations more sustainable, such as “adaptive steering”, also known as the green wave. With this system, train drivers can avoid unplanned stops and therefore drive in a more environmentally friendly manner. The company is counteracting the threat to flora and fauna posed by the SBB infrastructure by achieving its goal of maintaining a fifth of the railway embankments in a natural way by 2030 and ensuring the connectivity of animal habitats along and across the railway lines at various locations.
Emission-free and noise-free through Swiss cities
In Zermatt One of the world's first electric buses went into operation in 1988. E-mobility has been part of the village landscape in car-free Zermatt for over 30 years. Ten electric buses are in operation in the spa town and transport visitors and residents through the town at 20 kilometers per hour. The batteries are charged with sustainable hydroelectric energy and the buses are produced in Zermatt and Stuttgart. Zurich has also joined in sustainable transport destination plugged in. By 2030, all remaining diesel buses are to be replaced by electric buses. The majority of public transport already runs on electricity from renewable energy.
Everything to preserve nature – green mountain railway operations
That's it Brunni tracks A true pioneering step has been taken: the Swiss mountain railway association has successfully embarked on the path to climate neutrality. With their innovative concept, the Brunni Railways set new standards for environmentally friendly tourism and actively contribute to the protection of the Alpine ecosystems. With the help of comprehensive measures, the company has now managed to operate the mountain railway operations in a completely climate-neutral manner. The company even independently produces all the electricity needed to make snow on the ski slopes using solar panels.
Sustainability and climate protection as a worthwhile lifestyle
Sustainability and climate protection are no longer a niche trend, but rather a worthwhile lifestyle. With the right offers, guests in Switzerland as a travel destination can continue to enjoy this experience on holiday. Swiss youth hostels predominantly serve local products, some even from their own production. For a particularly authentic Swiss experience, guests of BnB holiday apartments can get to know their Swiss hosts personally and get a small insight into local life. And Camping TCS offers tips on how to behave correctly when camping in nature, in addition to energy-saving equipment and sustainable offerings on site.
Swiss youth hostels – creative for the climate
The Swiss youth hostels have been committed to the issue of sustainability for years. The active companies have therefore been awarded the Ibex Fairstay seal of approval for sustainability in the accommodation industry. The hostels show great creativity in the implementation of sustainable projects. For example, the Pontresina youth hostel predominantly uses local and regional products, even from its own raised bed production. The youth hostel in Zug is fighting the death of insects with a successful project in its own garden: part of the meadow is only mowed after the flowers have faded and a bee house is set up in spring to help increase biodiversity by fertilizing the plants.
Camping TCS – With the right tips for preserving nature
When camping, vacationers spend their time in the great outdoors or in facilities designed for camping that are as close to nature as possible. It is obvious that guests and campsite operators care about preserving nature. Camping TCS implements various measures that enable a more sustainable stay on the campsites. Since 2022, the electricity at all TCS campsites has come from water and renewable energy sources. From this year it is even possible to use CO2-compensated gas bottles on campsites. Several campsites are equipped with electric charging stations and guests can rent bicycles, e-bikes or cargo bikes for excursions.
BnB Switzerland – For an authentic stay
BnB Switzerland offers holidaymakers from all over the world the opportunity to stay overnight with private individuals in Switzerland and thus gain an insight into the lives of the locals. The aim is for guests to get to know real life in Switzerland. The registered accommodations on the platform are classified by BnB according to their offer. In a 4-5 star accommodation, a breakfast with regional products must be offered. Guests often enjoy eggs from the in-house chicken coop or jam made from fruits they have picked themselves. Those who cannot offer their own products mostly buy regional organic ingredients for their guests. BnB Switzerland stands for an authentic stay, for hospitality and tradition.
Reka holiday villages – green holidays for families
For many families, living sustainably and environmentally consciously means leaving as small an ecological footprint as possible, even on vacation. The Reka holiday villages have the right offer ready for this. The Swiss travel fund Reka has been implementing ecological goals in its holiday villages since it was founded. For example, when choosing a location, care is taken to ensure that all holiday villages can be reached by public transport. In addition, when booking, guests can voluntarily donate one percent of their booking amount to the climate protection project “Cause we care” of the Swiss foundation myclimate in order to offset unavoidable CO2 emissions and spend climate-neutral holidays with Reka.
Interhome – For a happy buzzing of bees
The way food is Interhome Group is committed to sustainable holidays. Just like with the Reka holiday villages, guests can make their stay in a holiday apartment climate-neutral. When booking, guests can pay a voluntary CO2 tax to offset the emissions caused by their stay in the holiday home. The income gained from this flows fully into the Migros Group's climate fund. In addition, the company has committed to donating 1 franc (around 1 euro) to the bee protection project for every new booking BEESark to pay. The project is dedicated to converting 100.000 square meters of agricultural land into flower meadows to protect and preserve the bee population.
© Photos: Switzerland Tourism / Silvano Zeiter, Dominik Baur; Bergün Filisur Tourism, 2022 Swiss Travel System AG, UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch; Beat Brechbühl / Lucerne Tourism, STST-STTP
Cecile Meier
Cécile is a freelance author and sustainability strategist. She enjoys traveling to the fullest: getting to know different cultures, listening to other languages and discovering new things either by the sea or in a (big) city always fascinates her. The stories and intentions of the Good Travel hosts are particularly important to her.
