Holiday traffic Road, rail, air: heavy traffic expected due to winter vacations
A lot of traffic is expected in Switzerland on the way to the winter vacations. The Federal Roads Office warns against using cantonal and municipal roads in the event of traffic jams. SBB and Zurich Airport advise good travel planning.
14.12.2025, 08:30
SDA
According to a federal traffic forecast, there could be a lot of traffic and congestion over Christmas and especially from January 1 to 4, 2026.
The main axes in the Zurich, Bern, Basel, Lucerne and Lugano areas, in the area of the Gotthard tunnel and the San Bernardino route between Sargans SG and Rothenbrunnen GR and the routes towards the Bernese Oberland and Valais are particularly affected.
If there is a high volume of traffic on the highway, many would switch to cantonal and municipal roads, where the risk of accidents would then increase. The Federal Roads Office (Astra) is therefore urging drivers not to leave the highway even in the event of traffic jams and traffic restrictions.
SBB is also expecting more traffic over the festive period - both on the main axes and on routes to popular leisure destinations. Extra trains and train extensions will therefore be used in certain situations.
To avoid overcrowding, SBB recommends traveling outside peak times if possible and making seat reservations if necessary.
Good preparation is also required when traveling by plane over the festive period, as Zurich Airport reports in advance. Around 100,000 passengers are expected at Switzerland's largest airport on December 19. Popular destinations include New York, London, Paris and Pristina, as well as seasonal destinations such as Miami, the Maldives, Ibiza and Scandinavia.
