Swiss train stations to go partially smoke free from 1 June 2019
Swiss Train Stations to Go Partially Smoke-Free in 2019Smoking openly inside Swiss train stations will be banned from 1 June 2019.From this date on, smokers will have to use designated smoking areas or smoke in front of the train station. - This development comes following three different types of smoking trials, implemented by the Association of Public Transport (VöV), in six Swiss stations on 1 February 2018.
- These tests saw Basel, Nyon and Zurich Stadelhofen go completely smoke-free, while smoking areas and lounges were introduced in Bellinzona and in Neuchâtel respectively.
- Better air quality, less pollution and saving money on cleaning are being cited as the key reasons behind the smoking ban decision.
- The number of smoking areas to be introduced will depend on the size of platforms, though initially it appears there will be no more than two smoking areas per platform.
- Smoking has long been a criticism of SBB users and, in a poll conducted earlier this year by The Local, the fact that people can still smoke on platforms was among the most citied issues.
- No butts about it: majority want change
- As well as frequent complaints, 75% of people polled on the issue of smoking in stations said they wanted to see a change (i.e. no smoking).
- Ueli Stückelberger, the director of the Association of Public Transport - which is implementing the ban and carried out the poll - said the results had surprised him.
- Compared to many European counterparts, Swiss train stations have long been seen as having relaxed smoking regulations.
- The details of the smoking ban will be finalised over the coming months, with specific attention being paid to the way smoking areas are marked - in order to ensure the new measure can be implemented in smaller stations.
A complete ban on smoking was not chosen on the basis of not offending people.