Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch.com) – Public transport costs for consumers will rise by 2.4 percent rather than 3.4 percent in 2011, “Mr Price”, Switzerland’s consumer watchdog, announced Wednesday 4 August.

Lengthy negotiations between the office of Stefan Meierhans and public transport unions succeeded in getting price hikes down.

Another bit of good news for consumers is that the CHF40 day tickets offered by many communes to their residents will remain valid for use before 09:00.

When the 2011 prices were announced earlier this year the CFF rail company had said the communes’ tickets would be valid only after 09:00.