GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Life is getting a bit easier for some Geneva area travelers, with the new CFF ticket centre open now at the airport, and roadworks on the A9 closed for the season.

The new airport CFF station opened after four months of work and a CHF1.2 million investment. The service is in the same area, but should better serve the 15,000 people who use the airport’s rail service every day. There are now six instead of five counters and all of them offer luggage handling. The lighting has been noticeably improved in the area and the centre now includes a travel agency.

Another new CFF service: the “dégrif” (slashed prices) ticket service is now available on cell phones as well as online.

A smoother winter drive to Valais

The roadworks that have kept drivers at 80 kph for the past six months, on the stretch of A9 autoroute from just after Lausanne to Chablais, are mostly finished for the winter season. Speeds are back to normal, with four lanes open again. One more summer season remains, in 2015, to complete major road stabilization and other improvements, but for now, drivers can head towards the Vaud and Valais ski resorts with a bit less hassle.