Hi Guys,

I'm living in Basel and the snow has finally arrived

Its pretty heavy now and coming from the UK I'm used to all public transport grinding to a halt as soon as the first flake falls.

I've heard from a friend the trams sometimes become affected in heavy snow, I was wondering how much snow would start affecting the transport here?

I work the other side of basel to my appartment and I'm just wondering how likely it is that I will have a long walk home later :b

Thanks!

About a meter or so, less than that, no big deal.

Tom

The trams are very slow and very heavy. I've seen them push cars out of the way so the snow here won't bother them.

Anyway, as long as it's snow and not ice one can still cycle easily across town (without buying studded bicycle tyres). Just watch out for the tram tracks as they get very slippery.

Yeah, Pretty, innit? Nice fat flakes drifting by outside my office window.

In eleven years of working here I've never been aware of problems with the trams or buses.

Then again, I don't usually use them, but I've always been able to drive to the office, so I think the trams probably have had no problems.

Thanks guys, wow a meter? Thats loads! Nothing to worry about then its not settling too much on the pavements, I think the gritters must have been out.

adrian I haven't aquired a bike yet but I am going to get one in the spring, I'll watch out next winter.

Thanks again

Not in Geneva today. 30-50cm and took me 2 hours instead of the normal 30 mins.

Buses, Trams and Trains were also affected.

Does "also" mean you were in a car?

My OH said he will drive me. Id rather not risk it when the buses also slip on the roads

I use public transport every day and during last winter it was only once when tram stoped. I am not sure if it was because of snow or temperature.

The buses and trams have professional drivers that know the routes well, they often drive the same route every hour. It would be very unusual if a bus skids.

Private drivers are nervous, are usually driving that route for the first time today, and sometimes have not changed over to winter tyres. These latter types are the nuisance of public transport, as they often cannot drive away at the junctions when the green light shows, and cause everyone to be late.

Please take public transport when commuting or the roads are bad.

I'm close to the centre of Geneva. The snow is nowhere near that deep. I would guess 10 to 15cm.

I just took a tram downtown ( Cornavin ) for lunch and a bus back to near the U.N. No problems at all , and I would guess there is about 10cm.

I was riding the train between Bergs this morning and everything was right on time and perfect and oh what lovely views!!!!

I still remember late March 2006, when there suddenly was heaps of snow. Buses and Trams all over the country came to a standstill but Zürich-Airport and the Railways were fully open and operational. ZRH was the only open airport for more than 500km around, as GVA, BSL/MLH, Stuttgart and München were closed. The railways managed to keep up throughout the country which was quite a nice performance.

The problem with GVA is the huge number of people who come here and have never seen snow, but still feel they have to continue driving their cars, either as though it was summer, or else at 10km/hr because they don't know any better. The trams and buses would be fine if people who aren't comfortable driving on snow left their cars at home.