For many Indians, travelling to another country usually involves airports, immigration counters, passports and careful planning. For Pooja Tiwari Pandey and her husband, Ankur Pandey, however, crossing an international border is simply part of an ordinary working week.
Even you wouldn’t know that you crossed the border. Its pretty smooth. She added that the commute itself has been largely hassle-free. For Pooja, Switzerland’s appeal goes beyond its location. She listed infrastructure, public transport, work-life balance, taxation, salaries and security among the reasons people may choose to make the country their base while working in neighbouring regions. The region’s network of buses, trams and short-distance trains can turn what sounds like an international journey into a straightforward commute.
“Yes, every week 3-4 days so per week I would say 6-8 times he crosses internation border and its nothing unusual.
No police checking etc,” she said. Asked whether border checks, strikes, traffic, weather or public transport disruptions had ever significantly affected the journey, she said they had not encountered any such incident. For anyone considering a similar arrangement, Pooja said understanding the local transport system is particularly useful.
Ankur’s office is located near the France-Switzerland border, close to Basel’s international airport While the family lives in Basel. For the past three-and-a-half years, he has generally travelled to the office three to four times a week. His commute largely depends on Switzerland’s public transport network, including buses and trams. “He generally travels by public transport especially by Bus and Trams in Switzerland. Basel’s location makes cross-border movement a regular feature of life in the region.
And it takes 40 minutes for him to reach France from the home,” Pooja said.
Pooja said their family also frequently travels to neighbouring France and Germany for shopping and other activities despite residing in Switzerland.
