I was so accustomed to taking the subway underground as the city buzzed about above me that it was strange to see the city all around me as I traveled! I find that I prefer the way the metro runs in Geneva because then I can see what is going on around me. I like to look out of the windows and look at the buildings, the people as they pass by and the occasional puppy on its daily walk!
One striking thing on the metro is the complete silence. Normally on public transportation in the U.S., people talk pretty loudly, recounting their day to friends. On Swiss public transportation, people tend to be much quieter than I am used to. I love to chat with my friends and it took some time for me to adjust to the lower volume level and learn to speak softly!
The last thing that took some getting used to was the fact that, in general, Swiss transportation is on time. I have not yet experienced a delay of more than three minutes, which is a big change from New York! Although transportation is generally more prompt in Europe, Geneva has the best system I have seen yet. When the schedule indicates that a train will arrive in two minutes, it will arrive in exactly two minutes. This makes planning travel a lot easier, since I know exactly when I will arrive.
As I mentioned, public transportation in Switzerland is typically very quiet; people do not speak loudly to one another at all. This has some basis in Swiss culture. While Swiss people are friendly and incredibly polite, they are also much more reserved and private than some other cultures.
