New petition calls for first class on Swiss trains to be abolished

JungVCS has started a petition to abolish first class on public transport in Switzerland. SBB has commented that the offering should remain because it meets the needs of Swiss customers.

JungVCS petition has over 8.000 signatures

JungVCS, or JeuneATE in French-speaking Switzerland, is a movement “committed to CO2-free, social and space-efficient mobility”, according to its website. The youth movement has launched a petition calling for first class on trains in Switzerland to be removed.

“For those who take public transport at rush hour, there is an absurdity that cannot be ignored: in second class, you often travel standing up, packed like sardines, while behind a glass door, in first class, there is a gaping void,” states the petition.

The petition explains that removing first class would create more capacity on public transport, increase equality and make it a more attractive, climate-friendly way to travel in Switzerland.

SBB responds to petition to remove first class

So far, the petition has over 8.000 signatures in German, French and Italian. JungVCS has presented the petition to members of the Swiss Parliament, although there is no legal requirement for the government to respond.

A Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) representative told BlueNews that the national train operator regularly reviews and adapts its services to continually improve. Furthermore, “first class must continue to be offered because it meets the needs of customers”.