SBB to mark all non air-conditioned trains this summer

As a severe heatwave continues to bake Switzerland, many will be wondering whether their commutes to work will also be sweltering. Faced with rising temperatures in carriages, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) now informs passengers if their trains do not have air conditioning.

Air conditioning on Swiss trains struggles with summer heat

While 99 percent of SBB passenger trains are equipped with some form of air conditioning, public transport services are still expected to be very hot as the summer weather takes hold. Of the trains that do have AC, the system is only programmed to lower the temperature in carriages by between three and eight degrees celsius. 

This means that during the peak of 35-degree heatwaves, the coolest it will be in train carriages is 27 degrees. Back in 2023, the company explained that this is to prevent a “temperature shock” between the train and the outdoors, although others suspected it is simply a good way to clamp down on the cost of energy.

In addition, SBB estimates that there are 20 different types of air conditioning malfunctions occurring every day on its trains. This has stoked the ire of some passengers, with one telling the Tages-Anzeiger that it's crazy that their trains can go “250 kilometres per hour”, but can’t offer adequate and reliable cooling to passengers.

How can I tell whether my SBB train will have AC?

SBB explained that trains with no AC and only ventilation systems are run during peak times and rush hours in Canton Zurich, Aargau and eastern Switzerland. This means the trains often run when services are at their most packed, exacerbating the heat.

In a statement given to Saldo, SBB said that it was aware of the problem and is now taking action. In the SBB app, trains that are not air-conditioned will now be marked with a thermometer symbol. Bear in mind that trains with the symbol do not have air conditioning, not the other way around.

This feature will now appear regardless of the temperature outdoors. According to consumer magazine Saldo, this service will be in place until the end of September.