Swiss regional buses and trains are becoming less punctual, report finds
By Jan de Boer
Trains, trams and buses run by regional public transport providers in Switzerland are becoming less and less punctual, according to new findings from the Federal Office for Transport (FOT). The government found that while services are much cleaner than in previous years, some services are late significantly more often.
Regional trains, trams and buses in Switzerland are getting cleaner
In the report, which analysed 1.200 tram, train and bus lines in Switzerland that are not run by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), the FOT found that regional services have become much cleaner over the last year. While they are still rated as the least clean parts of the network, hygiene in vehicles and at bus, tram and train stops “have clearly improved since 2020. “Cleanliness at stops, which is the biggest negative point overall, recorded the greatest improvement last year,” the FOT wrote.
The government found that customer ratings of regional transport generally improved in 2023. Top marks were also given in the “order” (no waste, rubbish or newspapers lying around) and “freedom from damage” (good condition of vehicles, seats, waste bins, toilets, etc) categories.
11,9 percent of Swiss RE trains were late last year
However, while cleanliness on Swiss regional providers has improved, the newly spick and span trains and buses were less punctual in 2023. The FOT noted that 94,5 percent of trains, buses and trams run by regional providers were classed as on time last year - meaning they arrived at their destinations within three minutes of the scheduled time. While this is better than the punctuality rate recorded by SBB (92,5 percent in 2023), it is a decline of 0,5 percent compared to 2022.
When it came to the railways, Regional Express (RE) trains were found to be the least punctual in Switzerland, with 11,98 percent of services being cancelled or arriving late last year. They were followed by mountain railways with 5,47 percent, while S-Bahn services were the most punctual, with only 4,08 percent of trains arriving late.
One in 10 bus services in Switzerland were late in 2023
The FOT found that the least punctual regional trains can be found in Canton Graubünden, followed by Valais, Vaud and Zug. By contrast, services in Obwalden were the most punctual - though bear in mind that the regional rail network in the canton is significantly smaller than others.
Punctuality is clouded further when it comes to buses, with only 86,37 services in cities being classed as on-time. Cross-country and services in the mountains followed with 91,62 percent, meaning that around one in 10 buses in Switzerland is late.
Thumb image credit: Uwe Mueller / Shutterstock.com
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Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016.
While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more