Increasingly serious cases of violence are reported on Switzerland’s trains, prompting the government to take steps to guarantee the safety of both commuters and staff.
Although Swiss trains are generally considered safe, a knife attack that occurred in September on a train between Lausanne and Geneva has highlighted potential risks on the railway network.
A more recent incident, in mid-October, involved a Russian man who threatened violence against a Ukrainian family travelling with a baby in the same compartment in a train in canton Bern.
He allegedly threatened to kill them before physically attacking them.
Are such incidents frequent?
MP Piero Marchesi says yes.
“These assaults have become an alarming daily occurrence,” says the deputy, who, along with 15 other lawmakers, has filed a motion in the parliament to boost security on Swiss trains.
“It’s not just verbal insults or threats,” he said, pointing to the reports of “brutal violence involving punches, bites, and blows to the head.”
The national railway company, SBB, records more than 3,000 complaints each year for physical or verbal assaults against its employees. That’s an average of ten cases per day in 2024, but this number doesn’t include incidents between, or against, passengers.
Considering that, according to the Federal Office of Transport, approximately 1.25 million to 1.4 million people travel by train in Switzerland each day, the number of incidents is low.
However, “we are finding that the violence tends to become faster and more serious than before, reflecting the trend in the rest of society,” SBB spokesperson Frédéric Revaz told Swiss media.
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What is being done to prevent such cases?
In September 2024, the SBB equipped transport police with body-worn video cameras, intended to de-escalate conflicts, ensure the safety of passengers and employees, and record evidence of infractions.
Over 200 police officers are now deployed throughout Switzerland in public transport areas and on trains.
But more efforts are under way on a political level as well.
In response to Marchesi’s motion, the Federal Council has approved a plan to strengthen security on Swiss trains to better protect passengers and railway staff.
It will propose the legislative amendments to this effect, though details are not yet known.
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What should you do if you are a victim or witness of offences committed on a train?
The SBB is reminding passengers that anyone who observes “a situation that is detrimental to safety,” on a train or in a station, should contact the transport police on number 0800 117 117.
