Faced with increasing complaints about delays and insufficient seating capacities, the management of the state-run Swiss Federal RailwaysExternal link said on Monday that it would aim to improve customer information and ease rules for departing trains in stations.
The managers said trains in Switzerland were among the most punctual in a European comparison, but that the system was often stretched to its limits.
It’s not always easy to find the right balance between customer demands and safety, but “for the Federal Railways, safety is first,” chief executive officer Andreas Meyer told a news conference.
Over the past few years, the state-run railways have been plagued by a delay in the delivery of new double-decker trains, building projects and maintenance work of the rail network, as well as accidents, including the death earlier this year of a conductor trapped in a train door.
Observers say the Federal Railways is seen as a symbol of Swiss values, including punctuality and reliability.
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The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), Swissinfo's parent company, must restructure due to financial pressures and to stay competitive in the fast-moving media environment.
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UBS launches buyback scheme for up to $2 billion in shares
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UBS is starting a share buyback programme for up to $2 billion (CHF1.6 billion) in shares, in line with a plan approved at its annual general meeting (AGM) in April, the Swiss bank said on Monday.
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Rail bosses worried over train punctuality
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Swiss Federal Railways has set up a taskforce to look into train punctuality - currently 90.1% - after it slipped slightly last year.
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“Customers are not only concerned about safety or punctuality, but how clean the trains are”, Federal Railways spokesman, Stephan Wehrle, told Swiss Public Television, RTS. The CHF10 million investment in the tunnel is part of a total budget of CHF46 million that the Federal Railways will invest in external train washing facilities by 2023. Modernisation This new addition…
Swiss take the train more often, and further, than European neighbours
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The latest Europe-wide figures confirm Switzerland’s reputation as a country of trains, with average trips and kilometres covered far higher than elsewhere.
Swiss public transport given good marks for cost-effectiveness
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Using public transport infrequently in Switzerland is expensive, but thanks to new special offers, it does well when it comes to value for money.
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SBB CEO Meyer has been under fire following the fatal accident on August 4 that saw the conductor trapped by a door and dragged along a platform by a train. Since then, some 20 faulty doors have been identified amid tests on thousands, he told SonntagsBlickExternal link on Sunday. This number has risen from the…
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The Swiss Federal Railway is currently trying to fill a gap of 30 drivers a day. Stress and holiday compensation are among the reasons.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.