Safe public transport, but accidents in urban traffic are on the rise

Post on: 28.05.2025

Public transport in Switzerland continues to ensure high safety standards for passengers, according to the Safety Report 2024 published today by the Federal Office of Transport (FOT). Despite this, the document reports a worrying increase in serious accidents involving trams and city buses, often caused by the imprudent behavior of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

No deaths on trains, but beware of city traffic

In 2024 there were no deaths among train passengers, cable cars and boats. Twelve passengers were seriously injured, confirming a high level of safety on a national scale. However, the situation is changing for urban transport: 105 serious injuries and two deaths were recorded between trams and buses, marking the highest number in the last five years.

This increase has prompted several local transport companies, coordinated by the Public Transport Union and with the support of the FOT, to launch a large-scale prevention campaign. The FOT also monitored the events related to the five largest urban transport companies in detail in order to identify new safety measures.

Public transport | Accidents on the rise due to road users

Overall, including transport company staff and other users involved, there were 39 deaths and 206 serious injuries in 2024. These numbers are higher than the average of previous years, largely due to accidents caused by third parties – especially motorists, cyclists and pedestrians – in the area of urban transport.

After the Gotthard: European measures for rail safety

The report also highlights the consequences of the accident that occurred in August 2023 in the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Following that event, the FOT urged the European Railway Agency to launch an analysis on the risk of railway wheel breakage. The first preventive measures have already been defined, including the adoption of stricter standards and larger minimum diameters for some types of wheels.

Switzerland among the best in Europe, but construction sites still critical

In the European comparison on railway safety, Switzerland ranks third, behind the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, once again achieving its goal of being among the best on the continent. However, safety on construction sites and in the workplace on railways remains a challenge: in this area, the country still ranks in the bottom third of the European ranking.

The FOT has confirmed that it will continue to monitor these aspects closely, to ensure that Switzerland maintains its leadership in public transport, with an increasing focus also on the safety of workers in the sector.