In 2024, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) achieved an all-time high in punctuality, with 93.2% of trains arriving on time. This marks a significant improvement from the previous year (92.5%). The punctuality figures are particularly impressive in the face of numerous construction projects, weather-related disruptions, and other challenges.
SBB’s punctuality performance has steadily improved over the past five years, culminating in a record high in 2024:
- 2019: 90.56%
- 2020: 92.65%
- 2021: 91.91%
- 2022: 92.53%
- 2023: 92.54%
- 2024: 93.20%
SBB’s impressive punctuality performance extended across almost all regions. Western Switzerland and Ticino, in particular, saw significant improvements. This positive trend was accompanied by an increase in customer satisfaction, which reached 87.6 points, a 1.5-point increase from the previous year.
In French-speaking Switzerland, punctuality rose by 2.7 percentage points to 91.9%. This was attributed to the adjustments made in the 2023 timetable and increased customer satisfaction. However, the region remains slightly below its target of 92.0%. As a result, the 2025 timetable will aim to further enhance system robustness and improve punctuality in the face of ongoing construction work.
In the southern region of Ticino, punctuality reached a record high of 92.6%, an impressive 2.1 percentage points above the previous year. The resumption of traffic through the Gotthard Base Tunnel was seamless, and the region benefitted from improved rolling stock reliability. However, challenges included delays in connections from Italy and short-term strikes by foreign railways.
Despite challenges such as long-term construction and issues with international passenger traffic, German-speaking Switzerland continued to perform well in terms of punctuality. The Central and Eastern regions both recorded punctuality rates of over 93% (93.71% and 93.65%, respectively).
While passenger train punctuality improved, freight transport saw a decline. Customer punctuality for freight shipments dropped by 1.8 percentage points to 88%. This decline was attributed to an IT system overhaul, challenges on the Gotthard axis, and personnel shortages.
Weather’s impact on punctuality
The weather played a significant role in SBB’s punctuality performance in 2024. While the overall year saw favorable weather, extreme conditions, such as heavy snowfall on November 22, 2024, caused temporary disruptions.
Short, severe weather events in Switzerland and surrounding European regions also affected punctuality, highlighting the vulnerability of the rail system to extreme weather conditions.
SBB punctuality: 2025 outlook
The year 2025 presents additional challenges, including numerous planned construction projects and major events such as the UEFA Women’s EURO and the Eurovision Song Contest.
SBB plans to continue improving punctuality by implementing the 2025 timetable, replacing outdated rolling stock, and optimizing winter services to mitigate the impact of adverse weather. These initiatives aim to maintain high punctuality levels despite these challenges.
In Switzerland, a train is considered on time if it arrives within three minutes of its scheduled arrival. This contrasts with other countries, such as Germany (six minutes) and France and Italy (five minutes).
Additionally, connection punctuality is crucial; when trains arrive on time, connecting services can also operate more smoothly, contributing to higher overall satisfaction for passengers.
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