Comfort & aesthetics: New SBB benches from the end

Train stations

SBB bench seats nominated for design prize

SBB is planning to introduce new station seating starting from the end of 2025. And the new SBB bench seat designed for the project has been nominated for the Design Prize Switzerland – an honour that underscores SBB’s commitment to making stations more comfortable and pleasant to spend time in.

SBB/CFF/FFS (Photos)
Published on 09.12.2024, Updated on 24.04.2025, Reading time 6 minutes

Update from 5 September 2025

With a raised wooden seating surface and tapered bases made of recycled concrete, the new bench seat is not only more comfortable for customers, but it also looks great and is sustainable. The new seat was designed by the Bernhard Burkard product development studio.

Design and technical experts worked alongside customers throughout the seat development process. The result is a product family consisting of four different types of seat. The aim of the sustainable, creative and high-quality product range is to enhance passenger comfort and the overall station experience for all passenger groups. The award ceremony for the four design prize nominees takes place on 7 November 2025.

The new seating will be gradually introduced at stations from the end of 2025.

Update from 24 April 2025

Some of the benches at SBB’s rail stations have seen better days, which is why SBB has decided to introduce a brand new range of benches to meet the current demands and needs of its customers. With this in mind, it launched a public tender in December 2024. The contract was awarded to Velopa AG from Spreitenbach, a company with an impressive track record in providing furniture for public spaces. SBB intends to begin replacing its existing benches at the end of 2025. A detailed concept for this is currently being developed. The exact station at which the first bench will be replaced has not yet been decided.

The introduction of the new bench seats underscores SBB’s commitment to making the experience of travelling and spending time at stations more pleasant: The seating surfaces of the SBB benches are made of wood, which feels warmer than steel.

The new SBB benches are not only designed to be functional and comfortable, but also to cater better to the needs of people with reduced mobility. For instance, the raised seating surface and armrests make it easier to stand up from a sitting position. The SBB benches also feature tactile elements for people with visual impairments.

SBB developed the benches together with design and technical experts. Customers were involved from the start of the project and had the opportunity to test materials and functions prior to production. Their feedback was incorporated into the bench development process.

Four different bench models

The new seating family includes a single-sided bench seat, a double-sided bench seat with advertising panels, a bench seat without a backrest, and a new stand-up bench that is ideal for crowed platforms. As passenger numbers continue to rise, platforms are becoming more crowded, and safety considerations mean that the options for placing seats on platforms are becoming more and more limited.

In addition, fewer benches may be available on platforms due to space restrictions following renovations. SBB knows how important seating is, especially for older people and people with reduced mobility. And that is why it plans to increase the amount of seating available at stations wherever possible in the next few years. The company is also investing in special rest and waiting areas at stations.

Close-up of a side view of the redesigned bench seat. — SBB’s newly designed bench seat. The new seats will be gradually introduced at stations from the end of 2025.

The redesigned wooden bench, taken in a small park. — The newly designed wooden bench seats will be rolled out gradually from the end of 2025.

Visualisation of the bench on one side, without advertising space. The bench consists of wooden slats and concrete bases made from recycled concrete. — Single-sided bench seat

Visualisation of the double-sided bench with advertising space. The bench consists of wooden slats and concrete bases made from recycled concrete. — Double-sided bench seat with advertising panels

Visualisation of the bench seat without backrest. The bench seat is made of wood and concrete bases made of recycled concrete. — Bench seat without a backrest.

Visualisation of the wooden standing bench to lean against. The legs of the standing bench are made of metal. They are screwed to the floor. — SBB’s new stand-up bench, which is ideal for crowded station platforms.

Press release from 9 December 2024

SBB has issued a public tender for bench seats on Simap, the procurement platform for the Swiss public sector. A new framework agreement is needed in accordance with public procurement law and the company has taken this as an opportunity to design a new product family that includes a single-sided bench seat, a double-sided bench seat with advertising panels, a bench seat without a backrest, and a new stand-up bench that is ideal for crowed platforms. The new SBB benches are not only designed to be functional and comfortable but also to cater better to the needs of people with reduced mobility. For example, the benches feature raised seating surfaces and armrests to make it easier to stand up from a sitting position. The SBB benches also feature tactile elements for people with visual impairments.

The new SBB benches are made of wood, concrete and steel. Wood has the advantage that it feels warmer than materials like steel, which helps make the benches more comfortable to sit on. Wood also looks attractive and is a renewable resource.

Starting in the second half of 2025, SBB intends to replace around 100 of its 5,000 or so bench seats at train stations each year in the first phase, taking advantage of station renovations whenever possible. The company plans to replace even more benches in a later phase.

Material and functional tests at Dietikon station

Material and functional tests took place in Dietikon over a three-month period. Tests were carried out to determine how the materials behave when exposed to the elements, how easy they are to clean and what they felt like to sit on. A survey was also conducted to find out what kind of impression the products made and whether they met the needs of different user groups. Passengers with reduced mobility were consulted, as were the public transport customer advocacy group Pro Bahn, the public transport interest group IGöV and the Swiss office for accessible architecture. Feedback from the survey was incorporated into the development of the new seating. There was broad consultation regarding the development of the benches both inside and outside SBB with close supervision by technical and design experts.

Criteria for placing seats at stations

SBB recognises the importance of seating, especially for older people and people with reduced mobility, and plans to increase the amount of seating available at stations wherever possible in the next few years.

The amount of seating available at stations is based on the passenger volume and the specifications of the Federal Office of Transport (FOT), with safety being the top priority. As passenger numbers increase (1.32 million in 2023), platforms are becoming increasingly crowded and safety considerations mean that the options for placing seats on platforms are becoming more and more limited. In addition, fewer benches may be available on platforms due to space restrictions following renovations, for example. To ensure passenger comfort despite these developments, SBB is investing in special rest and waiting areas at stations where sufficient space is available. It has also developed a space-saving stand-up bench, which can be used on platforms as an alternative to conventional bench seating.

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