Safety at SBB

Safety is SBB’s top priority. We want our customers, passengers and employees to feel safe and secure at all times in our stations, on our trains and at work. SBB strives tirelessly every day to achieve this, relying on a combination of prevention, presence, de-escalation and technology.

KEYSTONE / Michael Calabrò (Photos)
Published on 11.04.2026, Reading time 6 minutes

Safety for our customers

Stations and trains are unique locations characterised by high levels of activity. Every year, we survey around 60,000 customers, quizzing them on topics such as how safe they feel on trains, in stations and in other public spaces. The results show that, in general, passengers feel safer at stations than in other public spaces. Even though it may fluctuate at times, their overall sense of security is high, confirming the fact that the vast majority of our customers consider our stations and trains to be safe places.

Nevertheless, many of the issues that afflict society also show up at stations and on trains. This is why around 200 police officers from the SBB Transport Police (TPO) patrol stations and trains throughout Switzerland 24 hours a day. They do this in close collaboration with other police bodies, Transsicura (SBB’s own security service), and other security services. Since September 2024, the SBB Transport Police has been using body cameras with great success for their de-escalating effect and to record evidence (read more in this SBB News article). SBB implements a combination of structural, staffing, technical and organisational measures that are coordinated with the parties responsible at local level. This enables the company to respond to local developments at any time in order to ensure the safety of customers and employees in the best way possible.

But SBB cannot solve this problem alone. The responsibility for safety is also shared by rail operators, cities, municipalities and the police. For this reason, SBB liaises closely with local authorities and deliberately focuses its resources on locations and times with increased potential for conflict. Video surveillance on trains and in stations together with emergency phone numbers and emergency call buttons on trains (with a direct connection to the SBB Transport Police) also help to make things safer.

For more information about what customers can do if they experience harassment or aggression on a train or in a station, see this SBB News article.

Safety is important not only in stations and on trains, but also in the vicinity of railway facilities and stabled trains. What many people don’t know is that trains run at 15,000 volts, which is 65 times more than comes from conventional power sockets. Even the proximity of a contact line can be fatal. Here you can find out how to behave in the railway environment (Level crossing, Platform, etc.) and what not to do: Safe behaviour at the station, in the train and near the tracks.

Safety for our employees

The vast majority of our employees’ interactions with customers are as positive as ever. With daily passenger figures of around 1.4 million, we see an average of ten or so incidents of verbal or physical aggression per day. Although the number of incidents has remained stable in recent years, the incidents are becoming progressively more serious. This worries us, because every aggressive word or act is one too many. Violent offences against SBB employees are automatically prosecuted ex officio by the responsible authorities.

SBB has implemented numerous measures to ensure the safety of its employees:

It has stepped up the presence of the SBB Transport Police and Transsicura on trains, especially after 10pm and on high-risk connections.
Two passenger attendants are always deployed on long-distance services after 10pm and on certain trains, unless staff shortages at short notice make this impossible (e.g. due to illness or service disruptions/train cancellations). This approach works in 98% of cases. If it is not possible to deploy two attendants, we look for alternative solutions or request support from the security services.
Customer-facing employees receive comprehensive training in de-escalation techniques, with additional training on how to deal professionally with violence and aggression. Since Summer 2024, some of this training has taken place in a realistic environment at SBB’s security training centre.
Since September 2024, police officers in the SBB Transport Police have been wearing body cameras for their de-escalating effect and, where necessary, to record evidence.
The SBB Care service offers professional support to employees and their families throughout Switzerland following traumatic events such as acts or threats of violence.

SBB has also taken an active role in prevention: Together with its social partners it has launched the “Gemeinsam respektvoll unterwegs” (“Travelling together with respect”) campaign (for more information, see this SBB News article. During the campaign, which ran from November 2024 to January 2025, we received an increased number of incident reports from employees, which confirms the value of raising awareness among employees.

Safety at work

At SBB, the safety of employees – both internal and external – on construction sites is always a top priority, which is why we implement numerous safety measures such as the following:

Making the use of personal protective equipment (such as helmets, high-visibility clothing and safety shoes) mandatory
Enforcing compliance with regulations issued by the Federal Office of Transport (FOT) and Swiss National Accident Insurance Organisation (SUVA)
SBB only employs trained personnel to work on tracks and provides them with ongoing training. SBB continuously reviews the credentials for safety roles.

Further information about safety on SBB’s work sites.

Cybersecurity and the protection of critical infrastructure

Like many large Swiss companies, SBB deals with cyberattacks on a daily basis. Protecting itself against these attacks is a constant challenge as the number of cyberattacks worldwide continues to rise. That is why SBB is constantly improving its security system to respond to constantly changing threats.

To deal with cyber incidents, SBB has established its own “Cyber Defence Center” to swiftly identify threats from cyberspace and respond appropriately. All aspects of cybersecurity can be coordinated and consolidated centrally here. Data protection is one of these aspects.

SBB operates an ISO-certified Information Security Management System (ISMS) to help it comply with various national and international security regulations. The aim is to make the rail system more resilient in the face of cyberattacks, which also includes providing regular training for employees.

SBB occupies a special position as part of Switzerland’s “critical infrastructure”. Not only does it have to ensure the safety of its own organisation, but it also advises subsidiaries and partners on how to deal with security-related and cyber incidents. SBB works closely with cantonal and federal partners and seamlessly coordinates structural, technical, staffing and organisational security safeguards. SBB analyses the risk situation continuously and engages in active risk management. If the threat level rises, the protection of critical areas is stepped up through targeted measures. SBB also liaises closely with the federal agencies and plays its part in protecting the rail industry.