Executive Summary
The Federal Office of Transport (BAV) published its 2025 Safety Report on June 4, 2026 in Bern. Public transport in Switzerland continues to offer a high level of safety. In rail, cable car, and ship transport, there were no passenger fatalities in 2025. In urban bus and tram transport, however, serious accidents increased – with three fatalities. The most common cause of accidents remains non-compliance with road traffic rules by other road users.
Persons
- Federal Office of Transport (Swiss authority; publisher of the report)
Topics
- Traffic safety
- Public local transport
- Accident statistics
- Prevention and measures
Clarus Lead
The increase in accidents in urban bus and tram transport signals a breaking point in Switzerland's otherwise stable safety record. While rail and ship transport maintain top international rankings, local transit proves more vulnerable to external risks – particularly due to misconduct by other road users. This creates pressure for action on transport companies and authorities to move beyond technical solutions and European coordination, and to redesign the interface between public transport and individual traffic.
Detailed Summary
The 2025 safety record differs significantly by mode of transport. In rail, cable car, and ship transport, the number of severely injured passengers was in the single digits, with no fatalities. Urban bus and tram transport deviates significantly: three fatalities were recorded here and rising numbers of severely injured passengers – a trend of recent years. The BAV and the industry responded with a prevention campaign specifically highlighting the importance of holding on while in the vehicle.
When analyzing all accident participants (staff, freight transport, external road users), the number of serious accidents and severely injured persons in 2025 is in the upper range of the past five years; the fatality rate corresponds to the average. Structurally, it is evident: non-compliance with road traffic rules remains the dominant cause of accidents in public transport. This demonstrates that many local transit accidents are attributable to the fault of external road users – a control problem that cannot be solved through internal safety measures alone.
Internationally, Switzerland continues to be a leader. In rail transport, it ranks 3rd in Europe (after the United Kingdom and the Netherlands). Regarding killed and severely injured passengers, Switzerland is currently the safest country in Europe. Follow-up to the Gotthard Base Tunnel accident from August 2023 remained a priority in 2025; SUST published its report and the BAV ordered safety measures – however, their implementation is blocked by court appeals. In parallel, the BAV is working with European partners on joint solutions for safe freight transport.
Key Messages
- Swiss public transport remains internationally leading in safety, particularly in passenger protection.
- Accidents in urban bus and tram transport are increasing; external road users are the primary cause.
- Prevention campaigns and European coordination are ongoing, but are insufficient – external traffic control becomes a bottleneck.
Critical Questions
Evidence/Data Quality: How is the causation "non-compliance with road traffic rules by external road users" methodologically recorded? Is this based on police reports, passenger testimonies, or technical data?
Conflicts of Interest: To what extent can transport companies remain neutral in accident cause analysis when their liability depends on attribution to external errors?
Causality/Alternatives: Is the rising accident rate in local transit actually primarily attributable to external misconduct, or do factors such as increasing passenger numbers, infrastructure bottlenecks, or driver fatigue also play a role?
Feasibility/Risks: The prevention campaign "Hold on in the Vehicle" relies on passenger self-responsibility. How is its effectiveness measured, and what technical or regulatory alternatives were considered?
Blockade/Governance: Which safety measures from the Gotthard report are specifically blocked, and what timeframe is expected for legal clarification?
European Coordination: What "joint solutions" for freight transport are being developed with European partners, and how binding are these?
Source Directory
Primary Source: Safety Report 2025 of the Federal Office of Transport – https://www.bav.admin.ch/de/sicherheit
Verification Status: ✓ 04.06.2026
This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-check: 04.06.2026