Schaffhausen-Zurich route Over 1000 train cancellations in one year - now SBB is reacting
Swiss and German trains run every half hour between Zurich and Schaffhausen. However, these are often canceled. The Swiss Federal Railways are now responding with a measure.
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- From July 7, 2025, SBB and Deutsche Bahn will be running replacement trains between Schaffhausen and Zurich to cushion delays from Germany.
- This measure was triggered by massive train cancellations, which were made public by an investigation by the "Schaffhauser AZ" newspaper.
- After months of criticism from politicians and the public, the rail companies have now responded with a temporary solution.
From July 7, 2025, SBB and Deutsche Bahn (DB) will be running replacement trains between Schaffhausen and Zurich. These trains will take over if the Intercity from Stuttgart arrives late in Schaffhausen.
This is the two railroad companies' response to the ongoing problems on the international route and increasing criticism - including from politicians.
The measure was triggered not least by an investigation by "Schaffhauser AZ" in December 2024, which revealed how severely the connection was suffering from delays and cancellations.
Hundreds of train cancellations documented
Based on over 1,000 documented train cancellations, the research showed that the half-hourly service did not actually exist. "Train travel between Schaffhausen and Zurich was a disaster this year," wrote the Schaffhausen weekly newspaper at the time. The journalist behind this article was also involved in the research at the time.
The solution that has now been announced is intended to offer travelers on the Swiss section more reliability. According to SBB, replacement trains will now run between Schaffhausen and Zurich when trains from Germany are delayed.
These trains will be provided by DB, with staff coming from both DB and SBB. The measure is temporary - developments will be closely monitored over the coming weeks, the statement continues.
SVP National Councillor very annoyed
The criticism from Schaffhausen had been growing for months. As early as summer 2024, SVP National Councillor Thomas Hurter publicly warned of a "capping" of the connection in Singen. He threatened a political initiative if the situation did not improve quickly. "I've been put off by SBB for years," he told the Schaffhauser AZ newspaper at the time.
Only then did the SBB management sit down at a table with him. Apparently this pressure had some effect: the replacement trains are now coming - a year after the first alarm calls.