Passengers have to disembark Overcrowded trains cause chaos before Whitsun

Before Whitsun, there were overcrowded trains on the Zurich-Lausanne line, some of which forced passengers to disembark for safety reasons.

Before the Whitsun weekend, there was massive congestion not only on the roads, but also on the railways. A connection from Zurich to Lausanne was particularly affected on Friday evening, as reported by "Blick".

According to the report, the trains were so overcrowded that the train could not continue. As a result, passengers without a seat were asked to leave the train. According to Blick, the situation was repeated later in Olten, where there was an additional delay. The tense situation caused resentment among passengers.

Legally, however, the situation is clearly regulated: The SBB is not allowed to simply turn passengers away from the train. At the same time, the Federal Railways refer to safety aspects.

"Overcrowding becomes a problem when the safety of passengers and train staff can no longer be guaranteed in an emergency. In an emergency, it must be possible to evacuate quickly," says SBB, according to Blick. Blocked aisles due to luggage and standing passengers could prevent this.

In such cases, the decision lies with the train crew. Although there is an obligation to transport passengers, pressure can be exerted indirectly: "If not enough passengers agree to leave the train, the train can no longer continue and is canceled," "Blick" further quoted from the SBB information.

Occurs rarely

According to SBB, such incidents are rare. On busy routes, such as through the Gotthard Base Tunnel, it only happens occasionally. Stricter capacity limits also apply there in order to ensure safety in the tunnel at all times. In such cases, affected passengers are not entitled to compensation.