SBB information can be found here on the Federal Act on the Elimination of Discrimination against People with Disabilities and the status of implementation of planned measures.
The Federal Act on the Elimination of Discrimination against People with Disabilities (DDA) and the Ordinance on the Adaptation of Public Transport to the Needs of People with Disabilities (PTAO) state that all public transport facilities must be fully accessible. By the end of 2023, passengers with reduced mobility should be able to use all services provided by SBB free of discrimination and travel as autonomously as possible. This will not only benefit passengers with disabilities, but also senior citizens and passengers with prams or carrying a lot of luggage, etc.
To implement the Disability Discrimination Act, extensive changes to infrastructure, rolling stock and passenger information are necessary. SBB has taken great strides to make its stations, trains and passenger information accessible. However, SBB will not be able to comply fully with the implementation of the DDA by the required deadline.
On the one hand, the task has proven to be more complex than initially planned. On the other hand, specified requirements for accessible stations means that SBB must carry out construction work at more stations than originally requested.
SBB takes the issue of disability discrimination seriously. SBB invests significant resources in making trains and stations accessible to the disabled and, where necessary, providing additional support. Over the past several years, SBB has raised countless platforms and installed ramps and sporadic lifts at numerous stations. As a result of these efforts, three quarters of SBB customers will be able to travel autonomously and free from accessibility issues from 2024 onwards (434 of 764 stations will have been converted by the end of 2023). FOT and the affected municipalities have been informed, and SBB is in contact with the associations for the disabled.
The Disability Discrimination Act, which SBB will be implementing on behalf of federal government, stipulates that public money is to be allocated proportionately. The law therefore permits alternative measures too, such as assistance from staff. From the beginning of 2024, SBB will begin offering replacement solutions temporarily at all non-accessible stations. The SBB Contact Center Handicap will be particularly helpful for customers with limited mobility looking for free assistance with planning and undertaking train journeys. At the stations, the railway staff will assist with boarding and alighting.
Tactile guidance paths, safety lines and tactile warning tiles allow blind and visually impaired passengers to travel independently. Small metal signs on the hand rails contain information in braille and relief lettering, helping passengers to find the right platform number and section. In larger stations, there is a guidance path system provided for blind passengers.
The old vehicles with high doors, which are still used for regional and long-distance services, are being gradually phased out. The new rolling stock (long-distance double-deck trains, Giruno trains, IR double-deck trains, single-deck regional and S-Bahn trains) and the modernised IC2000 compositions provide not only step-free access to the wheelchair compartment but also to the entire length of the train. In more and more stations, platforms have also been adjusted to enable step-free access to trains (platforms elevated to be 55cm above the rails).
You can plan your journey from start to finish with the online timetable and SBB Mobile app. As well as timetables, you can also find information about accessible services, train compositions and the section in which the low-floor access coach with wheelchair space and accessible toilets will stop.
SBB has expanded its range of low-floor services throughout Switzerland. Along with accessible railway stations and platform height adjustments, this allows passengers with reduced mobility to access the trains independently.
The requirements for accessible customer information have been partially fulfilled. For the information panels, the requirements regarding contrast and legibility have been adhered to. Station announcements comply with the requirements regarding intelligibility.
Currently, the following measures are the focus for customer information:
By the end of 2023, the roll-out of around 1,000 Smart Information Display panels at smaller and medium-sized stations will be completed.
From 2023 to 2029, all stations where customer information redundancy is appropriate (800 boarding passengers) will be equipped with acoustic speakers. This means that all customer information displayed at the station can also be accessed and repeated acoustically for people with a visual impairment.
The central customer information system on board the trains is currently being modified to allow for information to be updated in real time. In future, this will make it possible to display information directly on the screens in the train in the event of a service disruption.
Customer information that is not yet available at the station acoustically is available digitally in the award-winning SBB Inclusive app. Information can be accessed in accordance with the user’s individual needs. SBB Inclusive will also be further developed as a channel.
All sales channels allow customers to purchase tickets accessibly and meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act.
The operating controls at the ticket machines meet the requirements of the DDA. For people who are blind, have a visual impairment and all other customers who need help to operate the ticket machines, the SBB helpline is available around the clock on the toll-free number 0800 11 44 77.
People who are blind or have a visual impairment can also buy their tickets accessibly online at SBB.ch or in the SBB Mobile app.
At staffed SBB Travel Centres, a folding table or an adjustable counter (in accordance with the new Travel Centre concept) enables people with a disability (e.g. people in wheelchairs or those with a reduced mobility) to be served sitting down.
The digital world enriches our lives in many different ways and is appearing in more and more aspects of our daily routine.
SBB is continuously optimising many of its services on websites, apps and in PDF documents to make them fully accessible, ensuring that they make good use of assistive technology. For instance, blind and visually impaired customers can read PDF documents on sbb.ch/handicap using a screen reader.
In March 2019, the ‘Access for All’ foundation certified the accessibility of SBB.ch. An independent team of accessibility experts tested whether the website was accessible and standards for certification are upheld.
Reserve free assistance for boarding and alighting when travelling by train.
Please make reservations by telephone at least 1 hour before you require the assistance, and reservations using the order form at least 12 hours beforehand. For international travel: at least 48 hours in advance.
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