For customers, the European Train Control System (ETCS) guarantees higher levels of safety, capacity and fewer delays. 480 of SBB’s 1700 vehicles have already been equipped with ETCS, and 230 vehicles are due to be fitted with the system very soon. SBB has presently published the award of the contract to Siemens on the simap.ch website.

The European Train Control System (ETCS) seeks to improve levels of safety and capacity, and reduce delays on the world’s densest network. Thanks to this modern and standardised automatic train stopping system, trains can operate at close intervals with maximum safety. Currently, mainline trains and some SBB Cargo vehicles have already been fitted with ETCS by Alstom, Siemens and Bombardier, bringing the number of ETCS-fitted vehicles to 480 out of around 1700. On the other hand, regional traffic vehicles – which do not run on the Swiss high speed network – are still equipped with the SIGNUM and ZUB systems. Since these trains will be required to operate on stretches of track with cab signalling from mid-2015, SBB has launched a tender to fit an additional 230 SBB Cargo, Infrastructure, Region Alps and FERROVIENORD vehicles. This step is part of the Federal office of Transport’s (FOT) roll-out strategy to see that all vehicles are fitted with the ETCS system by 2025.

(Source: SBB)