Zentralbahn, public transport at its best

«Be blown away» is the motto of Zentralbahn, a railway company that is reinventing public transport in Central Switzerland and the Bernese Oberland. The dynamic company delights its passengers with customer proximity, safety, reliability and innovative services.

Actually, Zentralbahn does not really need an advertising slogan. After all, the best advertising for the railway company is provided by the customers themselves, who really are blown away by their experiences of travelling on the Zentralbahn network: «I always enjoy travelling with Zentralbahn», «I enjoy the respite from the road», «When I travel with Zentralbahn, I have time to let my thoughts run free» – these are just three of the many glowing customer reviews.

Fast track to success

In the last two years alone, Zentralbahn has succeeded in increasing the number of passengers by 30 per cent. A large number of commuters use the railway regularly. Travelling on this railway through one of Switzerland’s most beautiful alpine landscapes is becoming increasingly popular among tourists from both Switzerland and abroad. For example, in 2015 the number of passengers from Asia more than doubled.

How does the company manage to capture the hearts of more and more passengers and make public transport popular as an appropriate form of mobility for our times? Peter Bircher, Head of Marketing Services: «We have an excellently developed infrastructure and modern, customer-friendly rolling stock. But the crucial point is proximity to the market and ensuring that we transport our passengers safely, reliably and punctually to their destination.»

Making train travel an experience

The people who make Zentralbahn so popular are its motivated employees, who work in a wide variety of roles to ensure that every train journey is an exceptional experience. The railway company also regularly manages to surprise its passengers with innovative services. Examples include the Globi Express to Engelberg or the Brünig Safari between Giswil and Meiringen. Some of the ideas and concepts come from the employees themselves, who have suggested, for example, installing drinks holders in the trains and covering the emergency intercoms. The fact that Zentralbahn has long been one of the top public transport companies is reflected in various awards, such as the level III quality seal of the Swiss Tourism Association or the «Friendly Workspace» label for sustainable investment in corporate health management.

Being on time is the top priority

The company’s delivery partners are also required to meet the uncompromising demands that Zentralbahn places on itself in terms of quality. «We expect absolute adherence to schedules and delivery reliability,» explains Erich Merz, Fleet Technology Engineer, «and it is hugely important to us to have a good relationship with our suppliers.» The company purchases custom-configured valve blocks and cylinders from Bachofen for the pneumatic door locking systems that are being installed as part of rolling stock overhauls. It is essential that these components are delivered on time. The availability of the vehicles must be as high as possible, which requires the shortest possible overhaul times. Waiting times for ordered parts are simply not acceptable. In addition, Zentralbahn demands impeccable quality, to ensure that there are no problems in the long term following the overhaul.

Erich Merz: «Our contact persons at Bachofen respond to our specific needs and provide professional assistance. If they carry on down this track and succeed in further reducing delivery times, we will be ‘blown away’.»

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Zentralbahn, public transport at its best

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