The number of fare evaders caught on Switzerland’s public-transport network is increasing steadily. In 2024, 1.17m passengers were found travelling without a valid ticket, according to figures released on Wednesday by the Alliance SwissPass. That is well above the one-million mark crossed for the first time the previous year.
The data, reported by various media source including bluewin.ch, have been collected since 2019 through a centralised information system shared by transport operators. Over the past six years, the number of passengers caught without a ticket—or with only a partially valid one—has risen without interruption.
Switzerland does not publish a single national count of public-transport journeys. But taken together—across rail, bus and urban networks—the total almost certainly runs into the billions each year. Against that backdrop, the 1.17m cases of detected fare evasion look modest. The more important unknown is how many fare-dodgers pass through the system undetected.
SwissPass attributes the increase to several factors: more frequent ticket inspections, improved detection and higher passenger numbers, although the number of passengers has risen only modestly. The resulting loss of revenue amounted to around CHF 200m in 2024, the association says. A similar figure is expected for 2025, as overall passenger volumes have grown only marginally.
Centralised registration allows operators to track repeat offenders across the network. Penalties escalate quickly. A first offence carries a fine of CHF 100, rising to CHF 140 for a second and CHF 170 for a third, plus a CHF 10 charge for the unpaid fare.
Passengers holding a partially valid ticket—for example travelling in first class with a second-class ticket, or on the wrong route—receive a CHF 25 reduction compared with those travelling without any ticket at all.
The challenge is to set incentives correctly. Fare systems work best when the probability of inspection and the size of fines combine to reward compliance. When they do not, cheating becomes a rational choice.
For a passenger spending CHF 100 a month on public transport, evasion pays provided inspections are infrequent. With the current fines, being caught fewer than three times over four months would still leave the fare-dodger ahead. Under such conditions, enforcement deters only the risk-averse.
The cheapest way to change that calculus would be to raise penalties. Higher fines would make evasion unattractive even when checks are sporadic. Set high enough, they could also generate additional revenue, offsetting fare losses and easing the burden of Switzerland’s heavily subsidised transport system.
Persistent fare evasion can have more serious consequences. A criminal complaint may be filed against passengers caught three times within two years without a valid ticket, or with only a partial ticket. This must also be included in the calculation.
For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Leave a Reply