Weak refund policy SBB is the second best railroad company in Europe
Prices, reliability, booking experience - how good are the railroads in Europe? A ranking list provides an overview, including the strengths and weaknesses of SBB and 26 other European rail companies.
09.12.2024, 05:39
09.12.2024, 06:55
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- SBB is the second best railroad company in Europe.
- Trenitalia came in first place.
- This is the result of a survey by the European umbrella organization Transport & Environment (T&E), which is committed to sustainable transport.
The best rail company in Europe is Trenitalia, followed by SBB. This is the result of a survey by the European umbrella organization Transport & Environment (T&E), which campaigns for sustainable transport. In a ranking of 27 European railroads published on Monday, SBB was given a final score of 7.4, on a par with RegioJet, which operates trains to the Czech Republic and neighboring countries.
SBB scored particularly well for reservations (9.7) and travel experience (8). The company scored 7.1 for fares, 7.8 for reliability and 7.6 for bicycle transport. In contrast, SBB scored a weak 5 for its refund policy and the overnight train service scored just 3.5.
The best rated company is Trenitalia - with a final score of 7.7 out of 10 points - which, according to T&E, offers one of the best value for money on the continent and stands out in almost all categories with the exception of the offer for bicycles.
Eight criteria
T&E takes eight criteria into account for the evaluation. The highest weighting is given to ticket prices. Other criteria include reliability, the booking experience, on-board amenities and - if available - night trains and bicycle transport. The evaluation focuses on medium and long-haul connections.
T&E's aim with the study is to provide a comprehensive comparative framework that enables companies to draw inspiration from good practice in order to make progress and to encourage countries to introduce more rail-friendly regulations.
The crisis-ridden Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Flixtrain fared rather poorly in the comparison. The state-owned DB came 16th in the rankings, while its private competitor came 20th.
According to the evaluation, Flixtrain is the cheapest provider. Deutsche Bahn also fails to score highly in terms of reliability. With a score of 2.5, the Group is in third-last place of all providers. Passengers frequently experienced delays and cancellations.
The worst is the most expensive
Austria's ÖBB came in fourth and SNCF in fifth place, thanks mainly to their "very good travel experience, an attractive refund policy and their night train offer", according to Victor Thévenet.
The French company also offers "good value for money in Europe", he assures, but there is room for improvement as its fares are still high and "there are still problems with reliability, cancellations and delays". "The cycling policy is not at all favorable," Thévenet also said.
At the bottom of the ranking, Ouigo - the low-cost subsidiary of SNCF - is in 25th place. Despite ultra-competitive prices - the second cheapest provider in Europe - it suffers from a lack of saver fares and poor reliability.
Most expensive company is the worst
But the worst company on the continent is also the most expensive, according to T&E. Eurostar is in 27th place, just behind Greece's Hellenic Trains. The NGO emphasized that the prices, which are twice as high as the European average, are no guarantee for the quality of the services.
The company - majority-owned by SNCF Voyageurs - suffers from a lack of reliability according to the ranking criteria, which weighs on the final score.