"Could have taken a cab" Missed flight because the app informed too late about train cancelation

The snow causes many trains to arrive late or to be canceled altogether. blue News editor Philipp Dahm was also affected. He missed his flight because the app informed him too late that the train was canceled.

When the snow came yesterday, public transport in cities such as Bern and Zurich came to a complete standstill in some cases. This morning, too, many trains were delayed or canceled completely.

blue News editor Philipp Dahm was also affected and missed his flight at Zurich Airport as a result. Also because the ZVV app was informed far too late that the relevant trains would be canceled.

In a voice message, he reports on his day today: "At 8.14 a.m., I wanted to take the S8 to Zurich main station and then travel to the airport. But it was canceled because of the snow." He looked for a new connection on the ZVV app. "I was then suggested the S24, which was due to depart 15 minutes later," explains Dahm.

ZVV app provided information too late

He would have had to take this to Enge station in Zurich and from there there would have been a direct train to the airport. A good connection, the only problem: the S24 was seven minutes late. But: "The S2 was 10 minutes late and would have run on the same track as the S24. So I would still have made this train," he continues.

When he arrives at Enge station, he finds it strange that the S2 is not marked. So he checks the app again and sees that the train has been canceled after all. "If I had known that this train was canceled, I could have just taken a cab to the airport at 8.14 am. But it was now too late for that and I missed my flight," says Dahm angrily. "I don't understand why the train company couldn't inform me early enough that the train was going to be canceled after all."

Now he can fly to his vacation destination for the first time tonight. "It annoys me that the S2 is shown as running ten minutes late and then being completely canceled."

Plan more travel time

At the request of blue News, SBB wrote: "Due to the heavy onset of winter yesterday and further snowfall this morning, there were and are delays on the SBB network and in some cases train cancellations." Since this morning, travelers have been advised that trains are running with delays and that train cancellations are to be expected in some cases.

"In these moments and especially in such weather conditions, SBB recommends planning more travel time whenever possible and, if necessary, using earlier connections - especially if you have urgent appointments or transfer connections."