ETH Zurich study finds timetable inefficiencies add up to a quarter of European rail travel time

A study conducted by the Institute for Transport Planning and Systems at ETH Zurich has found that travelers on long-distance train journeys across Europe spend approximately a quarter of their total journey time either waiting during transfers or sitting on stationary trains. The research identifies timetable coordination as a key factor behind this inefficiency, noting that better synchronization of rail services across the continent could substantially reduce overall travel times.

According to the study, improvements in scheduling coordination could shorten travel times across Europe to a degree comparable to the impact of some costly infrastructure projects. This finding suggests that organizational and planning measures may offer a cost-effective alternative or complement to large-scale capital investment in rail infrastructure. Switzerland was identified in the study as one of the best-performing regions in terms of timetable efficiency.