Business · Companies · 11 hrs ago
SBB system can restore Swiss railway power in five minutes after a blackout
Swiss Federal Railways can now restore its power network in five minutes after a nationwide blackout, instead of taking several hours.
The system was tested by triggering an artificial blackout while trains were running in Switzerland, and the power supply returned automatically.
The system has been active across the country since Friday, and other network operators can also acquire it.
Swiss railway power runs on its own network, separate from household electricity, and uses a different frequency.
The change addresses the risk of another major outage like the one in 2005, when about 2,000 trains stopped and 200,000 passengers were stranded.
The automated system is now in service, while the SBB says it cannot rule out a blackout entirely.
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) says a new system can restore its nationwide railway power network within five minutes after a blackout.
The system automates the coordinated restart of SBB power plants and the railway electricity network, replacing a process that previously took several hours.
SBB tested it during normal railway operations by triggering an artificial blackout in the night to Friday.
The railway power supply restarted automatically within five minutes, according to SBB.
The system has been active across Switzerland since Friday and may be acquired by other network operators.
- Who
- Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) developed and introduced the system.
- What
- An automated system restores the railway power network after a blackout. SBB says it can do so in five minutes.
- When
- It was tested in the night to Friday and has been active nationwide since Friday. The article was published on 14 November 2026.
- Where
- Across Switzerland, on the SBB railway power network.
- Why
- To shorten recovery after a blackout, which previously took several hours. A nationwide blackout cannot be completely ruled out.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
SBB conducted complex simulations and trials of the system in test environments.
The technology was tested under real conditions on the railway power network in Ticino.
SBB triggered an artificial blackout during railway operations, and the power supply restarted automatically within five minutes.
The system has been active across Switzerland.
- Recovery time
- Five minutes, down from several hours
- Test
- Artificial blackout during live railway operations
- Initial real-world test
- Ticino
- Nationwide activation
- Friday
- Previous blackout
- In 2005, around 2,000 trains stopped and about 200,000 passengers were stranded