Railpol Switzerland

Railway police duties in Switzerland
In Switzerland there is no supreme police authority which is responsible on Swiss territory in its entirety for the rail sector. Police duties in the rail sector come under the authority of the locally responsible cantonal police. However, in the last few years the cantonal police have started to relinquish their duties in the rail sector to the Swiss Border Guard: the Border Guard has been carrying out controls in international trains since 2002. Based on cooperation agreements with the cantonal police, the Border Guard was also assigned police security duties in the other trains.

The private company Securitrans is responsible for security services in railway stations and trains but is not authorised to carry out law enforcement measures.

Swiss representation in RAILPOL
Switzerland in represented in RAILPOL by two organisations: the Federal Office of Police (fedpol) and the Swiss Border Guard. Whereas fedpol is responsible for strategic supervision within the scope of the Swiss representation in RAILPOL and maintaining contact with the cantonal police, the Border Guard represents Switzerland in operative matters.