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Traffic in Switzerland

Transport and infrastructure in Switzerland

Our listing of the primary types of transport compares the infrastructure of Switzerland with the average of all countries in Europe. Overall, the traffic routes are above average and in good condition.

In terms of the length of its rail network, Switzerland ranks 43rd in the world with 0.37 meters per inhabitant. In total, the rail network is 3,236 kilometers long. Freight traffic on the rails most recently totaled 12.02 billion tons and kilometers traveled. Passenger traffic reached 14.31 billion passenger-kilometers in 2021.

Airports in Switzerland


Back to overview: Switzerland

Road traffic

The network of roads and highways has a total length of 71,557 km. For each of the country's 8.70 million inhabitants, this corresponds to 8.22 meters. This puts Switzerland in 66th place in the global ranking. However, the country's size and population density of around 211 inhabitants per km² must also be taken into account. Countries with fewer inhabitants in the same or even larger area naturally achieve quite different values here and have to connect remote areas to the transport network despite a smaller population.

With an average of 242 traffic fatalities per year (2013 - 2019), road traffic in Switzerland is considered very safe. This corresponds to 2.9 accident fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants per year. By comparison, this figure is 12.3 in the USA and 17.0 worldwide.

Traffic in SwitzerlandIn Switzerland, traffic drives on the right-hand side of the road, i.e. people drive in the right-hand lane and overtake on the left. Oncoming traffic comes toward you on the left side. This rule was introduced at the end of the 18th century during the Napoleonic Wars. Here you can also find an overview of all countries with left-hand traffic.


 

Switzerland

 totalper 1 mio
inhabitants
per km²
Roadways71,600 km8,221.72 km1,733.02 m
Railroads3,200 km371.81 km78.37 m
Waterways1,292 km148.45 km31.29 m
Commercial harbors202.300.000
Airports50.570.121
 

Europe

 total per 1 mio
inhabitants
per km²
Roadways6,708,900 km11,154.38 km1,111.71 m
Railroads258,600 km429.97 km42.85 m
Waterways54,800 km91.17 km9.09 m
Commercial harbors15,27325.390.003
Airports5730.950.000


Data sources used

Global Health Observatory Data Repository (World Health Organization)
UNCTAD
Internation Union of Railways (UIC)
CIA Factbook
OECD Statistics
Wikipedia (german)
Switzerland: AirportsLargest airports and airlines in SwitzerlandThe 5 biggest airports and 5 airlines in Switzerland with further information and data with further information on airlines and destinations
Switzerland: ClimateClimate and temperature development in SwitzerlandA climate analysis for Switzerland incl. temperatures, humidity, rain days per month, hours of sunshine, water temperature, rainfalls
Ranking: MegacitiesMega cities - the biggest cities all over the worldRanking of the biggest cities worldwide. On top: Shanghai, Chongqing and Beijing