The face-mask obligation does not seem to bother commuters

For more than a week now, the mask obligation has been in place on trains, buses and trams. Almost everybody is following the new rule, with commuters also checking each others’ compliance.

The compulsory wearing of face masks in public transport is working – and it hardly seems to bother anyone. It has been in place since last Monday, and initial data show that the proportion of people refusing to wear mask on trains, buses and trams is small. In addition, hardly any of the commuters seem to have switched to the car or bicycle as a result of having to wear a mask in public transport. This applies to transport in cities as well as in the tourist regions.

Zurich Transport Authority (VBZ) said capacity utilisation was currently up to 80% compared to the same period last year. "The mask obligation has had no significant influence on this, the utilisation is stable," says a spokesman. The utilisation at Bernmobil last week was at 75%, compared to the same period in the previous year. It was at around 70% at the end of June.

Almost everyone is obeying the rule
At the Rhaetian Railways (RhB), whose business is more dependent on tourists, demand is currently around 60% of the previous year's figures. But demand is also growing at the RhB. The mask requirement has had no negative impact, a spokeswoman said. "After the first week of compulsory masks, we can draw a positive conclusion." The passengers almost invariably follow the rule.

Almost all users of public transport are now wearing a mask.
The obligation has not had a negative impact.

The obligation to wear masks and the frequencies are unrelated, according to the Bernese BLS, and Stadtbus Winterthur says that capacity utilisation last week was almost 80% compared to the previous year, which is similar to the previous two to three weeks. For the Lucerne transport companies, on the other hand, a spokesman says that it is noted that the buses are now "partly well filled" during the rush hour. Those mask obligation os being observed ‘largely very well’.

"Commuters speak to people who are not wearing masks"

The Zurich transport companies gives more details an what this means in terms of figures. Depending on the line, 95% to 99% of customers wear a mask. There have been no conflicts so far, says a spokesman – on the contrary. "We found that commuters are well prepared and help each other out when someone doesn’t have a mask. It also happens that people without a mask are being politely asked to wear one by other passengers." The will to "get the regulation followed now" is palpable, says the spokesman.

Data from the counting station that is operated by the VBZ at the Hardbrücke station even indicates a positive effect. In addition to various S-Bahn trains, there is also a tram line and three bus lines there. Almost 60,000 commuters were counted on Wednesday - the second-highest figure since March 13, just before the lockdown. The value is certainly high because it was a day with nice weather. Fewer people tend to use public transport in the city, while some commuters may also have been away on their summer holidays.

Many people now feel safer
The SBB cannot draw any conclusions from the first week of the mask obligation. Last Friday, the new SBB boss Vincent Ducrot said that he welcomed the mask obligation. The internal market research carried out by the railways assumes that, as a result of the mask obligation, the public transport system will lose just about the same number of users as it will gain. Because while some people find the mask unpleasant and therefore switch to another mode of transport, others now feel safer again.

Before 6 July, there was only the recommendation to wear a mask in confined spaces. There have not been any fines so far when someone doesn't wear a mask. Those who refuse, however, can be asked to leave the mode of transport at the next station, write the SBB. The transport police will be only be called in depending on the situation.