5 Tips to make back-to-school train travel safer
Whether for work or school, the start of the new season often comes with new habits—and sometimes a bit of stress. Here are five tips to ensure your back-to-school train journeys in 2025 are safe and smooth.
1. Keep a safe distance from the safety line
Marked near the edge of the platform, the safety line helps everyone maintain a safe distance to avoid being hit by a train or “pulled in” by the air displacement effect—which could lead to a fall between the train and the track.
Yellow or white, and designed with tactile features in major stations for visually impaired passengers, the safety line is a boundary that must be respected at all times.
A train is not a car. Did you know that a train can travel up to 1,200 meters before coming to an emergency stop? That’s the length of 13 football fields…
More information: The safety line
2. Never cross the tracks… or run or play on the platform
Every day, on average, two people walk near or on the railway tracks. In 2024 alone, nearly 800 illegal crossings were observed by CFL staff—466 of them in stations. This behavior is strictly forbidden and extremely dangerous… and can be fatal.
In 2024, the presence of people near or on the tracks caused around 16,000 minutes of delays and 275 train cancellations.
And remember, there’s no point in running when you hear the whistle on the platform—it’s already too late. 15 seconds before departure, train staff announce the imminent departure. Five seconds later, all doors—except the one where the staff member is located—are closed. By the time the whistle blows on the platform, it’s already too late.
3. Disconnect from screens and headphones
Busy schedules and thirst for information often lead us to constantly check our smartphones—which also give us access to our favorite music at any time.
Technological advances have also made trains much quieter. So, in stations and on platforms, it’s best to look up from your screen, remove your headphones or earbuds, and pause your music to ensure safe boarding. You can resume reading or listening once you’re seated on board.
Respect tip: On the train, bus, funicular, or tram, make sure to use headphones when checking your phone or listening to music. Other passengers may not share your taste.
4. Scooters in hand: the reflex before boarding
Electric scooters and other micromobility devices are increasingly common—on roads and in railway environments. Station forecourts, platforms, underpasses… one rule applies: riding scooters (or any wheeled device) is prohibited in CFL stations and stops to reduce the risk of collisions and injuries.
More information: Scooter in hand, the right reflex before taking the train
5. Level crossings: when it’s red, everything stops!
Finally, let’s remember that road traffic increases again at the start of the school year—including near level crossings. These intersections between road and rail networks still too often lead to tragedy when traffic rules are not followed.
Between 2015 and 2024, four people lost their lives in Luxembourg due to road accidents at level crossings. During the same period, 14 other accidents occurred between trains and road users due to traffic violations, along with 769 disruptions or damages (e.g., a vehicle tearing off a barrier arm). To ensure your journey goes smoothly, check out the essential safety rules in this CFL brochure: PN-Depliant-General-2025
And if you remember just one rule: when the red lights flash or the signal sounds at a level crossing—stop! More information: securite.cfl.lu