Analyzing the dynamics of the train accident that occurred in Spain at the end of October 2026, the safest places to sit on a train appear to be the central carriages, less exposed to impact in the event of a rear-end collision or head-on collision.
The recent collision between two trains in Spain has brought attention to safety of rail transport. But is there a safer place to sit? The answer is not so simple: it depends above all on the type of accident and the dynamics of the impact. In general, the central carriages seem to be less exposed in the event of a head-on collision or rear-end collision, but not in the event of a derailment. There are also other precautions that can be taken, for example, the choice of where to travelthe side position hallway or side window and the baggage disposal can influence the consequences of a possible impact. The most recent data fromEuropean Union Agency for Railways however, they confirm that the Train remains the safest means of land transport in Europewith an extremely low risk of death per passenger and accidents with catastrophic consequences very rare.
How safe is traveling by train compared to other means of transport?
According to the Report on Railway Safety and Interoperability in the EU 2026 of the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA), the train remains the safest means of land transport, with a passenger mortality rate comparable to that of commercial aircraft. Considering the comparison between the different means of transport, based on data from the decade 2014-2023, the risk of mortality for those traveling by train is approximately a quarter of that of those traveling by bus and about 40 times less compared to that of those who move in carfor the same distance travelled. In the period considered, the average railway mortality rate was 0.059 victims per billion passenger-km. Looking instead at 2024 alone, the value dropped to 0.034 victims per billion passenger-km: in other words, it registered statistically one victim every 29 billion kilometres overall traveled by rail passengers.
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To better understand the order of magnitude, we can take it as an example a commuter who travels 100 kilometers a day by trainthere and back, for 250 days a year (roughly the same as someone who works 5 days a week) for 40 years. At the end of his working life he will have traveled for a million kilometers: a considerable distance, but approximately 29,000 times less than the 29 billion passenger-kilometres associated, according to the 2024 European average rate, with one commuter fatality. The European railway system is also among the safest in the world: in the international comparison carried out by ERA on six railway systems, only the Japan and the South Korea have a lower risk of passenger mortality than the European Union.
Why are there no seat belts on trains?
Compared to accidents involving individual means of transport, such as cars, rail and air accidents can have a greater media impact, since a single accident can cause dozens of victims. Furthermore, the possibility of choose between several places to sit often leads to the question of whether some are potentially safer than others.
Passive safety systems adopted on a train are in fact different from those used on other means of transport. For example, unlike cars and airplanes, there are no seat belts for passengers. The reason is linked to a different philosophy of protection: in cars we try above all to restrain the body using belts and airbags, while in trains we also focus on the so-called compartmentalizationi.e. the limitation of passenger movements inside the carriage through the arrangement and design of the seats, backrests and other furnishing elements. The goal is reduce the risk of impacts against internal surfaces and limit the consequences. Some research, including that conducted by Rail Safety and Standards Board British, also highlighted that the introduction of simple lap belts on trains would not necessarily lead to an improvement in safety and could, under certain conditions, increase the severity of injuries.
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Furthermore, neither at an Italian nor an international level does there exist a complete database that collects the exact position of passengers and the injuries sustained for all railway accidents. The analysis of accidents that have already occurred and scientific studies can therefore help us understand which parts of a train can be most damagedbut they do not allow us to establish with certainty which place offers the highest chance of survival.
What are the potentially safest places on the train?
Based on accident dynamics and available knowledge about railway safety, it is possible to identify some conditions that could contribute to reduce the risk of injury. These are, however, indications that they do not guarantee greater safety in every type of accident.
- In the central carriages: in the event of a collision, the carriages at the ends of the train may be more exposed to the effects of the impact. The central ones, however, can benefit from the presence of the other carriages and be less damaged in some collision dynamics. For example, in the recent collision that occurred in Spain, the impact involved the head of the oncoming train and the tail of the stationary one, although the subsequent derailment also affected other carriages. those most affected were some carriages at the ends of the trains. The possible advantage of central positions cannot therefore be generalised: in the event of derailment or overturning, these carriages can also suffer very serious damage.
- In aisle-side seats: to sit near the aisle means to find oneself further from the windowswhich in some accidents could break and cause injury. However, if on the one hand the seats near the window can entail a greater risk of being thrown out of the train, on the other, in certain dynamics, it is precisely the corridor that is more exposed to sudden movements of passengers and objects present in the carriage.
- In rear-facing seats: in general, when a train brakes sharply, those sitting facing forward tend to be thrown towards the seat or towards objects in front of them. Those traveling against the road, on the other hand, are simply pushed against their own back.
- Away from tables and hard surfaces: even the objects and furnishings present in the carriage can influence the consequences of an accident. If, for example, the train has a restaurant or bar car, good advice is to avoid spending too much time on itbecause the tables, with their rigidity, can become dangerous if the train suddenly brakes or hits an obstacle.
- Away from luggage and loose objects: suitcases, bags, strollers and other objects can shift during a collision or sudden braking, becoming potential sources of injury. It is therefore important to place them correctly in the designated spaces, preventing them from falling or moving freely. Not leaving items in hallways or near doors also helps keep escape routes clear.
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What position should you take in the event of a collision?
Another interesting aspect concerns the posture to take in the event of a collision. A study Design and injury analysis of the seated occupant protection posture in train collisionpublished in 2019 in the magazine Safety Scienceanalyzed a possible one through numerical simulations and experimental tests protective position for seated passengers. In particular, the posture proposed by the authors provides, when a situation of imminent danger is felt, to curl upbending your torso forward and clasping your hands behind your head. In the simulated scenario of a collision at 48 km/h, the adoption of the optimized posture resulted an 88% reduction in the head injury indicator compared to the reference configuration. Reductions in stress on the neck and lower limbs were also observed.
However, these are results obtained in specific experimental conditions, which are not equivalent to a percentage of protection guaranteed in a real accident. Furthermore, the posture studied does not constitute a universally valid safety procedure: the consequences depend on the dynamics of the accident and, in the majority of sudden collisions, the passenger may not have the time necessary to react. In case of emergency it is therefore essential follow the instructions of the railway staff and the established safety proceduresavoiding improvised behavior that could increase the risk of injury.
