38-year-old from Slovakia: S-Bahn accident in Kitzbühel! Why is he crossing the tracks?

38-year-old from Slovakia: S-Bahn accident in Kitzbühel! Why is he crossing the tracks?

On July 21, 2025, a serious accident occurred at the train station in Kitzbühel, Tyrol, Austria. A 38-year-old man from Slovakia was hit by a commuter train as he crossed the tracks on foot instead of using the nearby underpass. The collision with the incoming train in the direction of Wörgl led to a dramatic incident that shocked not only those directly involved, but also the fire department and passers-by.

After the collision, the man was thrown to the ground and landed between two tracks. Fortunately, he survived the accident and was conscious when the Brixen im Thale fire department was called to the rescue with four vehicles and 22 emergency services. The emergency services rescued the injured man and transported him to the St. Johann in Tirol hospital. The circumstances that led to his risky crossing of the tracks are currently unclear.

Rail safety measures

The incident in Kitzbühel once again sheds light on the important issue of rail safety. According to information from bmv.de Deutsche Bahn AG has made significant efforts in recent years to increase safety at stations and on trains. Federal Minister Seehofer is currently calling for the federal police to be increased by 11,300 positions by 2025 in order to ensure better accessibility in train stations.

In addition, Deutsche Bahn AG invests 10 million euros annually in increasing the presence of its own security forces. Mobile support groups, which include specially trained emergency services, are being implemented in major cities such as Berlin, Munich and Frankfurt am Main to effectively address security risks.

Technical security measures

Another key area in improving rail safety is technical equipment. By 2024, almost all large train stations are to be equipped with modern video surveillance, with over 50 million euros being made available to Deutsche Bahn AG. A pilot project in Frankfurt am Main aims to increase safety on the platform through special hatching to prevent danger.

Overall, recent developments and incidents like the one in Kitzbühel show that safety in rail operations requires constant attention and adjustments. While the 38-year-old man from Slovakia was lucky to survive today, the question remains as to how serious accidents can be prevented in the future.