Zurich Airport introduces first European autonomous shuttle service “Robobus” for airport employees in 2025

Zurich Airport (ZHR) has announced the deployment of an autonomous shuttle service called “Robobus” in partnership with WeRide, Flughafen Zürich AG and Swiss Transit Lab (STL). The “Robobus” which accommodates nine passengers, will be the first commercial autonomous bus shuttle project at a European airport. It will serve airport employees along a dedicated route connecting the employee entrance at gate 101 to the maintenance area at gate 130. Service will begin in the first quarter of 2025.

Why does Zurich Airport need an autonomous shuttle service?

At the foot of the Alps, ZHR presents severe challenges to autonomous driving technology due to complex operational environments and climatic conditions. ZHR successfully overcame these challenges with its strong technical capabilities and rich implementation experience, providing a mature and reliable solution.

The ZHR service follows the successful deployment in Paris, where “Robobus” provided efficient shuttle services on a five-kilometre route during the French Open, as part of an ongoing collaboration with Renault Group to promote low-carbon public transportation solutions.

The initial phase at ZHR includes a safety driver on board, with plans to transition to remote monitoring operations.

“WeRide possesses a fully developed and thoroughly tested technology, meets all of the legal and safety requirements in place at Zurich Airport and guarantees that it will meet the data protection requirements set out,” Flughafen Zürich AG said in a statement.