Two trains have crashed into each other north of Zurich at the start of rush hour, leaving dozens of passengers injured and carriages upturned.

“There was an accident this morning. It’s serious, there are injured,” a police spokeswoman said, without providing any other details.

The collision between an intercity express and a local commuter train occurred at the train station at Rafz, a town 19 miles north of Zurich, media reported.

One of the locomotives was badly damaged and several of its carriages derailed and tipped on their sides, photographs in local media showed.

One of the locomotives was derailed in the crash. Photograph: Ennio Leanza/EPA

Ambulances, fire and rescue services rushed to the scene and service on the line between the towns of Bulach and Schaffhouse has been suspended.

A rescue worker, who refused to give his name, told the 20Minutes daily that as many as 49 people had been injured in the crash.

“Ambulances from all regions have been mobilised,” he said.

An 18-year-old passenger on the commuter train told the paper that it had just begun pulling out of the Rafz station on its way to Schaffhouse when the driver hit the brakes.

Members of the emergency services secure one of the derailed carriages. Photograph: Michael Buholzer/AFP/Getty Images

“An express train from Zurich came up from behind and hit the side of our train. The intercity train derailed,” said the man, whose name was not given.

Both the trains had been “quite damaged”, he said, adding that both drivers had quickly evacuated their passengers.

The Swiss are Europe’s top rail users, and their network is normally envied abroad for safety and quality.