BERN, SWITZERLAND – Swiss train passengers traveling between French-speaking Switzerland and Zurich Sunday were rerouted via Biel/Bienne for three hours, missing all the excitement in canton Bern. Several police patrols, farmers and railway staff spent the afternoon chasing six beef yearlings that decided to offer themselves a day away from the farm.

Some of them traveled 10 km, heading towards Zurich, before they were caught and taken home.

The young animals escaped from their farm near the railroad tracks at Herzogenbuchsee, canton Bern and shortly before noon police received reports of cows on the train tracks. The line is a main train run, so all trains that use it were rerouted.

The police were joined by firefighters and animal service personnel as well as farmers, all on foot, to try to encourage the young male animals to head back home. Four of them made it the 10 km to Roggwil, another one went 7 km to Langenthal and the sixth made it to nearby Bützberg. Two of them gave in to police demands they return home; the others, according to the news agency ats, were less inclined to do as the police bid.

The animals eventually returned home, apparently no worse for wear.