Switzerland gives single wagonload transport another chance

Update from December 8, 2025

(Bern) In the EWLV, individual freight wagons are collected from different customers and assembled into freight trains. The Confederation is awarding SBB Cargo Switzerland the performance mandate for single wagonload transport (EWLV) for the years 2026 to 2029. Following the conclusion of SBB’s contracts with EWLV customers communicated at the end of November (SBB News “Freight transport customers rely on transport with SBB in the long term”), the service agreement is the next milestone in the realignment of EWLV. It enables customers and SBB to plan their transports and is the basis for the new production model for the EWLV.

“This means that SBB will continue to offer the Swiss economy a nationwide range of climate-friendly rail services in the future,” says Alexander Muhm, member of the SBB Group Executive Board and Head of Freight Transport. Without the EWLV, up to one million additional truck journeys would be necessary annually on the heavily congested Swiss motorways.

Single wagonload transport from a single source

SBB Cargo Switzerland was the only railway company to submit a bid and will continue to ensure the EWLV within Switzerland from a single source. In doing so, it works regionally with other railway companies. Cooperation takes place where it makes economic sense and increases the competitiveness of the EWLV compared to the roads.

The service agreement is based on the revised Freight Transport Act (GüTG), with which parliament decided in spring 2025 to fund the EWLV for a limited period of eight years. CHF 260 million is available for the first four years. The promotion of transport services cushions the price increases for customers. In addition, the Confederation supports SBB’s investments in the automation and digitalisation of the EWLV in order to ensure its future viability.

Federal government calls for self-economic EWLV

Currently, the EWLV is heavily loss-making: In 2024, SBB Cargo Switzerland recorded a loss of –81 million francs with this transport service. In the future, the EWLV must be operated on a self-economic basis, as demanded by the federal government as the owner of SBB. Everyone is making their contribution: the federal government with temporary financial support for single wagonload transport, customers with cost-covering prices and SBB itself, which is increasing efficiency and reducing costs. To this end, SBB is investing in modern locomotives and standardised freight wagons, focusing more on automation and working with customers to develop a new production model.

Realignment thanks to new production model

The latter will enable simpler, more efficient, more robust and more economical operation in the EWLV from the 2026/27 timetable change (13 December 2026). The goal is to run as many long, fast connections as possible through Switzerland. Based on the customer contracts and the expected transport volumes, the new transport network is planned. Service points with insufficient demand will no longer be offered in the EWLV network of SBB Cargo Switzerland in the future, but will remain accessible to all railway companies as public infrastructure facilities. Nevertheless, on the basis of current volumes, around 98 percent of the wagons can still be transported.

The new production model in the EWLV and the adapted transport network are changing the need for personnel and locomotives. Accordingly, there will be postponements, because SBB has to deploy employees where there are goods to transport. As already communicated, jobs that are no longer needed will be cut in a socially responsible manner. SBB has a collective employment agreement (CLA) and will comply with it at all times. SBB will be able to provide concrete information on this in spring 2026.

Update from October 15, 2025

Since mid-September, SBB has been informing its employees at various locations in Switzerland about the status of planning for the realignment of loss-making single wagonload transport (EWLV) in freight transport by taking a look at the workshop. On 15 October, information sessions were held in Bellinzona and Chiasso. The information was based on the announcement already communicated on September 20 (see below), and there were no innovations in terms of content. We regret that some employees first learned about the information from the media.

The information events currently underway for employees relate to the realignment of single wagonload transport, not to the realignment of combined transport. With regard to combined transport, a solution has already been found for two-thirds of the approximately 40 employees affected in Ticino, and for the remaining employees, the search for a solution will continue until the end of October 2025. Further information can be found in the SBB News on the subject.

20. September 2025

SBB’s freight transport is in crisis: it has a structural deficit (-76 million francs in 2024), has outdated rolling stock and has recorded a decline in volumes of one third over the past ten years – despite a large network and low prices. The federal government, as the owner of SBB, demands self-economic offers in freight transport. This is why a fundamental transformation of SBB’s freight transport is needed. Everyone is making their contribution: the federal government with temporary financial support from the EWLV, customers with prices in line with the market and SBB through efficiency increases and cost reductions.

As a reminder, SBB transports goods in three modes of transport: combined transport (CT), single wagonload transport (EWLV) and block train transport. Block train traffic covers its costs today, but KV and EWLV are heavily loss-making.

After combined transport, see SBB News “Future freight transport: SBB realigns combined transport”, SBB is now also realigning single wagonload transport. The framework for this is the “Suisse Cargo Logistics” concept. It creates the conditions to cope with the long-term expected growth in freight transport – Switzerland expects growth of around one third by 2050.

New production model in single wagonload transport

From the 2026/27 timetable change (13 December 2026), a new production model will enable simpler, more efficient, more robust and more economical operation in the EWLV. The new production model is currently being developed together with the customers. Service points with insufficient demand will no longer be offered in the EWLV network of SBB Cargo Switzerland in the future. Service points are public infrastructure facilities and remain accessible to all railway undertakings; they can be used, for example, for block train or intermodal transport.

Concrete information on the expected transport volumes will be available at the beginning of 2026, when the new customer contracts will be known. The new EWLV network is planned on the basis of this. As things stand today, the number of service points will be reduced at the 2026/27 timetable change if transport volumes remain the same. Despite this reduction, around 98 percent of the wagons can still be transported on the basis of current volumes.

Impact on locations and employees

The new production model in the EWLV and the adapted transport network are changing the need for personnel and locomotives. SBB must deploy its employees where there are goods to transport. Accordingly, there will be postponements. And SBB will have to reduce the number of depots for its employees. According to the current state of planning, there will be changes for the locomotive personnel in Brig, Buchs SG and Chiasso. There will also be changes in the locations of the shunting personnel. How many jobs will be affected will be shown as part of the guideline procedure with the social partners. SBB will provide information on this in due course. The exact number of locations will be determined when customers’ transport volumes are available in the first quarter of 2026.

SBB’s freight transport is not a public service, but operates on the free market and can therefore only run where cost-covering transport is required. SBB has a collective employment agreement (CLA) and will comply with it at all times. Within the framework of the CLA, the social partners are involved at an early stage. SBB will work with the social partners to develop solutions for as many affected employees as possible. SBB will clarify the details with the employees concerned.

Shortage of skilled workers foreseeable in the medium term

In view of the imminent waves of retirements, SBB will even face a shortage of skilled workers in the medium term. And there is a risk that valuable skilled workers cannot be deployed where they are needed most. That is why there is a need for adaptability in the freight transport network and flexibility on the part of employees. SBB’s goal is to secure environmentally friendly freight transport in Switzerland in the long term and thus preserve jobs.