SBB tells Federal Council: ‘Verkehr 45’ funds must first secure existing network and digital upgrades

In its formal response to the Federal Council’s consultation on the multi-billion-franc ‘Verkehr 45’ transport package, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) on 28 September welcomed the long-term vision but warned that available financing cannot cover every wish-list project. The operator argues that priority should go to maintaining the current network, delivering the already-approved 2035 timetable upgrades and accelerating digital signalling, before launching new mega-projects. The submission, published on SBB’s media portal, notes that inflation and supply-chain pressures have driven rail-infrastructure costs up by roughly 20 % since the last planning cycle. Without a sharper focus, SBB fears cost overruns could force service cuts or threaten the company’s AA credit rating. Management therefore proposes a four-tier priority list: (1) asset maintenance; (2) completion of Scheduled Offer 2035, including the quarter-hourly Zurich–Bern shuttle; (3) system-wide digitalisation such as ETCS Level 2/3 roll-out; and only (4) strategic capacity projects like the Zimmerberg Base Tunnel II or Geneva Cornavin deep station. For business travellers, the stance is significant. A better-maintained network with digital traffic management can increase punctuality and add peak-hour capacity faster and more cheaply than civil-works megaprojects that will not come on-stream until the late-2030s. Corporate mobility managers are already factoring in potential improvements when negotiating performance-based rebates with SBB under company season-ticket programmes. SBB also flagged that any expansion must be accompanied by additional stabling yards and platform lengthening; otherwise, “shiny new tunnels will not translate into extra seats.” The company supports the Federal Council’s CHF 800 million annual climate bonus for rail freight but insists that funding must be ring-fenced and not cannibalise passenger-train budgets. The Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) will consolidate feedback from SBB, cantons and passenger groups before presenting a final package to parliament in early 2027. If SBB’s prioritisation is adopted, travellers could see faster incremental gains in reliability from 2028, while major new lines would slip into the 2040s.