An internal survey by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) shows 97 cases of rail buckling or compression deformation this past summer—nearly four times the annual average. With climate models projecting even hotter summers, the state operator has convened a task-force of engineers from ETH Zurich, the Federal Office of Transport and rolling-stock manufacturers to harden one of Europe’s densest rail networks. Immediate measures include replacing wooden sleepers with concrete ones on high-speed corridors such as Zurich–Bern and Zurich–Basel, and raising the ‘neutral temperature’ at which rails are welded so that they can expand safely above 55 °C. SBB is also trialling reflective white paint on selected stretches; early tests reduced rail-head temperatures by 4.5 °C but the effect halves after two years of traffic-induced soiling, prompting the company to look at ceramic coatings and automated cleaning. Although SBB insists passenger safety has not been compromised, global-mobility planners felt the impact: more than 250 inter-city services were slowed to 80 km/h or rerouted at short notice in late August, adding up to 40 minutes to the Geneva–Zurich business run and forcing airlines at both hubs to rebook missed connections. Corporate travel managers are therefore building extra buffer time into rail-to-air itineraries through the end of the year. Longer term, the track-hardening programme could become a model for other alpine countries that rely on rail corridors for cross-border freight. Procurement specialists should note that SBB will publish tenders worth an estimated CHF 180 million for concrete sleepers and temperature-resistant fastening systems in early 2027. Environmental teams, meanwhile, welcome the investment: every avoided derailment prevents lengthy line closures that push passengers onto less sustainable road transport. SBB will present a full resilience roadmap to parliament’s transport committee in December. If funding is approved, the first large-scale replacements will be carried out during the Easter 2027 timetable revision, with priority given to routes feeding Zurich Airport and Basel’s trimodal freight hub.
Source: SWI swissinfo.ch
