FOT - VibeWire Magazine

Data of the week: A review of the European and Swiss approaches to wheel safety

Guest authors
March 18, 2026
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About two months ago, the Swiss Federal Office for Transport (FOT) indicated that it would stick to its own version of wagon wheel safety rules…

Wagon owners protest as Switzerland breaks with JNS safety rules

Guest authors
February 17, 2026
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Despite approving a joint European wagon safety rules decision, the Swiss Federal Office for Transport (FOT) keeps going its own regulatory way. Switzerland informed its…

‘Major companies’ to take Switzerland to court over new wheels rules

Marco Raimondi
October 17, 2025
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The Swiss decision to introduce new freight wagon wheels requirements contradicts “the Principle of Interoperability under the EU-Switzerland Land Transport Agreement”, according to the International…

Switzerland allows wiggle room for one of the new wheel safety rules

Guest authors
October 13, 2025
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In mid-September, Switzerland introduced new rules relating to freight wagon wheel safety. The measures follow an investigation into the Gotthard Base Tunnel accident, where a…

Switzerland’s “rogue” rules endanger European rail freight

Guest authors
September 15, 2025
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The Swiss Federal Office for Transport (FOT) has introduced new safety rules relating to the wheels of freight wagons. Despite good intentions, the new rules…

Switzerland shifts subsidies to keep freight on rail

Marco Raimondi
September 9, 2025
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Switzerland is transferring 59 million CHF (63,2 million euros) in subsidies from accompanied combined transport (ACT) to unaccompanied combined transport (UCT). “Part of the funds…

Swiss rail freight records minor setback in the first half of 2024

Marco Raimondi
September 19, 2024
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The modal share of rail freight in Switzerland fell by 0.5 per cent in the second half of 2024 compared to the same period last…

EU-Switzerland disagreements complicate rolling stock registration process

Marco Raimondi
July 24, 2024
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Cross-border rail transport in Switzerland has somewhat taken a few steps back as international agreements are no longer valid due to unresolved institutional issues with…

Switzerland asks ERA to update EU contract on the use of freight wagons

Marco Raimondi
April 3, 2024
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In the European Union, the use and maintenance of rail freight wagons is regulated by two directives, one from 2006 for their use and one from 2019 for their maintenance. The Swiss Federal Office of Transport (FOT) is asking the European Railway Agency (ERA) to make a clear statement for the revision of the oldest…