After announcing the closure of eight combined transport terminals, Swiss operator SBB Cargo might soon shut down three single wagonload facilities. The locations are Chiasso and Brig, near the border with Italy, and Buchs, near the border with Lichtenstein.
The closures of these three terminals, unlike the eight combined transport facilities, is not yet an official decision, and it would only be implemented in 2027, as Swiss publication Blick said. Thus, it is unclear to assess what the impact will be, but the locomotive drivers’ union VSLF remained somewhat optimistic.
For the terminals in Buch and Chiasso, the union claimed, it should be relatively simple to find alternative solutions for the workers. However, for the facility in Brig the situation “looks the bleakest”, VSLF underlined, as there is not much availability of alternative jobs within other SBB companies in the area.
SBB Cargo’s restructuring
The restructuring of the Swiss state-owned rail freight operator aims at turning it into a profitable company. After years of losing cash, SBB Cargo decided to cut off some of the loss-making businesses. First it was combined transport, with eight terminals to be closed and 65 jobs to be cut. Now it might be time for single wagonload transport, another historically unprofitable segment.