In the spring of 2025, the Swiss parliament revised the Freight Transport Act. The Federal Council, the country’s cabinet, is now elaborating on that revision ahead of its coming into force on 1 January. It is restructuring rail funding, allocating money to transshipment and loading subsidies, as well as DAC in the next year.
With the revision of the Freight Transport Act, the Swiss parliament approved a comprehensive support package for the rail sector. Following a “large positive response” during consultations, the Federal Council is now allocating money to transshipment and loading and DAC.
“In the future, the federal government will pay transshipment and loading subsidies to operators of sidings and loading facilities for combined transport”, the Federal Council explains. These subsidies amount to a flat rate of 40 Swiss francs (around 43 euros) per loaded wagon received or dispatched. There is a total of 50 million francs (53.8 million euros) available on a yearly basis.
“The Federal Council has set a maximum limit of 8,000 rail wagons per siding per year; additional rail wagons will not be subsidised”, the announcement reads. “A minimum limit was initially proposed in the consultation draft; however, this was removed based on feedback received during the consultation process. This prevents small and medium-sized shippers from being disadvantaged.”
Flat rate and lump-sum grants
The reimbursement for the performance-related heavy vehicle charge (LSVA) currently given for truck journeys in the pre- and post-carriage of loading stations will cease. This charge will instead be absorbed into the flat-rate contributions.
Switzerland will expand the funding of transshipment and loading facilities through investment grants and simplify their administration. “In the future, lump-sum grants will also support investments in transshipment areas and mobile equipment such as forklifts.”
When it comes to DAC, Switzerland considers it to play a key role in ensuring simple, fast and economical rail freight operations. It has allocated 180 million Swiss francs (193.6 million euros) for lump-sum payments for equipment installation on vehicles. There are 8,000 francs (8,600 euros) available per vehicle.
Outside criticism
The Swiss environmental protection association ProAlps earlier criticised the Freight Transport Act revision, arguing that parliament failed to link funding to clear modal shift targets. That, in turn, led to “an unprecedented reduction in services and offerings at [rail freight operator] SBB Cargo” that was financed with taxpayer money.
A similar viewpoint was taken up by shippers’ association VAP, which suspects that SBB Cargo could be raising prices on purpose before the coming into force of the Act on 1 January. The Act would limit price hikes, and SBB Cargo may have a limited time window to make freight uncompetitive to get rid of the loss-making business segment.