Rail freight in Switzerland has experienced another period of decline in 2025. Whereas definitive figures have not yet been released, some preliminary data indicates a continuation of the earlier downward trend. Even if they were not yet in force in 2025, the strict Swiss wagon wheel safety rules aggravated the development.
It stands to note that the numbers are indicative of a trend, but may change later on in the year. Reverse calculating 2024’s total rail freight performance based on these preliminary numbers yields a different result than the officially recognised figures by the Swiss statistics agency.
However, the development is clear: 2025 brought no relief to the Swiss rail freight performance. Like in 2024, the industry declined both in terms of tonnage transported and performance in tonne-kilometres.
Some of the quarterly changes seem alarming. Between Q2 2024 and Q2 2025, transport performance decreased by over 18%, according to the preliminary numbers. During that same period, the total weight transported shrank by 13.5%. In the last quarter of 2025, transported performance also declined by over 12% compared to Q4 2024.
| Quarter | Tonnes carried (millions) | Change vs. previous year | Tonne-kilometres (millions) | Change vs. previous year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 2025 | 12.3 | –6.4% | 2346.4 | –8.2% |
| Q2 2025 | 11.8 | –13.5% | 2176.1 | –18.4% |
| Q3 2025 | 12.0 | –0.5% | 2188.0 | –5.9% |
| Q4 2025 | 11.6 | –6.2% | 2087.1 | –12.7% |
Infrastructure works are a major hindrance
The Swiss statistics agency did not provide an explanation for the decline. Switzerland plays a key role in transalpine traffic however, and that is exactly where performance has been slowing since 2021. A reverse modal shift is taking place, and that was no different in 2025.
The modal share of transalpine rail freight in Switzerland fell below 70% for the first time since the mid-2010s, reaching 68.6% in 2025. “The ongoing decline in transalpine rail freight traffic is due to poor quality and reliability along Europe’s north-south routes”, the Swiss government said earlier.
This is confirmed by Simon Wey, who heads the Swiss shippers’ association VAP. Especially, the many infrastructure works in Germany hinder rail freight operations along the Rhine corridor. Switzerland has also pointed to the challenging economic climate as a culprit.
Simultaneously, however, rail freight traffic has been hindered by renovation works on the Simplon tunnel, which crosses into Italy. For six months each year until 2029, there will be work ongoing. This impacts the capacity for rail freight. On the Italian side of the border, similar works are ongoing. The Domodossola – Milan route was closed entirely between 8 June and 27 July, as well as from 31 August to 12 September.
Wagon wheel safety rules
VAP’s Simon Wey also tells RailFreight.com that the infamous wagon wheel safety rules had an impact on 2025’s figures. The rules were introduced in the autumn of 2025 and are currently being fought over in court, but the rules had an immediate impact on the success of rail freight. Shippers said that they “took the first possible opportunity” to switch to the road due to the ongoing uncertainty created by Switzerland’s regulation ideas.
The outlook for 2026 is not much better. Wey expects a further reverse modal shift to the road in light of the transalpine rolling highway cancellation at the end of 2025.