Last month, SBB Cargo approved a plan to reorganise single wagonload (SWL) traffic, causing a series of speculations and worries among the industry and institutions. “In recent weeks, false or incomplete information has circulated, fueling doubts and uncertainties among staff”, it said, explaining that jobs will not be lost and volumes will not decrease.
The new model for SWL, announced on 19 May, is “necessary to stabilise a deficitary system”, according to the SBB. Backlash on this initiative came especially from the Ticino Canton, on the border with Italy. A site in Chiasso will be closed at the start of 2027, for example, impacting 40 workers.
What will close is the facility where drivers start their shifts, as this task is no longer deemed necessary by SBB Cargo. The one for shunting operations and the maintenance plant will however remain active, although some shunting operators will be moved elsewhere. The impacted train drivers should be relocated to Bellinzona, 50 kilometres north of Chiasso, or to Tilo, the company running cross-border passenger services between Switzerland and Italy.
‘No layoffs planned’
SBB says it offers concrete alternatives solutions for them. These can include another position within SBB Cargo, being moved in another branch of the SBB group or to TILO or training for unspecified internal jobs. The company specified that SBB Cargo International is not included in the alternatives because it simply does not need locomotive staff. “No layoffs are planned in Ticino”, SBB underlined.
The SWL restructuring
SBB Cargo’s plan to re-design single wagonload traffic, for which it has a concession until 2029, will affect 200 employees in total. The main part of the plan is to reduce the number of SWL terminals, from 280 to around 230, but maintain 98% of the volumes. This way, costs should go down but income should remain stable, making it easier to be profitable. One of the requirements of this reform is that the profit made is reinvested to further boost SWL volumes. Still, concerns about these claims remain among Swiss industry players.
