Summary
Rail is losing further ground in alpine freight transport: the railway share fell in 2025 from 70.3 to 68.6 percent, while the number of trucks remained stable at 960,000. The main reasons are construction work in Germany and economic weakness. The Federal Council is responding with extended operating subsidies for combined transport and international coordination of infrastructure modernization.
Persons
- Federal Council (collectively)
Topics
- Alpine transit and freight transport
- Rail transport vs. road transport
- Traffic shift policy
- European infrastructure
Clarus Lead
The railway is losing market shares in alpine freight transport for the fourth consecutive time. Rail freight transport through the Alps fell in 2025 by 7.5 percent compared to 2024, while road freight transport remained stable. This development jeopardizes the traffic shift target and requires political countermeasures for the competitiveness of the rail system.
Detailed Summary
The 2nd semester report 2025 of the Federal Office of Transport (BAV) documents a sustained weakening of rail freight transport in the Alpine region. With a market share of 68.6 percent, the railway lost a further 1.7 percentage points compared to 2024. In absolute terms, this means: the railway transported 7.5 percent less freight, while 960,000 trucks crossed the Alps – a constant quantity.
The causes are multifaceted. Infrastructure deficiencies along the European north-south axes – particularly construction work and line interruptions in Germany – significantly impair quality and reliability. Added to this is a strained economic environment that burdens overall demand for freight transport.
The Federal Council is pursuing several measures: the operating subsidies for combined transport limited until 2030 are to be extended to provide transport companies with planning security. It also plans temporary financial incentives to compensate for the discontinuation of the "Rolling Motorway" in December 2025. Internationally, Switzerland intends to advocate for better coordination of construction work and sufficiently efficient alternative routes.
Key Statements
- The railway share in alpine freight transport fell in 2025 to 68.6 percent (from 70.3 percent in 2024)
- This is the fourth consecutive decline – a concerning trend
- Main causes: infrastructure deficiencies in Germany and economic weakness
- Federal Council extends operating subsidies for combined transport to stabilize the sector
- International coordination is to support rail freight transport
Critical Questions
Data Quality: How is the market share determined? Are estimates and actual measurements weighted differently, and could this distort the trend assessment?
Causality: To what extent is the decline actually attributable to German construction work, and how much is due to cyclical factors? Is there data on the breakdown?
Feasibility: How realistic is it that extended operating subsidies without infrastructure improvements in Switzerland itself will stop the decline? Where are investment priorities?
Conflicts of Interest: Who benefits from higher operating subsidies – rail operators or also freight forwarders? Is the incentive structure fairly distributed?
Alternatives: Were measures such as road tolls or steering levies to shift to rail considered, or is policy relying exclusively on subsidies?
Risks: What risks arise if the railway share continues to decline – for the environment, traffic safety, and financing of the rail system?
Source List
Primary Source: Fewer Market Shares for Rail in Alpine Freight Transport – Press Release Federal Office of Transport
Verification Status: ✓ March 12, 2026
This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-checking: March 12, 2026