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Single wagonload transport

SBB Cargo is taking a big gamble — and risking a lot

SBB is radically scaling back its single wagonload transport operations: from 280 to 50 service points. This is painful, as eleven locations will lose their staff. Nevertheless, the plan is convincing because it preserves 98 percent of the volume, according to our author Michael Gehrken.
SBB haben die Zeichen der Zeit erkannt.
© SBB CFF FFS
THE KEY POINTS IN BRIEF
• SBB is radically reducing single wagonload transport from 280 to 50 service points, but in doing so is saving 98 percent of transport volumes.
• The restructuring hits eleven locations hard, as their locomotive and switching crews must relocate.
• Financing remains risky because the federal government is only providing temporary support for LTL, and freight transport is expected to operate independently starting in 2033.

SBB has rec­og­nized the signs of the times. SBB Car­go is tak­ing a big gam­ble with unit load transport—and risk­ing every­thing. Because now the details are com­ing to light. And they pack a punch. Accord­ing to reports and SBB’s press release, the num­ber of ser­vice points is to be reduced from 280 to 50. That is a rad­i­cal cut.

Yet it is pre­cise­ly this hon­esty that deserves respect. Because the road to this point was long and painful. First came the job cuts in 2025, then the strat­e­gy, and now the reck­on­ing. For years, fine words masked a deficit of 80 mil­lion francs.

Single wagonload restructuring: Eleven locations lose their staff

Nev­er­the­less, a bit­ter after­taste remains. Because eleven loca­tions are los­ing their loco­mo­tive and switch­ing staff. Behind every trans­fer is a per­son with a fam­i­ly and roots. Here, SBB must be held to its promis­es. Because a change of work­place sounds social­ly accept­able, but often means mov­ing or the stress of com­mut­ing. Com­pli­ance with the col­lec­tive bar­gain­ing agree­ment is there­fore the least that can be done.

Freight Transport and Climate: Why the Streamlined Network Makes Sense

Nev­er­the­less, the pack­age of mea­sures brings new hope. After all, SBB is pre­serv­ing 98 per­cent of freight vol­umes with a stream­lined net­work. That’s a smart cal­cu­la­tion and eco­log­i­cal­ly spot-on. After all, every freight car replaces sev­er­al trucks on the high­way. And the lat­ter, God knows, already have enough on their plates.

Financing the single wagonloiad: The Risky Deadline of 2033

Financ­ing, on the oth­er hand, remains a del­i­cate issue. After all, the fed­er­al gov­ern­ment is only sup­port­ing the sin­gle wag­onload for a lim­it­ed peri­od of eight years. Start­ing in 2033, freight trans­port is sup­posed to run on its own. This dead­line is ambi­tious, almost reck­less. If growth fails to mate­ri­al­ize, the next round of cost-cut­ting looms. And then cus­tomer trust could be quick­ly squan­dered.

SBB Cargo: Right Direction, Tough Implementation

The bot­tom line, how­ev­er, is that SBB is tak­ing the right step. After all, it is replac­ing expen­sive roman­ti­cism with sober demand. If it now treats its peo­ple fair­ly and keeps its cus­tomers hap­py, rail actu­al­ly has growth poten­tial. The direc­tion is right—now it’s all about imple­men­ta­tion.

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Picture of Michael Gehrken

Michael Gehrken

Michael Gehrken has been firmly established in the Swiss mobility landscape for many years – as a communicator, association director, and strategic thinker. After starting out as a journalist, he moved to the federal administration, where he initially worked as head of communications at the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) and later as co-responsible for NEAT communications at the Federal Office of Transport (FOT). From 2006 to 2014, he was director of the Swiss Commercial Vehicle Association ASTAG, where he had a significant influence on industry communications. Today, as president of L-drive Switzerland, the umbrella organization for Swiss driving instructors, he is at the forefront of an important voice in the field of road safety and training. With the mobility-360.ch platform, Michael Gehrken is committed to independent, fact-based, and forward-looking reporting on all aspects of mobility—from new technologies to social developments. His writing combines experience in politics, business, and practice with a clear vision of the mobility of tomorrow.
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