Transalpine freight traffic: data and growth in 2026 (cross-border guide)

Context

In brief

• Growth of transalpine freight traffic by 3.1% in the first half of 2026
• Railway market share at 68%, down by 0.9 percentage points
• Increase in road transport and truck journeys reaching 511,000
• Single wagonload freight traffic recorded an 8% decline

Key facts

• What: Federal Office of Transport semi-annual reports on freight traffic
• When: First half of 2026
• Where: Switzerland, transalpine and north-south axis
• Who: Federal Office of Transport and Federal Council
• Amount: 12 million franc loss for SBB Cargo in single wagonload freight

In the first half of 2026, Swiss railways transported a higher volume of goods through the Alps compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. According to reports published in Bern by the Federal Office of Transport, the growth recorded by the railway sector stands at 3.1 percent. Despite this growth, the increase in road transport proved to be significantly higher, leading to a slight contraction in the railway's market share in transalpine freight traffic, which now stands at 68 percent.

Both rail and road benefited from a favorable economic environment and an expanding overall market during the first six months of the year. However, truck journeys grew by approximately 7 percent, reaching 511,000. Based on this trend, projections indicate that by the end of 2026 the annual number of trips made by trucks will once again exceed one million, a milestone that has not been recorded for a long time in the heavy road transport sector across Swiss territory.

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Operational details

The analysis of the half-yearly data published by the Federal Office of Transport highlights divergent dynamics between the different modes of freight transport in Switzerland, reflecting the reactivity of the market in the face of cyclical and structural factors. On the one hand, the rubber sector benefits from greater immediate operational flexibility, which has allowed it to absorb demand growth with an increase in truck runs of 7 percent. On the other hand, the railway meets the structural limits deriving from international shipyards and the congestion of the foreign network, in particular German, which penalize the competitiveness of north-south transits along the Alpine routes.

The Confederation actively intervenes to support the railway sector through targeted subsidies, as in the case of isolated wagon traffic, for which constant semi-annual monitoring has been introduced. Despite the public indemnities paid in the reference period, SBB Cargo closed the first half of 2026 with a negative economic result in the sector of isolated complete wagon transport, registering a loss of 12 million francs compared to 40 million francs of financial support received. This economic scenario highlights the complexity of keeping a fundamental service in balance for the capillarity of internal and foreign logistics without placing an excessive burden on company balance sheets.

Impacts on

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Key points

For companies and professionals operating in the economic and logistics sector in Switzerland, monitoring the evolution of transport costs and railway infrastructure is a key element in the management of the company budget and in supply chain planning. The decisions of the Federal Council and the trend in public subsidies for freight transport provide an essential framework for assessing the operational costs associated with the movement of goods across the Alps.

If you want to learn more about financial planning and the impact of operating and tax costs related to business activity or work in Switzerland, you can refer to the calculation tools available online. For a complete review of costs related to work and resource management, please refer to the calcolatore stipendio for economic and remuneration audits.

Source: admin.ch