Federal Council puts new rail freight support into force from 2026

From 2026 operators of private sidings and loading facilities receive a flat CHF 40 per loaded wagon (CHF 50 million a year in total, capped at 8,000 wagons per siding); for fitting wagons and locomotives with the Digital Automatic Coupling the federal government pays up to CHF 180 million (CHF 8,000 per wagon, regardless of age), and investment grants for transhipment facilities are extended.

On 19 November 2025 the Federal Council adopted the full revision of the Freight Transport Ordinance, which comes into force on 1 January 2026 together with the Freight Transport Act passed by parliament in spring 2025 and reshapes federal support for domestic rail freight and freight shipping. The federal government will now pay operators of private sidings and combined-transport loading facilities CHF 40 per loaded wagon (CHF 50 million a year, at most 8,000 wagons per siding; the lower threshold in the draft was dropped so that small and medium-sized shippers are not disadvantaged), and the previous refund of the heavy vehicle fee for pre- and post-haulage is folded into these flat amounts. For introducing the Digital Automatic Coupling the federal government grants flat amounts of CHF 8,000 per wagon, up to CHF 180 million in total, and support for transhipment facilities is extended to transhipment areas and mobile equipment such as forklifts. For wagonload traffic the BAV is negotiating a 2026–2029 performance agreement with SBB Cargo by the end of 2025; SBB Cargo was the only bidder. (LOK Report, 20 Nov 2025)