SBB demands 1.6 billion francs more for infrastructure than proposed

The SBB wants 1.6 billion francs more than proposed by the federal government for the maintenance of its infrastructure. With less money there would be the risk of closures and sections with slower travel.

The SBB needs more money to operate and maintain its infrastructure. This emerges from a consultation response that «CH Media»-Newspapers available. The federal government wanted to pay 7.7 billion francs for the years 2025 to 2028. The SBB is now demanding 9.3 billion francs.

If the SBB does not receive the additional 1.6 billion francs, the infrastructure will only be available to a limited extent in the medium to long term. This leads to route closures or sections with slower travel.

There is also a risk that the existing system will become obsolete and therefore pose a safety risk. As the “CH Media” newspapers report, the risk of disruptions and failures on the main routes is increasing. With less money, you can’t expand train stations that are already overloaded.

High inflation is to blame

The SBB justifies its demand for more money with the high inflation of recent years. The 7.7 billion francs that the federal government wants to pay would be 100 million francs more than in the current period, but would be six percent less due to inflation.

The Federal Office of Transport (BAV) does not want to comment on the letter to the “CH Media” newspapers. The Federal Council is expected to decide on the final amount in May 2024.