Terminals Out, Corridors In: SBB Cargo's Freight Transformation Plan

SBB Cargo was meant to be Switzerland’s freight backbone. But with eight terminals shutting down and millions on the line, the state rail operator is scrambling to reinvent itself—before the Alpine corridor slips away.

Switzerland’s freight rail sector is undergoing a seismic shift as national operator SBB Cargo announces sweeping cost-cutting measures, terminal closures, and job reductions. The company plans to cut costs by CHF 60 million by 2033, a move prompted by continued challenges across the European rail freight market. The restructuring comes as part of a broader effort to reposition the operator’s activities around the high-potential north–south Alpine corridor, while scaling back underperforming services and infrastructure.

Short aus dem heutigem Video

Eine #Traxx der #SBB Cargo #RE482 006-4 rangiert im #Güterbahnhof

Link zum Video -> //t.co/vFKPLvXvwP#trainspotting #zuggucken #eisenbahn #bahn #train #freighttrain #cargo #güterzug pic.twitter.com/m3tPGYye16

— Gerd-Games&Bahn (@Gerd_N_Bahner) May 4, 2025

SBB has confirmed that it will shut down eight intermodal terminals, including those in Oensingen, Basel, Gossau, Widnau, Renens, St. Triphon, Cadenazzo, and Lugano. The decision follows a long-standing struggle to generate profit from operations at these locations. A first round of layoffs affecting 80 employees had already been completed earlier this year. Now, an additional 65 jobs will be eliminated, impacting staff in locomotive teams, shunting crews, and technical inspection and maintenance units.

Though modest in absolute numbers—SBB Group employs 35,500 people overall, with SBB Cargo Switzerland accounting for around 2,250 staff, of whom 50 are in combined transport—the layoffs mark a significant shift in strategy. SBB has also announced that it will phase out loss-making transit services previously operated in partnership with Germany’s DB Cargo and reallocate resources to more profitable flows along the north–south axis.

The Future Lies Through the Alps

According to RailFreight, SBB's strategic pivot toward the Alpine north–south corridor represents a key opportunity for long-term competitiveness. Under its new programme, Suisse Cargo Logistics, the company will modernise its infrastructure and develop urban logistics hubs to better support domestic and cross-border freight.

Beginning in 2026, SBB plans to operate a dedicated north–south shuttle corridor between Dietikon and Stabio. The aim is to streamline Alpine freight flows while building a model that could later be extended to east–west corridors, contingent on the development of Gateway Basel Nord, a future tri-modal logistics terminal considered vital to the success of such expansion.

Sources: SBB; RAILTARGET; IRJ