# Alpine Transit Growing, but Rail Loses Market Share

**Category:** Industry News  |  **Source:** Bundesamt für Verkehr BAV / Der Bundesrat  |  **Published:** 2026-09-19  |  **Updated:** 2026-09-27

**Tags:** Schweiz, Alpentransit, Schienengüterverkehr, Bahnanteil, Lastwagen, Einzelwagenladungsverkehr, BAV, Verlagerung, NEAT, Logistik News, Transport News, Fracht News, Speditions News, Supply Chain News, Zoll News, Frachtportal News, Seefracht, Luftfracht, Schienentransport, Zoll

> Rail transport increases volumes but loses market share. 511,000 trucks and weak single-wagon traffic increase pressure on modal shift targets.

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In the first half of 2026, more goods were transported through the Swiss Alps. Rail transport also increased, but road transport grew significantly faster. As a result, rail's share of total alpine freight traffic fell to 68 percent. This represents a decline of 0.9 percentage points compared to the previous year.

Rail volumes rose by 3.1 percent. At the same time, the number of truck journeys increased by approximately seven percent to 511,000. The Federal Office of Transport expects that 2026 could be the first time in a long period that more than one million trucks cross the Alps.

For Switzerland's shift targets, this is a warning signal. The goal remains to move as much freight as possible from road to rail. However, rail suffers from construction work and unreliable feeder routes, particularly in Germany. Significant relief is not expected until around 2030.

The situation is also difficult in domestic, import, and export transport. In single wagon load traffic (EWLT), the number of loaded wagons declined by eight percent. In this system, individual wagons from various customers are combined to form trains. This system is important for companies without sufficient volume for a complete train.

The federal government already provides financial support for EWLT. In the first half of the year, SBB Cargo received 40 million francs in compensation for this service but still posted a loss of 12 million francs. For shippers, this raises the question of which connections and service points will be stably offered in the long term.

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Dispatchers should evaluate rail relations not only by price, but also by construction sites, alternative routes, and confirmed departure frequency. Shippers with individual wagons should discuss volumes and service times with the rail operator early on. For tight schedules, a tested truck plan B is needed without abandoning the modal shift entirely.

In short: rail is growing, but road is growing faster – that is the real problem for Swiss modal shift.

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Rail's market share stood at 68 percent in the first half of 2026.

Compared to the previous half-year, it declined by 0.9 percentage points.

Rail transported 3.1 percent more freight through the Alps.

The number of truck journeys increased by approximately seven percent.

A total of 511,000 truck journeys were recorded.

For 2026, the federal government expects possibly more than one million journeys again.

In combined transport, the number of loaded wagons decreased by eight percent.

SBB Cargo reported a loss of 12 million Swiss francs in combined transport with 40 million Swiss francs in compensation.

## Related Entities

### Countries

- [Germany](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/de)
- [Italy](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/it)
- [Switzerland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ch)

### Glossary

- [Goods](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/goods-2)
- [Import](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/import-2)
- [Combined Transport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/combined-transport)
- [New Railway Link through the Alps](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/new-railway-link-through-the-alps)
- [rail freight transport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/rail-freight-transport-4)
- [Alpine transit](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/alpine-transit)
- [Single wagonload traffic](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/single-wagonload-traffic)
- [Modal split](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/modal-split)
- [Modal shift mandate](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/modal-shift-mandate)

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