Switzerland aims to gradually modernize its railway technology. The Federal Office of Transport (BAV) is focusing on cab signaling systems. The necessary driving information is displayed directly in the locomotive cab. This is intended to make operations more stable and enable greater capacity.
The current occasion is the approved implementation concept of the Sihltal-Zurich-Uetliberg Railway. It supplements the planning of the larger standard gauge railways. A concept already exists for the Swiss network that organizes the transition by corridors. An accelerated expansion is planned from the end of the 2030s onward. Financing must be taken into account. (Source: BAV)
For freight traffic, this direction is of interest: Better control can make existing tracks more usable. Nevertheless, this does not currently result in additional bookable trains. Infrastructure, vehicles, and operations must be aligned. Other bottlenecks will not disappear through new signaling technology alone.
Freight forwarders and shippers should therefore distinguish between long-term network planning and binding transport services. For a new rail connection, confirmed train slots, suitable locomotives, and functioning handovers continue to be essential. A slot is the reserved time window for a train on the route. For longer-running tenders, it is worthwhile to ask the rail operator which changes are planned for the chosen corridor and how they are preparing their vehicles accordingly.