SBB has announced plans to build a new depot in Zurich that will also serve as a maintenance facility for S-Bahn trains serving Zurich and the metropolitan area. The site is planned to be located near the freight station in Schaffhausen.
Following an analysis conducted in collaboration with local and cantonal authorities, this area was deemed the most suitable option—both operationally and economically—for a new rail facility. The project is designed so that the land can be gradually developed by the city in subsequent phases.
As a result, SBB will build a modern service facility in Schaffhausen, contributing to the city’s long-term consolidation as a mobility hub. The initiative will create approximately 60 jobs.
The freight yard area: the optimal solution
Together with city and cantonal authorities, SBB has been evaluating since February 2025 several sites located north of Schaffhausen station, on land already owned by the company and currently used for railway operations.
The section in the freight yard area, located at the northern end of the freight hall, emerged as the optimal option from both a technical and economic standpoint. Thanks to its location, Schaffhausen—as the terminus for several Zurich S-Bahn lines—offers ideal operating conditions, significantly reducing empty runs on an already heavily used network.
The other options analyzed would have required relocating existing activities, such as train parking or loading and unloading operations, which would have entailed higher costs and operational complexity.
Integrated project for future urban development
The new Zurich depot is designed so that the former Schaffhausen freight yard area can later be repurposed as part of a large-scale urban development project. To this end, SBB and the city are collaborating under a framework agreement to explore future development options.
The structure will be built in such a way that, in the long term, it will allow for construction above the facility. SBB will transfer the building rights for the entire site, and the city will subsequently be able to grant them to third parties through sub-concession mechanisms.
The new maintenance facility and depot in Zurich will be approximately 220 meters long, 40 meters wide, and 10 meters high and will include three maintenance lines, each 150 meters long. The railway infrastructure in the area will be adapted to accommodate the new trains, which will be maintained directly on-site.
SBB will begin the design phase later this year, while the permitting process is expected to start in about two years. Commissioning is scheduled for 2032.
The need for the investment stems from the expansion of the S-Bahn Zürich network, which transports over 500,000 passengers daily and requires additional capacity for both maintenance and parking.
Analysis for a Second Facility in Hinwil
In parallel, assessments are continuing in the Canton of Zurich for a potential second depot, with a target completion date around 2050, in the Hinwil West industrial zone. SBB is analyzing, together with the Swiss Armed Forces, the possibility of jointly using the military logistics center, based on a joint declaration of intent.
The studies focus on solutions for efficient use of space, including the integration of functions across multiple levels, joint operation of infrastructure, and potential relocations of activities, depending on future operational needs.
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