Passenger rail transport in Switzerland reached a new record in the first quarter of 2026, with 5.79 billion passenger-kilometers, while rail freight fell to its lowest level for a first quarter since the introduction of the quarterly rail report. The data was published by LITRA and the Public Transport Union, in collaboration with Swiss Federal Railways.
Compared to the first quarter of 2025, passenger rail traffic increased by 5.0%, confirming the positive trend from previous quarters and maintaining Swiss public transport at a very high level of usage.
Demand for travel remains strong
The report shows that, although there was a 5.2% decline compared to the fourth quarter of 2025, this is attributed to a seasonal effect. Typically, the first quarter is weaker than the end of the year, when travel for shopping, leisure, and commuting is more intense.
Overall, the start of 2026 confirms the continued appeal of public transportation in Switzerland and the railways’ ability to continue attracting a large volume of passengers.
Rail freight remains under pressure
In contrast to the trend in the passenger segment, rail freight transport continues to decline. In the first quarter of 2026, 2.74 billion net ton-kilometers were recorded, 4.0% less than in the same period last year.
Compared to the fourth quarter of 2025, the decline is 0.4%. According to the report’s authors, this is the weakest first quarter since the introduction of quarterly reporting in this format.
The explanations cited relate to demand affected by the economic situation in Europe, as well as structural issues, capacity constraints, and planning difficulties on the main freight corridors.
Demand for train paths remains on the rise, however
In the first quarter of 2026, demand for rail train paths reached 53.15 million train-kilometers, representing an increase of 0.7% compared to the same period in 2025.
Compared to the previous quarter, the indicator fell by 1.8%, but this trend is also partly attributed to the calendar difference, as the first quarter has fewer days than the last quarter of the year.
According to the report, demand for train paths remains generally high and is driven primarily by passenger transport, while freight continues to feel the economic impact in terms of train paths requested.
Passengers are driving the network
The report’s conclusion is clear: in Switzerland, passenger traffic remains the main driver of rail infrastructure usage.
While freight transport continues to face difficulties, the passenger segment once again confirms the strength of the Swiss rail network and the central role of the train in daily mobility.
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