A powerful coalition of six cantonal governments—Basel-City, Basel-Country, Geneva, Ticino, Valais and Vaud—has written to the Federal Council calling for a fast-tracked investment package to expand Switzerland’s overstretched rail network. In a joint communiqué released at the Bahn26 national rail congress in Basel on 17 January 2026, the ministers responsible for infrastructure warned that daily commuter flows and freight volumes have already pushed key north-south and east-west corridors to their operational limits. The cantons argue that without immediate action the system risks chronic delays and productivity losses for the cross-border workforce that underpins Switzerland’s export economy.
Although Switzerland boasts Europe’s densest passenger network, usage has bounced back to 112 % of pre-pandemic levels, fuelled by population growth, a record number of cross-border workers and corporate sustainability policies that incentivise rail over short-haul flights. Bottlenecks are most acute on the Lausanne–Geneva and Basel–Olten axes, where peak-hour trains regularly exceed 140 % occupancy and freight trains struggle to secure late-evening paths. The cantonal alliance is therefore pressing Bern to accelerate the planned “STEP 2035” upgrades—especially the Léman Express capacity increase, the Zimmerberg Base Tunnel II and platform extensions on the Gotthard route.
For businesses juggling these transport constraints, VisaHQ can take at least one headache off the table. Through its dedicated Swiss portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/), the firm streamlines the issuance of work permits, business visas and residence documents, giving HR teams real-time visibility on application status and regulatory updates. That means cross-border staff and visiting executives spend less time in consulates and more time where they’re needed—on site or, ideally, on a punctual train.
![Six Swiss cantons demand urgent rail-network expansion to ease commuter gridlock]()
For global-mobility and HR teams the stakes are high. Around 340,000 employees living in France, Germany or Italy cross the border daily to work in Swiss life-science, finance and manufacturing hubs; any rail disruption quickly translates into overtime costs and missed client deadlines. Multinationals headquartered in Geneva and Basel already operate dedicated shuttle buses to compensate for unreliable late-night services, a practice the cantons say is unsustainable both environmentally and economically.
The letter also highlights the international dimension of Swiss rail. Geneva Airport—used by 18 % of incoming business travellers—is heavily dependent on punctual Léman Express links to France, while Zurich Airport relies on seamless SBB connections to feed long-haul departures. Failure to expand capacity, the cantons caution, will erode Switzerland’s competitive edge as a “one-transfer” business-travel destination and could push companies to relocate regional functions to neighbouring EU cities.
Federal Transport Minister Albert Rösti acknowledged receipt of the request and promised to present an interim financing plan before the summer recess. Industry observers nevertheless note that major civil-engineering projects take a decade to complete, meaning corporations should plan for continued strain on commuter services through the late 2020s. In the meantime, employers are advised to maintain flexible work-from-home policies and to purchase bulk “Swiss Travelcards” early in the year, when corporate quotas are still available.
Although Switzerland boasts Europe’s densest passenger network, usage has bounced back to 112 % of pre-pandemic levels, fuelled by population growth, a record number of cross-border workers and corporate sustainability policies that incentivise rail over short-haul flights. Bottlenecks are most acute on the Lausanne–Geneva and Basel–Olten axes, where peak-hour trains regularly exceed 140 % occupancy and freight trains struggle to secure late-evening paths. The cantonal alliance is therefore pressing Bern to accelerate the planned “STEP 2035” upgrades—especially the Léman Express capacity increase, the Zimmerberg Base Tunnel II and platform extensions on the Gotthard route.
For businesses juggling these transport constraints, VisaHQ can take at least one headache off the table. Through its dedicated Swiss portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/), the firm streamlines the issuance of work permits, business visas and residence documents, giving HR teams real-time visibility on application status and regulatory updates. That means cross-border staff and visiting executives spend less time in consulates and more time where they’re needed—on site or, ideally, on a punctual train.
For global-mobility and HR teams the stakes are high. Around 340,000 employees living in France, Germany or Italy cross the border daily to work in Swiss life-science, finance and manufacturing hubs; any rail disruption quickly translates into overtime costs and missed client deadlines. Multinationals headquartered in Geneva and Basel already operate dedicated shuttle buses to compensate for unreliable late-night services, a practice the cantons say is unsustainable both environmentally and economically.
The letter also highlights the international dimension of Swiss rail. Geneva Airport—used by 18 % of incoming business travellers—is heavily dependent on punctual Léman Express links to France, while Zurich Airport relies on seamless SBB connections to feed long-haul departures. Failure to expand capacity, the cantons caution, will erode Switzerland’s competitive edge as a “one-transfer” business-travel destination and could push companies to relocate regional functions to neighbouring EU cities.
Federal Transport Minister Albert Rösti acknowledged receipt of the request and promised to present an interim financing plan before the summer recess. Industry observers nevertheless note that major civil-engineering projects take a decade to complete, meaning corporations should plan for continued strain on commuter services through the late 2020s. In the meantime, employers are advised to maintain flexible work-from-home policies and to purchase bulk “Swiss Travelcards” early in the year, when corporate quotas are still available.
