Treni Regionali Ticino Lombardia (TILO), the joint venture between Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and Italy’s Trenord, carried a record 25 million passengers in 2025—up 3.7 % on the previous year and 50 % higher than pre-pandemic 2019 levels, the company revealed on 5 March. The milestone underscores the growing importance of rail for the 80,000 daily cross-border commuters who live in Italy’s Lombardy region and work in Ticino, as well as for Swiss residents seeking affordable access to Milan. (swissinfo.ch)
Several infrastructure upgrades have fuelled the boom. The 2020 opening of the Ceneri Base Tunnel cut Lugano–Locarno journey times to under 30 minutes, while the 2018 Mendrisio–Varese line and new intermediate stops have improved network connectivity. October 2025 set a monthly record with almost 88,000 riders per day; Lugano station handled 31,000 daily TILO passengers, and Milano Centrale 16,400. (swissinfo.ch)
As cross-border travel intensifies, so does the administrative side of working in another country. VisaHQ, an online visa and permit facilitation service, can assist commuters, employers and even occasional business travelers with obtaining or renewing Swiss G-permits, Italian residence documents and other travel paperwork. Its step-by-step digital platform and support team simplify form filling, document collection and appointment scheduling—see https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/ for details.
![Cross-border Ticino–Lombardy rail service smashes 25-million passenger mark]()
For employers on both sides of the border, the figures confirm that reliable rail links are now integral to talent mobility. Swiss manufacturers in Mendrisio’s industrial corridor report easier recruitment of specialised Italian staff unwilling to relocate but happy to commute. Conversely, Milan-based fashion groups say weekend flows of Swiss shoppers strengthen retail sales, justifying bilingual staff hiring.
The uptick also has permit-policy implications. Ticino authorities, who issue G-permits to frontier workers, expect applications to climb again in 2026 and are digitising workflows to cope. HR teams should remind cross-border staff that they must renew G-permits annually and update addresses if they change Italian residence.
Looking forward, TILO plans more RE80 Milan–Lugano–Locarno frequency and is lobbying for funding to extend select S50 services to Malpensa Airport. If approved, that would give expatriates a one-seat ride from Lugano’s business district to the intercontinental gateway, further knitting Swiss and Italian labour markets.
Several infrastructure upgrades have fuelled the boom. The 2020 opening of the Ceneri Base Tunnel cut Lugano–Locarno journey times to under 30 minutes, while the 2018 Mendrisio–Varese line and new intermediate stops have improved network connectivity. October 2025 set a monthly record with almost 88,000 riders per day; Lugano station handled 31,000 daily TILO passengers, and Milano Centrale 16,400. (swissinfo.ch)
As cross-border travel intensifies, so does the administrative side of working in another country. VisaHQ, an online visa and permit facilitation service, can assist commuters, employers and even occasional business travelers with obtaining or renewing Swiss G-permits, Italian residence documents and other travel paperwork. Its step-by-step digital platform and support team simplify form filling, document collection and appointment scheduling—see https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/ for details.
For employers on both sides of the border, the figures confirm that reliable rail links are now integral to talent mobility. Swiss manufacturers in Mendrisio’s industrial corridor report easier recruitment of specialised Italian staff unwilling to relocate but happy to commute. Conversely, Milan-based fashion groups say weekend flows of Swiss shoppers strengthen retail sales, justifying bilingual staff hiring.
The uptick also has permit-policy implications. Ticino authorities, who issue G-permits to frontier workers, expect applications to climb again in 2026 and are digitising workflows to cope. HR teams should remind cross-border staff that they must renew G-permits annually and update addresses if they change Italian residence.
Looking forward, TILO plans more RE80 Milan–Lugano–Locarno frequency and is lobbying for funding to extend select S50 services to Malpensa Airport. If approved, that would give expatriates a one-seat ride from Lugano’s business district to the intercontinental gateway, further knitting Swiss and Italian labour markets.
