From fine dining to fast food: Swiss dining cars through the ages

1978: White tablecloths even on the move. As the landscape rolls by outside, passengers enjoy their meals at tables laid with white tablecloths in the dining car. The journey is the destination, so to speak. Gemeinfrei

The more than 100-year history of the Swiss dining car is varied – and at times surprising. From freshly cooked meals on board to steam-heated dishes and even a McDonald’s experiment, dining cars have always reflected their era.

In the 19th century, the railway revolutionised transport across Europe. Switzerland’s first railway line opened between Zurich and Baden in 1847. Soon, a practical question arose: how would passengers be fed during long journeys?

On extended routes, trains initially stopped so travellers could eat at station restaurants. Many stations established buffets – some of which still exist today.

Dining carriages instead of station buffets

The Swiss Dining Car Company was founded in 1903. Today, the company operates under the name Elvetino. It is wholly owned by Swiss Federal Railways and continues to run the country’s dining cars.

“The first dining cars were aimed at well-heeled travellers,” says Isabelle Bitterli from Swiss Federal Railways Historic. “Before there were dining carriages, there were supply stops where passengers could have lunch in a town.”

By the 1930s, trains had become lighter and faster, reducing the need for extended meal breaks.

From the 1950s onwards, dining cars opened to all passengers. “They became places where different social classes met,” Bitterli explains. “Business deals were made over meals, and people on excursions enjoyed simple dishes. This period is often described as the ‘democratisation of the dining car’.”

Catering systems and a fast-food experiment

In the 1980s, new solutions were sought to simplify the complicated logistics. They opted for a catering system. “For the first time, meals were prepared in a centralised kitchen. The menus were then simply warmed up in the dining car,” says Bitterli. This approach remains common today.

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Breakfast on the Swiss Federal Railways: A luxury that few could afford in the 1940s. It was a classy affair – just like in a grand hotel. Keystone/Albert Jansen

1914: A noble relic from the Belle Époque. A rolling salon from the heyday of railway catering: in this dining car, you can still dine in the elegant style of the Belle Époque. The carriages are made of wood and decorated with heavy carpets and shiny brass fittings. A luxury that looks beautiful, but which few could afford at the time. Gemeinfrei

1941: cooking with limited space. Space is definitely at a premium in the kitchen. The cook needs not only technical skill, but above all a talent for improvisation. Keystone/Albert Jansen

1944: WWII atmosphere. Rationing and national defence are omnipresent. This abandoned car in 1944 seems like a symbol of the difficult circumstances. Keystone/Hans Gerber

1951: Dining car to wear. On the Zurich to Lausanne route in 1951. In carriages without a dining car, the waiter himself is the means of transport. Catering for Swiss Federal Railways guests still requires full physical effort and strong arms. Keystone/Jules Vogt

1978: orange-brown precision work. Stylish dinner in a striped pattern: orange-brown conservatism provides the trendy flair in the dining cars of the 1970s. Here on the road in the carriage of the German Sleeping Car and Dining Car Company. Gemeinfrei

1978: Juggling skills at the stove. Quality is also a priority in the kitchen. The chef himself stands behind the stove and juggles the pans. Microwaves and ready-made rösti are still a long way off. Here, genuine craftsmanship is celebrated at full speed. Gemeinfrei

1985: Queue up instead of waiting. If you don’t want to wait to be served and want to save money, you can grab a tray in the self-service dining car in 1985 and fill your plate. However, self-service ends at the cash desk – there you have to get out your wallet and pay in cash. Keystone/STR

1989: “Coffee, sandwiches, mineral water…!”_The minibar was a must-have in the 1980s and 1990s. People were delighted when the trolley rattled in with the cry of “Coffee, mineral water, sandwiches!” As guests increasingly ate at train stations, the service was discontinued in 2017. Creative Commons/gemeinfrei

1992: Big Macs and chips on the go. In 1992, McDonald’s wanted to jump on the bandwagon in Switzerland, a country known for its railways. However, enthusiasm for Big Macs and chips on the go was limited. The pilot project was discontinued a few years later. Gemeinfrei

2002: Service on the incline. July 2000 marks the beginning of the era of new tilting trains. Swiss Federal Railways and Mitropa Suisse present how to dine in style even when travelling around bends in the brand new ICN trains. Home-style cooking is served, from Schnipo to Bolo. Keystone/Jürg Müller

2002: Passagio-Passaggio Rail AG. the joint venture between Swiss Federal Railways and Rail Gourmet is set to bring a breath of fresh air to trains with 600 employees. Just one year later, the name Passaggio disappears again and is absorbed into the now well-known Swiss Federal Railways subsidiary Elvetino. Keystone/MARTIN RUETSCHI

2015: Coffee-to-go on rails. The world’s first Starbucks on rails serves its guests iced lattes instead of café crèmes or bowls in 2015 – on two floors. Keystone/Christian Beutler

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One unusual episode followed in 1992, when McDonald’s launched a pilot project with its own restaurant carriage. The fast-food concept on rails failed to win over passengers, and the project was discontinued after a few years.

An uncertain future

“The dining car no longer has the same importance as it once did,” says Bitterli. Today’s focus is on quick service. At the same time, catering options at railway stations have expanded significantly. Many passengers buy food in station shops and consume it on the platform or in standard carriages.

What the dining car of the future might look like remains unclear. “The dining car has always mirrored society and constantly reinvented itself,” Bitterli says. During economic downturns, demand fell; in prosperous times, travellers were more willing to treat themselves to a meal on board. “Its future depends on too many factors to predict.”

Bitterli herself still appreciates the traditional dining car. “There is a special atmosphere that I enjoy,” she says. She also shares a practical tip: passengers can reserve a table for a fee of CHF5 ($6.40) – a charge that is deducted from the bill.

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Translated from German using AI/amva/ts

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