Leased trains to service Swiss rail links to Europe

SBB plans to lease up to 40 high-speed trains Keystone-SDA

Swiss Federal Railways wants to lease up to 40 high-speed trains for international connections to France, Italy and Britain.

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The reason for this is the railway company’s tight financial situation, a spokeswoman said in an interview with Swiss public broadcaster SRF on Wednesday.

“The purchase has not yet been completely ruled out,” said media spokeswoman Fabienne Thommen. However, the focus is on leasing these 40 trains.

The railway company had already announced in March that the leasing of high-speed trains was an option. There was talk of a 15-year operating lease agreement.

International connections

The multi-current high-speed trains envisaged by Switzerland in the spring could come into service in the 2030s. They are intended for international connections, for example to Italy and France.

Destinations such as Barcelona or London would also be possible.

Swiss railways CEO Vincent Ducrot will present the railway company’s half-year figures in Bern on Wednesday. The further development of international passenger transport will also be a topic at the media conference.

Translated from German by DeepL/mga

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