Low-noise bonus.

Reducing noise from the rolling stock itself has been an issue for some time and not just in Switzerland. The Netherlands and Germany are currently offering low-noise bonus programmes which subsidise converting to low-noise brake blocks.

In addition to the well-known application processes in the relevant countries, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany have set up a common point of contact for applications known as the Single Entry Point (SEP).

Bonus applications for the three counties can now be submitted centrally to bonus@sep-silentwagon.infoLink opens in new window. in a single step. This should make the application process significantly easier for all customers.

The website Single-Entry-Point - SEP provides all the key information relating to the low-noise bonus in the three countries.

Notes on bonus applications for Switzerland.

As of 1 January 2017, the bonus is paid out directly via monthly train-path accounting for most standard gauge routes¹ in Switzerland. The RUs must also ensure that the silent wagons that they transport are correctly registered in the Silent Wagon Data Base (SWDB) jointly managed by the competent authorities in the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. For wagons registered in the SWDB² and whose brake type information has been correctly submitted with the train operating data to the infrastructure manager, the low-noise bonus will be automatically calculated for each journey in Switzerland and credited to the monthly train-path balance.

Low-noise bonus applications for the remaining routes in Switzerland are submitted by the end of June of the following year at the latest, either by SEP form via the Single Entry Point (SEP) or, as per the familiar process, directly to the Federal Office of Transport (FOT) at laermbonus@bav.admin.chLink opens in new window., along with a list of the retrofitted freight wagons, the annual mileage per infrastructure manager and details of the type of braking system.

^{1 Infrastructure with automatic low-noise bonus calculation: SBB AG, BLS Netz AG, Sensetalbahn (STB), Schweizerische Südostbahn AG (SOB), Hafenbahnen Schweiz AG (HBSAG) and sections between the Basel Connecting Line (BSVB) and Basel Baden station (BAD) as well as between Basel Baden station (BAD) and the Basel Baden station Kleinhüninen branch (BADH) operated by DB Netz AG.
2 For applications for wagons in the SWDB, please only use the “Excel import document” on the SEP website.}

The 2017 train path pricing system – base price by wear.

The 2017 train path pricing system will now take into account the degree of wear caused by different trains in the form of a “wear factor”. Along with a fairer usage-based calculation of wear costs, the track wear factor is creating new incentives for more careful use of the track as well as reducing the need for structural maintenance in the medium to long term.