A train path (like a slot in aviation) is the entitlement to operate a specific train (length, weight, profile, speed) on a particular section of the rail network at fixed times.

The Federal Council sets out the principles in the Rail Network Access Ordinance. The Federal Office of Transport (FOT) then formulates prices for the Swiss rail network on this basis.

A list of infrastructure services and prices is published annually. It is jointly prepared by the infrastructure operators (SBB AG, Sensetalbahn (STB), Schweizerische Südostbahn AG (SOB), BLS Netz AG, Port Railways of Switzerland Ltd. (HBSAG)) and is thus valid on these infrastructures.

The charge under Article 9c of the Railways Act (RailA) (the train-path price) is made up of the price for the basic services and the charges for the ancillary services.

Basic service price components.

The base price.

The base price components must cover marginal infrastructure costs. Incentives and product-related factors (such as surcharges for stopping or hazardous goods and a discount for the ETCS train control system) can result in a variable price per train.

The contribution margin.

The contribution margin is specified by the franchising authority and, for franchise holders’ passenger trains, it is calculated as a percentage of sales revenues – currently 13.5 percent for long-distance passenger services and 8 percent for regional passenger services. The revenue-related contribution margin for passenger services makes an important contribution to fixed costs.

The energy price.

The FOT determines the electricity price based on information provided by the infrastructure operator so that all costs are covered. 

What is included in the basic services?

The basic services include:

• train-path use at the quality level specified, including train operating services
• power supply ex catenary
• safe and punctual operations on the open track, at stations passed through and at junctions, including the telecommunication and IT services required for these operations
• for passenger trains, the use of platform space at the departure, intermediate and destination stations and access for passengers to the public areas of these stations
• use of tracks by trains in unchanged formation for freight operations between agreed departure and destination points.

Ancillary services.

The infrastructure operator determines the prices of ancillary services on a non-discriminatory basis, insofar as these can be provided with the existing infrastructure and personnel, and publishes them.

What are ancillary services?

Ancillary services include route setting for shunting runs, shunting in SBB marshalling yards, the stabling of rail vehicles, static water and power supplies, use of the route outside published opening times, etc.

Miscellaneous services.

Network users (railway companies) can also buy miscellaneous services such as training runs for drivers at freely negotiable prices from companies other than the infrastructure operator. This does not come under the general issue of network access.

It depends.

The train-path price is affected by parameters including type of service, choice of route, distance, travel times, number of stops, route and vehicle characteristics, train weight, passenger revenues and technical train parameters (noise, ETCS).

Reasons for higher costs at peak hours:

• The demand factor takes account of the scarcity of train paths during peak hours.
• Route allocation is determined and published by the FOT.
• The base train-path price is doubled on heavily used routes during peak hours (Monday to Friday from 06:00 to 08:59 and from 16:00 to 18:59).
• The energy price is increased by 20 percent during peak hours and reduced by 40 percent from 22:00 to 05:59.

Would you like to calculate the train-path price yourself?

At Calculating pricesLink opens in new window. you can find out for yourself what a train would cost, depending on where and when it goes.

SBB Infrastructure receives CHF 1.2 billion(?)Show note billionSource: IST 2019Close note per year in charges for train path use. This covers 35 percent of the infrastructure costs incurred. The rest is funded from federal resources (60%) and transfer payments from SBB Real Estate (5%).