The Swiss Federal Office of Transport (FOT) has announced plans to launch a new night train connection between Basel, Copenhagen, and Malmö starting in April 2026. Running three times a
week, this route will be protected from government budget cuts.
To support the project, the FOT has allocated CHF 1.2 million (approximately USD 1.5 million) for preparatory work in 2025. Over the longer term, the Swiss government intends to provide subsidies totaling CHF 47 million by 2030 to cover operating expenses such as track usage, energy, staff, and rolling stock maintenance.
However, this subsidy package won’t fund the purchase of new trains. According to Sabrina Schellenberg, spokeswoman for Swiss Federal Railways, the line could be operated using existing rolling stock already in use on the Zurich-Amsterdam route.
The CHF 47 million in subsidies will be drawn from Switzerland’s CO₂law fund. Initially set at CHF 30 million annually, this budget was later reduced to CHF 10 million after parliamentary negotiations. The FOT notes this reduction was itself a compromise, as the Federal Council had proposed eliminating the contribution entirely in its 2027–2029 financial framework.
Parliament to make final call
The subsidies are part of Switzerland’s broader strategy to support low-emission transport options. “Long-distance passenger services, particularly night trains, are being actively promoted,” said FOT spokesman Michael Müller, speaking to news agency Keystone-SDA.
Final approval for the subsidies will rest with Parliament, which will address the matter during its 2026 budget discussions. So far, Swiss Federal Railways has submitted only one application for a new night train — the Basel-Copenhagen-Malmö service. Switzerland remains the sole country subsidizing this route; no financial support has been pledged by Denmark or Sweden.
In parallel, the FOT has invested CHF 5 million this year to authorize the “Giruno” train model for speeds up to 250 km/h, up from its current limit of 200 km/h. This upgrade aims to allow direct services to destinations including Venice, Genoa, and Bologna, ultimately reducing travel times. Additionally, CHF 1.9 million has been spent in 2025 to replace dining cars on the Zurich-Innsbruck-Graz route. Photo by NAC, Wikimedia commons.