Representing the interests of the rail and mobility sector to the political world, authorities and state operators as well as having an influence on laws, regulations and political decisions is the key to creating optimal conditions. The concerns of the sector can be constructively discussed thanks to Swissrail's company-neutral presence. We also organise events that promote networking in the sector, such as the Swissrail Mobility Day.
Association activity
Association activity
Swissrail is the sector association of the Swiss rail and mobility industry and brings together over 140 members. Swissrail collaborates closely with its members to tackle and find swift solutions to complex issues. Members have regular opportunities to discuss issues across the four specialist areas in a variety of collaborative settings, including working groups, networking events, delegation trips and webinars.
Main issues
Main issues
To drive progress in the rail sector, Swissrail has identified the key industry issues that need to be discussed and acted upon.
The export of high-quality, innovative products in the rail and mobility sectors is an important part of the Swiss foreign trade policy and promotion of international trade. Swissrail offers a platform that helps member companies to focus their international market activities and enables members to network effectively abroad. Part of Swissrail’s job is to coordinate the definition of an overall system and handle external promotion by representing the Swiss rail and mobility sector at international trade fairs.
Rail systems and technical rail knowledge in the Swiss rail and mobility industry have not been sustainably secured. The consequences are insufficient technical knowledge, security issues in railway operations, project delays and a lack of innovation. We would like to counter this trend by networking closely with the federal government, associations and universities. Initiatives such as the “Railway Talent Hub” platform for students, joint training schemes and boosting lecturer activities are working towards combating the shortage of skilled workers and young talent and improving the image of the industry.
How can the movement of people and goods be sustained and secured without putting an excessive and long-term strain on people and the environment? The rail and mobility sector must work hard to deal with this issue and come up with solutions for sustainable mobility. Digitalisation plays an important role in this, offering new opportunities for transport companies, infrastructure operators, authorities and customers. Thanks to digital systems, capacities can be raised, security increased and customers’ public transport experience improved.
Specialist areas
Specialist areas
Meetings are held regularly in the specialist areas where Swissrail members can exchange ideas and work together on current and relevant topics.
Railway lines, rolling stock, overhead lines and everything else that is required for operating the railways and implementing innovative mobility concepts have to be planned, checked and be granted authorisations. Consultancy and engineering services in the Swiss rail and mobility sector have become increasingly important, particularly in the context of de-industrialisation in Europe. We promote dialogue in the rail and mobility sector on current challenges such as the shortage of skilled labour and the importance of the circular economy for a sustainable industry.
A vehicle comprises thousands of individual parts that are designed and produced by our members in the specialist vehicle sector. The industry adheres to high quality standards, so vehicles with Swiss industrial components must ensure availability, reliability and ease of maintenance. Despite the dynamic political and economic environment, we want to ensure that fair solutions for long-term competitiveness are represented and discussed. We focus in particular on energy efficiency, life cycle cost, the challenges of long project life cycles, the digitalisation of rolling stock, cyber security and passenger amenities.
The rail infrastructure plays a fundamental role in ensuring mobility in the future. Only with a stable, innovative and intelligently designed infrastructure can emissions in the mobility sector be reduced and the national and global sustainability targets be achieved. The importance of the rail industry is also reflected in the Swiss constitution, which ensures unlimited funding of projects in Switzerland. Members of the specialist infrastructure sector hold regular meetings to promote the development of the rail infrastructure. This specialist sector addresses current challenges such as supply chain problems, digitalisation, sustainability and a lack of skilled labour.
nnovative safety technology makes an essential contribution to the safety of mobility systems. In various groups, such as the ERTMS forum, we work together on technologies of the future. A subject of the future is automation through which rail systems can become even safer and more efficient. Our aim is to position the Swiss rail and mobility sector as an innovative branch of industry. We speak as one voice for the Swiss rail and mobility industry to stakeholders such as railway companies and authorities and are helping to develop a platform for exports.
Network and partners
Swissrail has access to an extensive network of important people, organisations and authorities in the railway and mobility industry.
