How the role of industry has changed positively

With the ERTMS Strategy 2025, the Federal Office of Transport (FOT) has initiated a decisive change of course: Swiss standard-gauge railways are now required to submit an "ERTMS Implementation Concept Switzerland" by the end of 2025, showing how cab signalling (FSS) can be introduced nationwide from 2026 onwards, thus laying the foundation for further necessary optimizations. ETCS L2 provides the optimal platform for reducing energy consumption, improving resilience in the event of disruptions, and increasing capacity on the existing network.

This paradigm shift marks not only a new phase of digitalisation in the railway sector but also a new quality of cooperation between railways and industry. In the past, the railways pursued a demand-driven FSS strategy, which also led to a certain reluctance in dialogue with industry. The result was a lack of trust: the industry was sometimes perceived as a cost driver, particularly in connection with ETCS systems, whose pricing and complexity were criticised. This tension made constructive cooperation more difficult and hampered substantive progress. With the updated ERTMS Strategy 2025, the tide has turned. The railways are now more obliged to plan concrete ERTMS implementation steps – and are increasingly recognising the value of close cooperation with industry. Swissrail plays a central role in this, serving as an open forum for exchange between railways, industry and authorities. In particular, the "Signalling & Automation" department has stood out in recent months through active participation in various workshops and substantial contributions to the "ERTMS Implementation Concept Switzerland". This new form of cooperation shows that industry is not part of the problem, but an indispensable part of the solution, fostering innovation in a partnership-based environment and accelerating implementation.

What’s next?

The what is defined with the "ERTMS Implementation Concept Switzerland" – now the how is moving into focus. Approval of the concept by the FOT is expected by the end of 2025. After that, the next challenge begins: concrete implementation. In this phase, the following key questions need to be jointly clarified between railways and industry:

• What does a seamless planning, design, construction, testing and approval process look like without cost-driving and time-consuming media discontinuities?
• Which core tasks remain with the railways, and where can industry provide targeted support within a "make-or-buy" approach?
• How can an industrialised, efficient rollout be jointly designed?
• Which partnership-based contractual structures foster fair and long-term cooperation?

These questions are crucial to ensuring that the ERTMS implementation is not only technically, but also organisationally and economically sustainable. The progress made so far shows: the dialogue is working – now it must be consistently continued, and responsibility must be taken together.

We look forward to continuing this dialogue!