Still too many trucks are crossing the Alps in Switzerland, according to the objectives set by the Federation. In 2024, 960.000 truck journeys were recorded, 44.000 more than in 2023 and 310,000 more than the yearly goal. This led to a slight decrease in the modal share of transalpine rail freight, from 72 to 70.3 per cent.
The data was published by the Swiss Federal Office of Transport (FOT). One of the main reasons for the decline of rail freight in cross-alpine transport is the large presence of construction sites along Swiss railways.
“The three-week total closure of the Rhine Valley section between Karlsruhe and Basel in the summer had a significant impact on traffic, as there are no efficient alternative routes without significant route extensions. In Italy, the Luino section and the Milan–Domodossola section were also closed for a long time last year”, the FOT highlighted.
Fewer problems for the road sector
On the other hand, Swiss roads did not have to endure major restrictions, other than the partial closure of the A13 motorway in Mesolcina for several weeks due to extreme weather. Because of this, trucks were redirected from San Bernardino to San Gotthard. “The target of 650,000 truck transits across the Alps was exceeded by approximately 310,000 units”, the FOT concluded.