Due to an unexpectedly large number of restrictions on the rail network, RAlpin is no longer able to operate the Rolling Highway (Rola), i.e. the loading of entire lorries by rail for travel through the Alps, even with financial aid from the federal government, despite continuing high customer demand. In consultation with the federal government, the Rolling Highway will therefore be discontinued earlier than planned, i.e. at the end of 2025 instead of the end of 2028, as previously planned.

RAlpin AG is facing significant economic challenges. Despite ongoing financial compensation from the federal government, existing demand and good capacity utilisation of 80%, it is no longer economically feasible to operate the Rolling Highway (Rola). Around 10% of trains had to be cancelled throughout the year 2024. This was due to planned construction sites and construction works set up at short nice, as well as other unforeseeable events. This led to a negative result of around CHF -2.2 million in 2024. Due to construction work, around 20% fewer trains ran in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the previous year; instead of 1018 trains in the first quarter of 2024, only 794 trains ran in the same period this year.

In recent years, RAlpin has created the conditions required to shift up to 80,000 lorries per year to rail in accompanied combined transport through the Alps despite rising costs for the use of rail infrastructure, energy, terminals and traction with a constant expenditure ceiling. This corresponds to 7% of combined traffic through the Swiss Alps. Together with its customers, RAlpin will look for ways to continue to transport its volumes by rail. However, it can be assumed that some of the goods transported on the Rolling Highway will first be transferred back to the road until the conversion to semi-trailers suitable for handling by crane has taken place.

The situation on the Rola lines out the symptomatic challenges of Alpine-crossing combined rail transport sector. The reason for the increasing number of train cancellations on the Rolling Highway is the persistently high susceptibility to disruption of the rail infrastructure in Germany. RAlpin expects that conditions for those involved in combined transport will improve in the coming years and that new viable solutions for achieving the goal of shifting from road to rail will therefore emerge. To this end, accompanying measures from policymakers will continue to be needed. The aim must be to safeguard the efforts made over the past 25 years to ensure a successful transfer of Alpine-crossing traffic through Switzerland to rail in the long term.

RAlpin