The following is a list of railway companies which operate routes on Swiss territory.
Standard gauge
The following is a complete list of all 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge railway companies which operate routes on Swiss territory. It also includes routes of foreign railway companies (e.g. Deutsche Bahn), but not routes of Swiss companies in neighbouring countries.
Not included are railway companies which do not operate their own routes (e.g. Cisalpino, Hupac or the former Lokoop) as well as operators of short connecting goods lines.
If there is no abbreviation shown, it means that this company always appears with its full name.
Companies in operation today (standard gauge)
| Company | Abbreviation | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appenzeller Bahnen | AB | 2006 | Merger of Appenzeller Bahnen, Trogenerbahn (both 1,000 mm / 3 ft 3+3⁄8 in gauge), Rorschach-Heiden-Bahn (rack, full interchange) and Rheineck-Walzenhausen-Bahn (1,200 mm / 3 ft 11+1⁄4 in) |
| BDWM Transport | BDWM | 1997 | Merger of Bremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn and Wohlen-Meisterschwanden-Bahn, 1,000 mm / 3 ft 3+3⁄8 in gauge passenger traffic, 1,435 mm / 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in gauge for freight: Wohlen - Villmergen and Wohlen - Bremgarten West (dual gauge, still owned by SBB) |
| BLS AG | BLS | 2006 | Merger of BLS Lötschbergbahn and Regionalverkehr Mittelland |
| Chemins de fer du Jura | CJ | 1944 | Mostly 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) gauge |
| Dampfbahn-Verein Zürcher Oberland | DVZO | 2000 | Bäretswil-Bauma, heritage railway operating since 1978 |
| Deutsche Bahn | DB AG | 1994 | Operates railway lines around Schaffhausen and Basel, owned by the German state |
| Emmentalbahn | ETB | 2014 | Sumiswald-Grünen–Huttwil Sumiswald-Grünen–Wasen im Emmental |
| Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (now called Trenitalia) | FS | 1992 | Passenger services: Trenitalia; only a few meters into Switzerland at Chiasso |
| Hafenbahn Schweiz | HBSAG | 2011 | Merger of former Hafenbahn des Kantons Basel-Stadt in Kleinhüningen and former Hafenbahn des Kantons Basel-Landschaft in Au and Birsfelden. Freight only, 2 separate networks |
| Oensingen-Balsthal-Bahn | OeBB | 1899 | |
| Österreichische Bundesbahnen | ÖBB | 1947 | from the Rhine bridges to Buchs and St. Margrethen, owned by the Austrian state |
| Rigi Bahnen | RB | 1992 | Rack railway, very restricted interchange |
| SBB-CFF-FFS | SBB CFF FFS | 1902 | Company since 1999, fully owned by the Swiss Confederation |
| Südostbahn | SOB | 2001 | Merger |
| Sihltal Zürich Uetliberg Bahn | SZU | 1973 | |
| SNCF | SNCF | 1938 | train services to Basel and Geneva, no tracks owned |
| Sursee-Triengen-Bahn | ST | 1912 | Passenger service discontinued, goods traffic only |
| Tramway du sud-ouest lausannois | TL | 2012 | Métro and rubber-tyred metro, small profile, TSOL and LO until 2012 |
| THURBO | 2002 | 90% Subsidiary of SBB | |
| Transports de Martigny et Régions | TMR | 2001 | Partly 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) gauge |
| Transports publics Fribourgeois | TPF | 2000 | Partly 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) gauge |
| Transports publics Neuchâtelois | transN | 2012 | Partly 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) gauge |
| Transports Vallée de Joux - Yverdon-les-Bains - Ste-Croix | TRAVYS | 2001 | Partly 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) gauge |
All companies
| Company | Abbreviation | From | Until | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATG | 1998 | building company, subsidiary of SBB, no public railway tracks currently | ||
| BLS | 2006 | |||
| BLS | 1996 | |||
| BLS | 1907 | 1996 | ||
| SFB | 1901 | 1906 | ||
| TSB | 1893 | 1912 | ||
| BB | 1872 | 1900 | ||
| BN | 1901 | 1996 | ||
| GBS | 1944 | 1996 | ||
| BSB | 1907 | 1943 | ||
| GTB | 1901 | 1943 | ||
| SEZ | 1942 | 1996 | Also known as Simmentalbahn | |
| EZB | 1902 | 1941 | ||
| SEB | 1897 | 1941 | ||
| RM | 1997 | 2006 | ||
| EBT | 1942 | 1996 | ||
| BTB | 1899 | 1941 | ||
| EB | 1875 | 1941 | ||
| SCB | (1876) | (1883) | Section Solothurn-Biberist EBT | |
| SMB | 1908 | 1996 | ||
| VHB | 1944 | 1996 | ||
| HWB | 1895 | 1943 | ||
| LHB | 1927 | 1943 | ||
| LHB | 1889 | 1926 | ||
| HEB | 1915 | 1926 | ||
| RSHB | 1908 | 1943 | ||
| CFEG | 1888 | Genève-Eaux-Vives–Annemasse, operated by SNCF on behalf of the canton. After construction of the Eaux-Vives–La Praille link, it will become the property of the SBB | ||
| CJ | 1944 | partly narrow gauge | ||
| RPB | 1901 | 1943 | ||
| RSG | 1904 | 1943 | Narrow gauge since 1953 | |
| VCh | 1904 | Route leased to SBB | ||
| DVZO | 2000 | Bäretswil-Bauma, heritage railway operating since 1978 | ||
| SBB | 1947 | (2000) | Bäretswil-Bauma, transferred to DVZO in 2000 | |
| UeBB | 1901 | 1948 | ||
| DB AG | 1994 | Around Schaffhausen and Basel, tracks owned by the German state | ||
| DB | 1952 | 1994 | ||
| SWDE | 1948 | 1952 | Under sequestration | |
| DR | 1945 | 1948 | Under sequestration | |
| DRB | 1937 | 1945 | ||
| DRG | 1924 | 1937 | ||
| 1920 | 1924 | |||
| BadStB | 1855 | 1920 | ||
| 1862 | 1889 | Integrated into BadStB in 1889 | ||
| FS | 1992 | Passenger services: Trenitalia | ||
| FS | 1905 | 1991 | ||
| SFM | 1885 | 1905 | ||
| SFAI | 1876 | 1885 | ||
| 2010 | ||||
| HBS | 1924 | 2010 | Kleinhüningen, St. Johann, freight only | |
| HBL | 1940 | 2010 | Au, Birsfelden, freight only | |
| KLB | 1886 | Passenger service discontinued, goods traffic only | ||
| LO | 1877 | Funicular before 1958 | ||
| OeBB | 1899 | |||
| ÖBB | 1947 | Around Buchs and St. Margrethen | ||
| ÖStB | 1945 | 1947 | ||
| DR | 1945 | 1945 | Under sequestration | |
| DR | 1938 | 1945 | ||
| BBÖ | 1921 | 1938 | ||
| ÖStB | 1919 | 1921 | ||
| KKÖStB | 1885 | 1919 | ||
| VB | 1872 | 1885 | ||
| RB | 1992 | |||
| ARB | 1873 | 1992 | ||
| VRB | 1969 | 1992 | Change of name | |
| RB | 1871 | 1969 | ||
| RHB | 1875 | 2006 | Merged with Appenzeller Bahnen in 2006 | |
| SBB CFF FFS | 1902 | |||
| AS | 1874 | 1901 | ||
| 1875 | 1902 | |||
| 1894 | 1912 | |||
| PLM | 1862 | (1894) | ||
| LG | 1858 | 1862 | ||
| VCh | 1904 | 2013 | Route leased to SBB | |
| GB | 1874 | 1909 | ||
| JN | 1886 | 1913 | ||
| JBL | 1884 | (1886) | Neuchâtel-Le Locle Col des Roches | |
| JS | 1890 | 1903 | ||
| JBL | 1884 | 1889 | Neuchâtel-Le Locle Col des Roches to JN in 1886 | |
| BLB | 1875 | 1884 | ||
| BSB | 1861 | (1875) | Gümligen-Langnau | |
| 1860 | 1861 | |||
| JB | 1874 | 1884 | ||
| JI | 1857 | 1875 | ||
| PD | 1872 | 1876 | ||
| BSB | 1861 | 1877 | Gümligen-Langnau to BLB in 1875 | |
| 1860 | 1861 | |||
| PV | 1886 | 1890 | ||
| SOS | 1881 | 1889 | ||
| SO | 1872 | 1881 | ||
| FS | 1859 | 1871 | ||
| LFB | 1858 | 1871 | ||
| GV | 1858 | 1858 | ||
| OS | 1855 | 1871 | ||
| JE | 1870 | 1876 | ||
| S | 1874 | 1881 | ||
| LI | 1859 | 1874 | ||
| SCB | 1854 | 1901 | ||
| EST | 1854 | 1872 | Section Basel-St. Johann-Grenze | |
| 1844 | 1854 | |||
| NOB | 1853 | (1881) | Section Suhr-Zofingen | |
| NOB | 1853 | 1902 | Suhr-Zofingen to SCB in 1881 | |
| SG | 1876 | 1885 | ||
| BR | 1865 | 1876 | ||
| EH | 1876 | 1885 | ||
| 1847 | 1853 | First railway company of Switzerland | ||
| SNB | 1875 | 1880 | ||
| ZZL | 1864 | 1891 | ||
| STB | 1883 | 1922 | ||
| STB | 1904 | 2000 | ||
| TB | 1870 | 1902 | ||
| TTB | 1875 | 1917 | ||
| UeBB | 1901 | 1948 | ||
| VSB | 1857 | 1902 | ||
| 1856 | 1857 | |||
| 1855 | 1857 | |||
| 1853 | 1857 | Not to be confused with today's SOB | ||
| WR | 1876 | 1902 | ||
| WB | 1876 | 1901 | line leased to Bremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn in 1912, dual gauge | |
| SOB | 2001 | Fusion | ||
| BT | 1910 | 2000 | ||
| SOB | 1890 | 2000 | ||
| WE | 1877 | 1889 | ||
| ZGB | 1878 | 1889 | ||
| SZU | 1973 | |||
| SiTB | 1892 | 1972 | ||
| BZUe | 1922 | 1972 | Change of name after bankruptcy of earlier company | |
| UeB | 1875 | 1922 | ||
| SNCF | 1938 | Around Basel and Geneva | ||
| AL | 1918 | 1938 | ||
| EL | 1872 | 1918 | ||
| EST | 1854 | 1872 | ||
| 1844 | 1854 | |||
| PLM | 1862 | 1938 | ||
| LG | 1858 | 1862 | ||
| ST | 1912 | Passenger service discontinued, goods traffic only | ||
| TOSL | 1991 | |||
| 2002 | Subsidiary of SBB | |||
| MThB | 1911 | 2002 | ||
| SBB CFF FFS | (1902) | (2002) | Regional services in north-eastern Switzerland | |
| TMR | 2001 | Partly narrow gauge | ||
| MO | 1910 | 2001 | ||
| TPF | 2000 | Partly narrow gauge | ||
| GFM | 1942 | 2000 | Partly narrow gauge | |
| BR | 1868 | 1941 | ||
| FMA | 1903 | 1941 | ||
| FM | 1898 | 1903 | ||
| TRN | 1999 | Partly narrow gauge | ||
| RVT | 1883 | 1998 | ||
| TRAVYS | 2001 | |||
| OC | 1894 | 2000 | ||
| PBr | 1899 | 2000 | ||
| WM | 1916 | 1997 | † merged with BD to BDWM Transport on 31 May 1997 |
Narrow gauge
All companies
| Company | Abbreviations | From | Until | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | 1988 | |||
| AB | 1885 | 1988 | ||
| AWW | 1940 | 1947 | Name change | |
|
SB | 1912 | 1939 | |
| SLB | 1875 | 1885 | ||
| SGA | 1947 | 1988 | ||
| AG | 1911 | 1947 | ||
| SGA | 1931 | 1947 | ||
| ASt | 1889 | 1931 | ||
| TB | 1903 | |||
| VBSG | 1950 | 1957 | Tramway discontinued, section to TB | |
| TrStG | 1897 | 1950 | † 1 October 1957 | |
| RHB | 1875 | 2006 | Standard gauge | |
| RhW | 1896 | 1,200 mm (47.2 in) gauge, now part of Appenzell Railways | ||
| ASm | 1999 | Merger | ||
| BTI | 1945 | 1999 | ||
| SLB | 1916 | 1945 | ||
| RVO | 1990 | 1999 | ||
| OJB | 1958 | 1990 | ||
| LJB | 1907 | 1958 | ||
| LMB | 1917 | 1958 | ||
| SNB | 1918 | 1999 | ||
| BAM | 1895 | |||
| AL | 1896 | 1899 | ||
|
Museumsbahn Blonay-Chamby |
BC | 1968 | ||
| CEV | 1902 | (1968) | Blonay-Chamby to BC in 1968 | |
| BDWM | 2000 | Merger with WM | ||
| BD | 1902 | 2000 | ||
| BLM | 1891 | |||
| BLT | 1974 | |||
| BEB | 1902 | 1974 | ||
| BTB | 1887 | 1974 | ||
| BUeB | 1921 | 1974 | ||
| TBA | 1907 | 1974 | ||
| BMB | 1913 | 1940 | † 30 June 1940 | |
| BOB | 1890 | |||
| SPB | 1893 | 1895 | ||
| BRB | 1892 | |||
| CJ | 1944 | |||
| CTN | 1927 | 1943 | ||
| TBN | 1913 | 1927 | ||
| TT | 1884 | 1927 | ||
| RSG | 1904 | 1943 | Standard gauge before 1953 | |
| SC | 1892 | 1943 | ||
| CCB | 1911 | 1955 | ||
| DFB | 1987 | |||
| FO | 1925 | (1987) | Section Gletsch-Furka | |
| FO | 1925 | (1989) | Section Furka-Realp | |
| FART | 1961 | Change of name | ||
| FRT | 1923 | 1961 | Centovalli Railway | |
| LPB | 1907 | 1948 | Maggia Valley Railway † 29 November 1965 | |
| STL | 1908 | 1922 | Tramway Locarno † 30 April 1960 | |
| FB | 1912 | |||
| LCD | 1911 | 1970 | ||
| FLP | 1912 | |||
| LT | 1909 | 1967 | ||
| BA | 1911 | 1973 | ||
| FM | 2003 | Heritage railway (since 1995) | ||
| RhB | 1895 | (2003) | Castione-Cama to Ferrovia Mesolcinese | |
| BM | 1907 | 1941 | Bellinzona-Castione -Cama-Mesocco | |
| FW | 1887 | |||
| GGB | 1997 | Change of name | ||
| GGB | 1889 | 1997 | ||
| JB | 1898 | |||
| LEB | 1913 | |||
| CV | 1889 | 1912 | ||
| LE | 1873 | 1912 | ||
| LLB | 1915 | 1967 | † 27. Mai 1967 | |
| MGB | 2003 | Fusion | ||
| BVZ | 1991 | 2002 | Change of name | |
| BVZ | 1961 | 1991 | Change of name | |
| VZ | 1890 | 1961, | now BVZ Zermatt-Bahn | |
| FO | 1925 | 2002 | ||
| BFD | 1915 | 1925 | ||
| SchB | 1917 | 1961 | ||
| MIB | 1946 | Change of name | ||
| KWO | 1926 | 1946 | ||
| MG | 1890 | Owned by the Migros group | ||
| MOB | 1901 | |||
| MVR | 2001 | Merger | ||
| CEV | 1902 | 2001 | Partial discontinuations | |
| MTGN | 1992 | 2001 | ||
| MGN | 1987 | 1991 | ||
| GN | 1892 | 1986 | ||
| MGl | 1909 | 1986 | ||
| TG | 1883 | 1991 | ||
| NStCM | 1916 | End of the line in La Cure (Swiss-French border) since 1958 | ||
| PB | 1889 | |||
| RBS | 1984 | |||
| SZB | 1922 | 1983 | ||
| BZB | 1912 | 1921 | ||
| ESB | 1916 | 1921 | ||
| VBW | 1927 | 1983 | ||
| BWB | 1907 | 1926 | ||
| BMGWB | 1898 | 1907 | ||
| WT | 1913 | 1926 | ||
| RhB | 1895 | |||
| BB | 1908 | 1942 | ||
| BM | 1907 | 1941 | † 27. Mai 1972 Bellinzona-Castione † 9 December 1979 Cama-Mesocco Remainder to Ferrovia Mesolcinese in 2003 | |
| ChA | 1914 | 1941 | ||
| LD | 1889 | 1895 | ||
| RSB | 1874 | 1931 | † 31 December 1942 | |
| SeTB | 1905 | 1969 | † 31. Mai 1969 | |
| SSIF | (1912) | Joint operation with FART | ||
| TP | 1898 | 1912 | † 11 November 1912 | |
| TMR | 2001 | Partly standard gauge | ||
| MC | 1906 | 2001 | ||
| TPC | 1977 | Collaboration | ||
| AL | 1900 | |||
| AOMC | 1946 | |||
| AOM | 1907 | 1945 | ||
| MCM | 1908 | 1945 | ||
| ASD | 1913 | |||
| BVB | 1943 | |||
| BGVC | 1906 | 1942 | ||
| BGV | 1898 | 1906 | ||
| VB | 1913 | 1942 | ||
| TPF | 2000 | Partly standard gauge | ||
| GFM | 1942 | 2000 | Partly standard gauge | |
| CEG | 1903 | 1941 | ||
| CBM | ||||
| CP | 1901 | 1907 | ||
| TRAVYS | 2001 | Partly standard gauge | ||
| YSteC | 1893 | 2000 | ||
| transN | 2012 | Partly standard gauge | ||
| TRN | 1999 | 2012 | Partly standard gauge | |
| UOe | 1909 | 1949 | † 1 October 1949 | |
| WAB | 1893 | |||
| WB | 1880 | |||
| WMB | 1903 | 1950 | † 13 May 1950 | |
| WSB | 1957 | Marketing name since 2002: AAR bus+bahn | ||
| AS | 1901 | 1956 | ||
| WTB | 1904 | 1956 | ||
| ZB | 2005 | Merger | ||
| LSE | 1964 | 2005 | ||
| StEB | 1898 | 1964 | ||
| SBB | (1903) | (2005) | Interlaken-Luzern since 1914 | |
| JS | 1890 | 1903 | Brienz-Luzern | |
| JBL | (1888) | 1889 | Brienz-Alpnachstad |
External links
- RAIL-INFO SWITZERLAND (in English)
Tramways
- BLT Baselland Transport AG (Basel)
- BVB Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe (Basel)
- RiT Riffelalptram (Zermatt)
- SVB BERNMOBIL Städtische Verkehrsbetriebe Bern (Bern)
- TN Transports publics du littoral neuchatelois (Neuchâtel)
- TPG Transports Publics Genevois (Geneva)
| Company | Abbreviation | From | Until | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VBZ | 1950 | Change of name | ||
| StStZ | 1896 | 1950 | ||
| (ZStG) | 1882 | 1896 | ||
| EStZ | 1894 | 1896 | ||
| ISZ | 1898 | 1902 | ||
| ZZB | 1895 | 1905 | ||
| StZH | 1898 | 1923 | ||
| AGB | 1907 | 1925 | ||
| ZOeS | 1897 | 1931 | ||
| LSB | 1900 | 1931 |
Closed or merged
- ABB Altstätten-Berneck-Bahn (later RhStB)
- AF Strassenbahn Altdorf-Flüelen (closed 26 March 1951)
- CBV Tramway Chillon-Byron-Villeneuve (later VMCV)
- ESZ Elektrische Strassenbahnen im Kanton Zug (closed 21 May 1955)
- MRA Trambahn Meiringen-Reichenbach-Aareschlucht (closed 16 September 1956)
- RhStB Rheintalische Strassenbahn (later RhV)
- RhV Rheintalische Verkehrsbetriebe (closed 2 June 1973)
- SSS Strassenbahn Schwyz-Seewen (later SStB)
- SStB Schwyzer Strassenbahnen (closed 15 December 1963)
- StrStM Strassenbahn St. Moritz (closed 18 September 1932)
- SchSt Schaffhauser Strassenbahn (closed 6 March 1970)
- StSS Strassenbahn Schaffhausen-Schleitheim (closed 1 October 1964)
- StSt Strassenbahn Stansstad-Stans (closed)
- StStW Städtische Strassenbahn Winterthur (closed 2 November 1951)
- STI Steffisburg-Thun-Interlaken (closed 31 May 1958)
- STL Tramway Locarno (closed 30 April 1960)
- SVB Spiezer Verbindungsbahn (closed 25 September 1960)
- (TB) Tramway Bellavista (closed 31 October 1913)
- TC Tramway de La Chaux-de-Fonds (closed 15 June 1950)
- TEL Tram Lugano (closed 17 December 1959)
- TEM Tram Mendrisio (closed 31 December 1950)
- TF Tramway de Fribourg (closed 1 April 1965)
- TL Tramways lausannois (closed 6 January 1964)
- TP Tramway-funiculaire Trait-Planches (closed 11 November 1912)
- TrB Tramway de Bienne/Biel (closed 9 December 1948)
- TrL Tram Luzern (closed 11 November 1961)
- TrMB Tramway Martigny-Bourg (closed 31 December 1956)
- TStG Trambahn der Stadt St. Gallen (closed 1 October 1957)
- UOeB Uster-Oetwil-Bahn (closed 10 January 1949)
- VMC Tramway Vevey-Montreux-Chillon (later VMCV)
- VMCV Tramway Vevey-Montreux-Chillon-Villeneuve (closed 19 January 1958)
- WMB Wetzikon-Meilen-Bahn (closed 13 May 1950)
- ZBB Zuger Berg- und Strassenbahn (closed 10 May 1959)
See also
- Rail transport in Switzerland
- History of rail transport in Switzerland
- List of railway companies
- Mountain railways in Switzerland
- Rack railways in Switzerland
References
- "Geschichte der Uetlibergbahn" [History of the Uetlibergbahn] (PDF) (in German). SZU. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-31. Retrieved 2011-09-05.
External links
- Jane's World Railways (hard copy)