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Thanks to the opening of the Ceneri Base Tunnel and the 4-meter corridor, rail transport was able to expand its position in freight transport through the Swiss Alps in the first half of 2021: it now reaches a share of 74.4 percent – the highest value in a quarter of a century. The number of truck trips slightly increased after the pandemic-related decline from the previous year, but continues to decrease in the long-term comparison.
(Bern) The Swiss Federal Office of Transport (BAV) today published the report on cross-Alpine freight transport for the first half of 2021. 15.2 percent more goods were transported through the Alps than in the first semester of 2020, and also more than in the first half of 2019. Freight transport through the Alps has thus recovered from the Corona crisis.
Record Value for Rail
Rail was able to increase disproportionately. The main reason for this development is the completion of the NEAT with the opening of the Ceneri Base Tunnel and the commissioning of the continuous 4-meter corridor. Since the end of 2020, longer and heavier trains can increasingly operate on the Gotthard axis. With the new possibility of transporting semi-trailers with a corner height of 4 meters over the Gotthard axis, an additional segment for rail has been gained. Rail was able to increase its share of total cross-Alpine freight transport by 3 percentage points. This development was also favored by the financial aid provided by various European countries during the Corona pandemic, which now reaches a market share of 74.4 percent. This is the highest value in 25 years.
Meanwhile, in the first half of the year, 453,000 trucks drove through the Swiss Alps. This is 40,000 trips more than in the first half of 2020, which was marked by the Corona pandemic and the protective measures taken. However, compared to the first semester of 2019, truck trips continued to decline.
Further Measures with the Shift Report
The federal government aims to further strengthen the shift of freight transport from road to rail and the protection of the Alps. With the next shift report, the Federal Council will analyze the situation regarding shift policy in detail in the autumn and present further measures.
Photo: © Hupac
