SBB to launch InterCity night rail network: What you need to know

From December this year, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) will start to roll out a brand new network of InterCity night trains. Called “Vision 2027” the night public transport services will allow revellers, commuters and travellers to go quickly between major Swiss cities in the early hours of the morning.

Vision 2027: SBB announces new night train network for Switzerland

According to documents revealed by CH Media, SBB is planning a massive expansion of the night service network in Switzerland. Unlike the international night train network, which will not be expanded as planned due to budget cuts, this newly expanded system will allow people to travel between cities in the early hours of the morning on Saturdays and Sundays.

SBB said that the plan is designed to cater to evening travellers and revellers. By the end of 2026, they promised that residents of Geneva could head to Zurich for dinner and a dance, before returning on a direct InterCity train in the early hours without having to wait for the first normal services in the morning. The company also hopes to attract those who have an early morning flight from Zurich, Basel or Geneva, but don't live in the cities nor want to spend a night in a hotel before travelling.

InterCity night trains to connect all major Swiss cities

In the end, the night services will include direct InterCity trains between St. Gallen, Zurich, Basel, Bern, Lausanne, Geneva, Thun, Lucerne and Chur. Olten will be designated as a “transfer hub” for the night services, where early-morning travellers can change trains allowing them to travel anywhere on the network. 

While it will be available on weekends first, SBB told CH Media that it was yet to decide whether to roll out night services during the working week.

First Swiss InterCity night services to launch in December 2024

While SBB hopes to get the full network running by the end of 2026, the first new services are set to arrive at the end of this year. On eight weekends in the winter of 2024 / 2025 and the autumn of next year, two InterCity trains will run in each direction between Zurich and Bern at 2am and 3am.

The 3am service from Bern will be extended to Zurich Airport to allow people from the de-facto capital to take the very first flights of the day without having to stay overnight. Regular S-Bahn night trains will also be expanded in the Lucerne region, in eastern Switzerland and between Zurich and Winterthur.