Switzerland expands summer train routes for 2026

The longer days and warmer weather have us all thinking of one thing: where should we escape to over the summer holidays? For those wanting to utilise public transport, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) has announced its 2026 summer timetable, with additional routes to France, Italy, Austria and Germany.

New Swiss train travel destinations for summer 2026

Holidaymakers will be able to take the TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse), France’s high-speed train, from either Geneva or Lausanne directly to Avignon between April 16 and November 2, 2026. Trains will run daily from June 27 to August 23. 

For a slice of Italian summer, travellers making the most of Swiss train travel will also be able to take a new direct connection from Zurich to Rimini from May 30 to October 4. Other cities in Italy easily accessible by train from Switzerland include Milan, Florence and Verona.

Klagenfurt, a popular holiday destination in Austria close to Lake Wörthersee, will also be accessible directly from Zurich. Railjet night trains will run from Zurich to Vienna. Lastly, there will be several daily trains from Zurich and Basel to Bremen in Germany. From here, families can reach holiday spots along the North Sea coast. 

Which Swiss train routes are disrupted this summer

SBB’s summer timetable, however, comes with some disruption. With fewer commuters over the summer, train operators are taking the opportunity to carry out several planned construction works. 

This includes routes south of Milan, between Geneva and La Plaine in France and between Buchs SG and Feldkirch in Austria. Take a look at the SBB website for a breakdown of which routes will be impacted.

The announcement comes amid growing concern across Europe over jet fuel supply due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. European airlines recently called on the European Commission to introduce measures to help prevent fuel shortages.