Director of Transport sharply criticizes the public transport sector: ‘SBB sets a bad example’

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Train travel in Switzerland will become more expensive again from December next year. Last week, SonntagsBlick announced that Peter Füglistaler (64), director of the Federal Tourist Office (BAV), had forced public transport companies to increase fares.

Now the BAV boss justifies himself in an interview published on Friday in the Tamedia titles: “There were public transport companies that only wanted a modest increase or no increase,” said Füglistaler. “That is why we intervened and said: without a noticeable increase, the public transport system can no longer be financed in 2024.”

For the BAV director, the price increase on December 10 is justified – even if it is accompanied by enormously higher healthcare costs and conflicts with the climate objectives. The price increase is less than four percent and the last rate increase took place in 2016, Füglistaler said. “Users must contribute appropriately to the costs of public transport.”

‘Subsidy requirements since Corona are now the norm’

Such an intervention by the BAV was unique so far: “It is the first time that we had to remind companies so clearly that they have a corporate responsibility when setting rates,” said Füglistaler. The reason: the corona pandemic: “Corona was a game changer. The federal government funded the entire pandemic-related public transportation shutdown, which was a huge effort. Since then, public transport companies have believed that this is now the norm.”

However, subsidies require companies to do their utmost to keep costs low, says Füglistaler. “You have to produce efficiently and generate as much income as possible. If they don’t, the entire increase in costs will be passed on to taxpayers. In the long term, this puts our public transport financing system at risk.”

“Awareness of personal responsibility is lacking”

According to the BAV director, many transport companies are no longer aware that they are not legally entitled to subsidies. There is a lack of awareness that they must take responsibility themselves. “You are obliged to handle taxpayer money carefully. Instead, demanding more and more subsidies has become part of the DNA of the public transport sector. And unfortunately, the SBB, as the largest state-owned company, sets a bad example.”

The SBB always demanded a lot of financing in the negotiations with the BAV, according to Füglistaler. “We shorten this list of wishes – and at the end of the performance period we realize that not all the money was needed.”

“Only the best is always good enough”

In the interview, Füglistaler also criticized the market behavior of public transport companies: “In Switzerland, only the best is always good enough. We don’t give cheap providers a chance.” For example, Flixtrain would be interesting for young people with its cheap fares. “But the fight against it in Switzerland is simple and cheap,” says Füglistaler.

SBB could also tap into new markets in other European countries. “After years of closed markets, the European rail market is opening for the first time,” said the BAV director. “The cards at the railway companies are being shuffled again – and what does the SBB do? They stay at home and concentrate on the home market.” (oco/SDA)

Source:Blick