SBB wanted to gild traction – at the expense of passengers

The SBB wanted to gild their electricity. Their goal was to resell the traction current, which they largely produce themselves, for twice the price. Consequence: The vast majority of train journeys and freight transport would have become more expensive. The federal government has pulled the emergency brake.

Currently, the SBB under boss Vincent Ducrot (60) can sell the traction power to other railways for 10.5 cents per kilowatt hour. As Blick knows, they would have liked to have taken 20.5 centimes. The SBB confirms that in August they asked for a ten cent increase for the next two years.

Trains are getting more expensive

According to the Bundesamt für Transport (BAV), an increase in the price of traction current by one cent leads to a ten percent increase in electricity costs. If this is extrapolated to the total cost of a train, it would be one percent more expensive. With ten cents more, the trains would have become ten percent more expensive.

Stefan Meierhans (54) also participated for the costs. It is clear to the price monitor that a sharp increase will have an impact on the wallets of travelers and carriers. Even the SBB admits this.

demand lowered

The state railways themselves have now noticed that the demand was too great. In the summer, the extreme drought reduced energy production, so electricity had to be bought on the market at high prices to keep the trains running, they explain. A damage has occurred that is not allowed under the Railways Act.

The situation has now calmed down and the SBB has lowered its requirements. In the meantime, there was still talk of five to six cents, but those are also gone: the federal solution is considerably lower, according to the BAV.

Contrary to climate goals

90 percent of SBB traction power comes from hydropower – mainly from our own systems. In addition, there are supply contracts with partners. The additional costs for SBB should remain limited in the course of the year.

It is all the more incomprehensible that the SBB has increased the requirement at all. The chairman of the Transport Committee of the National Council and the Alpine Initiative, Jon Pult (38, SP), warns that rail freight transport should not be disadvantaged compared to road because of the price increase. This goes against the Swiss climate targets.

And for the Uri Council of States and chairman of the Association of Landing Economy (VAP), Josef Dittli (65, FDP), the approach of the SBB is not opportune. He shows understanding for a moderate increase, because diesel and therefore road transport have also become more expensive. “But on the road, the market economy takes precedence, on the railway, monopoly rules.”

Less but longer

According to research, the BAV SBB will allow a small price increase next week. Appalling heating costs, inflation and health insurance premiums are already a heavy burden on citizens. From the point of view of the federal government, the SBB should not kill people unnecessarily.

But the SBB does not give up so easily: instead of the substantial increase, limited to two years, they have now implemented a longer-term price increase.