Swiss Federal Railways reported record passenger numbers in the first half of this year. With 1.33 million passengers each day, the railway company returned to profit for the first time since 2019.
In the first six months of the year, the Swiss Federal Railways made a net profit of CHF99 million ($112 million), compared with a net loss of CHF142.3 million in the first half of 2022, it reported on Monday.
In March, passenger numbers exceeded pre-Covid 19 levels for the first time. Over the whole period under review, it jumped by 21.4% year-on-year and 3.04% relative to 2019, reaching a level never before recorded.
The company also notes the positive trend in international passenger traffic, with 5.7 million people carried in the first half, 20% more than the previous record for 2019.
I’m questioning if it really should be profitable. A lot of people I talk to are still saying that they would take the train, if it wouldn’t be just so damn expensive. But the high prices feel more and more like a way to control the overcrowding issues than as a fair (or competitive compared to the car) price for transportation.