ÖBB and SBB Extend Rail Partnership Through 2036
The Austrian and Swiss rail operators have extended their cooperation on day and night services for another decade.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Europe
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Austria's ÖBB and Switzerland's SBB have extended their partnership through 2036, covering daytime long-distance services and a joint night train service. The two companies have collaborated since 2016, and passenger numbers on their combined services have grown by more than half over the past ten years.
Why it matters
The extension secures cross-border rail links between Austria and Switzerland that already run more than 30 direct connections daily. It gives travelers a stable long-term option for moving between the two countries by train.
Six daily Railjet connections run each way every two hours between Innsbruck, Salzburg, and Zurich, and five daily connections link Vienna and Zurich. The extracted material does not specify fare changes or new routes under the extended agreement.
The players
ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways)
ÖBB is Austria's national railway operator, running long-distance, regional, and night train services across the country and into neighboring nations.
SBB (Swiss Federal Railways)
SBB is Switzerland's national railway operator, responsible for the country's main-line passenger network including the Zurich hub.
The details
The partnership covers daytime long-distance trains and a joint night train service, building on cooperation that began in 2016. Since 2017 the companies have worked to make Vienna and Zurich the most important night train hubs in the region, with six night routes running from Zurich to Amsterdam, Berlin, Hamburg, Graz, Prague, and Vienna.
Timeline
2016: ÖBB and SBB began collaborating.
2017: The companies started developing Vienna and Zurich as night train hubs.
November 6, 2026: The partnership extension was announced.
2036: The extended partnership runs through this year.
Travel Outlook
The extension follows the night train revival the two operators have pursued since 2016, when they began building Vienna and Zurich into regional hubs. Passenger growth of more than half over ten years suggests rail is holding its share of Alpine cross-border travel.
Travelers crossing between Austria and Switzerland can rely on continued daily Railjet, Eurocity, and night train connections through 2036. Booking the Vienna–Zurich or Zurich–Berlin night routes in advance is advisable given the growth in passenger demand.
The takeaway
Rail is becoming a more practical alternative to flying for Central European trips, and the extended ÖBB-SBB partnership gives travelers a dependable framework for planning multi-country journeys. Check schedules for night and day routes before finalizing itineraries.
Further reading
For more on rail routes across the continent, see our Europe travel coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Railway-News.
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