Swiss operator SBB, struggling financially, opted to select leasing of high-speed trains in order to retain its foreign transport plans and still retain the possibility of Purchasing the railway stocks later.

Leasing high-speed trains becomes SBB’s solution
Photo: SBB

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Leasing instead of buying trains

SBB issued a lease tender on as many as 40 high-speed trains on cross-border routes. The arrangements envision that the trains are designed in close cooperation with the manufacturer, and a lease company acquires them and leases them to the operator.

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The contractual period is 15 years and there is a provision to extend it by another 15 years. At the same time, after the contractual period, SBB shall also have a choice of purchasing the train sets at market value.

Exportation of rolling stock internationally

The fast railway lines shall interconnect Switzerland and France, Italy, Spain, England, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The project is therefore strategically significant, and it shall make European rail services competitive.

This is SBB’s first venture into leasing in the passenger market. Previously, the company leased solely locomotives in freight haulage, but the conditions today necessitated a policy change.

Why did SBB lease instead of buying trains?

The company was limited by finance, therefore it opted to lease and keep plans on track by reducing budget constriction.

When will the train leasing agreement be reached?

The lease transaction with the leasing company is scheduled in the second quarter of 2026, after the end of the tender procedures and consultation with market participants.

Where are the trains going?

The railway connections will link international lines from Switzerland via Italy, France, Spain, England, Belgium, and the Netherlands, extending the cross-border railway network.

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