International engagement
The railways play an important role in Switzerland’s road-to-rail transfer policy and climate protection goals. Two out of every three tonnes of goods carried on the Swiss rail network cross the border at least once.
Rail accounts for around 70 percent of all transalpine freight transport, most of which is transit traffic through Switzerland. In passenger transport too, rail plays an important role in providing efficient connections between Europe’s major cities.
To promote cross-border rail traffic, the European Union is actively working to harmonise the rules and procedures that govern the operation of the railways. To harmonise procedures between infra-structure managers and capacity allocation bodies, it set up the cooperative body PRIME (Platform of Rail Infrastructure Managers in Europe).
It also regularly consults rail stakeholder organisations. The TVS is a member of both PRIME and the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER).
As the body responsible for keeping the railway infrastructure register, the TVS also sits on the relevant working groups of the European Union Agency for Railway (ERA). Among other things, ERA is responsible for developing rail interoperability and vehicle safety. To this end, it keeps the European Register of Infrastructure (RINF), European Register of Authorised Types of Railway Vehicles (ERATV) and the European Railway Rolling Stock Registry.
The TVS is also a member of RailNetEurope (RNE), the European association of infrastructure managers and capacity allocation bodies. RNE works at an operational and procedural level to harmonise and promote standardised systems and processes.