In a very unsurprising financial result – Swiss Federal Railways has announced its biggest loss since it became a limited company in 1999.
The network was CHF 617m in the red last year. In 2019, it made a profit of CHF 463m.
Obviously, the pandemic and the lockdowns are to blame. Passenger numbers were down 85% in the first wave and then down 50% in the second.
Despite the losses, the railway remains confident for the future. Before Covid-19 stuck, passenger numbers had been steadily climbing. The Chair of the Board of Directors, Monika Ribar, says they’re confident trains are the future of transport and customers will return. But accepts 2021 will also be a difficult year.
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