General Network Access Conditions
The authorisation of a company to use the Swiss railway network is issued by the Swiss Federal Office of Transport (FOT). The provisions of the Railways Act and the Network Access Ordinance form the basis for the authorisation.
The main provisions in shortened form:
The train operating company applying for network access must have its registered office in Switzerland or the European Union.
The access of other foreign companies is subject to the respective bilateral agreements.
The company must hold a concession or licence to run trains according to the Railway Act.
The financial bases of the company must be sound.
The company must have an insurance coverage of at least CHF 100 million per case of damage.
It must have qualified personnel to guarantee safe operation.
Its vehicles must meet the legal requirements for safe train operation.
It must guarantee that the safety regulations applying to the line to be travelled on are respected.