Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) has moved forward with its plan to lease a fleet of high-speed trains for international routes. Four companies - AlphaTrains, Beacon Rail, Rock Rail, and Willow Group (parent company of Angel Trains) - have been shortlisted to proceed to the next phase of the tender process.
The leasing process is being structured in two stages. The first stage began in August 2025 with a prequalification call published on Switzerland’s official procurement platform, Simap. The documents outlined a 15-year operating lease agreement for up to 40 high-speed trainsets. SBB cited limited capital reserves as the reason for pursuing leasing rather than direct purchase.
The shortlisted lessors will be invited to submit formal bids during the second stage of the process, which is expected to start in the second quarter of 2026. At the same time, a separate tender will be launched for the manufacturing of the trains. SBB plans to procure the new units under a 15-year full-service contract, which includes maintenance.
This procurement aims to replace part of SBB’s existing international fleet, including the first-generation Astoro (ETR 610) trains, during the 2030s. The new multi-system high-speed trains are intended for cross-border services to Italy and France, with further potential deployment on routes to Spain and the UK.
Preliminary discussions between SBB and industry stakeholders took place in April and May 2025, with around two months allocated for market consultation. These exchanges were designed to gather technical and commercial input to refine the tender requirements for both leasing and purchasing options.
The value of the leasing contract has not been disclosed, but a 15-year lease agreement for up to 40 high-speed trainsets could reach a high three-digit million CHF figure. For context, the leasing of such a fleet over 15 years could exceed CHF 800 million, roughly equivalent to EUR 836 million.
