Making every second count

If rail transport is to meet the demand for sustainable mobility, it must provide its passengers with fast, cheap, safe and reliable services. SBB is focusing on making better use of reserves in train scheduling to add greater robustness to its integrated national timetable. Real-time management of train services to maintain connections and more detailed passenger information provision are at the heart of the 'Co-Production' concept. This article describes the rail network in Switzerland; the need for SBB to focus on a customer-oriented production methodology and improve the efficiency of existing infrastructure; intelligent allocation of allowances; dynamic scheduling; control tools; and pilot application.