Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) are preparing to procure a new digital system for the control and management of rail traffic. The tender is expected to be launched from 2027, and the technology will be phased in from the early 2030s. Until then, Siemens will continue to ensure the operation of the current Iltis system, under a contract with a maximum value of CHF 280 million (EUR 300 million).

SBB intends to gradually replace the technology currently used for monitoring and controlling passenger and freight trains in Switzerland.

The new digital system is expected to allow a greater number of trains to run, improve operational stability and offer dispatchers greater flexibility in managing traffic.

Staff at SBB’s control centres constantly monitor rail traffic to ensure that passenger trains and freight services reach their destinations safely and on time. The company believes that this work must be supported in future by more efficient and better-integrated systems.

Currently, centralised traffic control is provided by Iltis, the German acronym for Integrales Leit- und Informationssystem, meaning the integrated control and information system for rail traffic management.

The technology has been in use for over 30 years, but operational requirements and the capabilities offered by digital systems have changed considerably during this time.

SBB is developing a new system to be directly connected to future digital signalling systems and the train timetable planning platform. The solution will need to comply with international standards and further optimise rail traffic control.

The new digital signalling systems are scheduled to be introduced onto the Swiss network from 2029.

The procurement procedure for the new traffic control system will be launched from 2027, in accordance with Swiss public procurement legislation.

The roll-out of the technology is scheduled to begin in the early 2030s and will be carried out in phases, without disrupting rail operations.

SBB aims to have the new system fully installed by the early 2040s.

Until the transition is complete, the current Iltis platform will remain essential for the operation of the network.

To ensure continuity and safety of operations, SBB is extending its contract with Siemens Mobility Switzerland, the company that developed the Iltis system.

The extension of the technical support contract was published on 29 July 2026 on the Swiss public procurement platform Simap.

According to SBB, changing the supplier is not possible for technical and legal reasons. Siemens holds the intellectual property rights to the system and is the only company with the necessary expertise to keep it operational.

The sum of CHF 280 million (EUR 300.04 million) represents the maximum expenditure limit for technical support provided until the complete replacement of Iltis, by 2045 at the latest.

The actual amount could be lower, as SBB intends to complete the roll-out of the new technology by the early 2040s. As the new system takes over control of ever-larger sections of the network, the costs associated with the Iltis platform will decrease.

The services will be provided by the Siemens Mobility division in Wallisellen, meaning that the entire value added by the contract will remain in Switzerland.