Swiss national rail company, SBB, is making further plans for the train connecting Swiss cities with London, but some structural challenges remain.
In March 2026, the SBB and its French counterpart, SNCF Voyageurs, signed a cooperation agreement aimed at developing new international routes – including one to the UK.
Then, on May 11th, the two companies took another step forward: they signed a ‘memorandum of understanding’ with Eurostar to establish a direct connection between Swiss cities and London.
The project therefore appears to be on the right track, with the launch date set for 2030 if all goes well.
READ MORE Switzerland to London train could hit the rails as soon as 2030
Swiss plans
More recently, in November 2026, the SBB said it wants to operate this route from three Swiss cities – Geneva, Zurich, and Basel – as they believe the demand for this train would be highest in these business-hub locations.
Of the three, however, the Zurich station presents some logistical challenges for this route.
That’s because additional capacity would need to be found to run the new train along the heavily congested section between Zurich and Basel.
And unlike Basel and Geneva – where train stations are being expanded – Zurich has no similar construction projects on the horizon, so it is not clear at this time where a terminal to accommodate this new service could be integrated.
Why does the London-bound train need its own terminal?
Unlike the other cross-border trains that depart from Switzerland, the UK is not part of the Schengen area.
Therefore, security and immigration checks will have to take place at the station of departure, so a dedicated, specially equipped terminal is needed for this purpose.
What’s next?
The SBB is considering using its own high-speed trains to reach London, instead of relying on foreign partners.
With that in mind, it is planning to launch a call for tenders in 2027 – initially to purchase 21 trains, with an option for an additional 20 units.
The ultimate goal of the project is to shift travel to the UK from air to rail, by allowing commuters from Switzerland to reach London’s St. Pancras station in 6 hours from Zurich, 5 hours from Basel, and 5.5 hours from Geneva.
READ MORE: The coming changes for international trains to and from Switzerland
