Italy, France and Switzerland Enter a Transformative New Era of European Rail Travel as SBB Advances a Strategic 15-Year Operating Lease Plan for Up to 40 Multi-Current High-Speed Trains to Expand Cross-Border Passenger Services, Replace Older International Rolling Stock and Unlock Wider Continental Connections in the 2030s

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Italy, France and Switzerland are being positioned for a consequential change in European rail travel as an investigation into the procurement of up to 40 multi-current high-speed trains is being advanced by SBB. Growing international passenger demand is being cited as the central reason for additional capacity, while the first-generation Astoro ETR 610 fleet is expected to require replacement during the second half of the 2030s. Two financing routes are being prepared for tender: a purchase accompanied by a 15-year maintenance contract, and a separate 15-year operating lease. The trains would be deployed primarily towards Italy and France from Switzerland during the 2030s, while Barcelona and London have been identified only as possible later destinations. Manufacturer and leasing-market consultations were completed in early June 2025, and the resulting findings are being incorporated into tender documents expected in 2026. No supplier, train model, contract value, delivery timetable or final financing method has yet been selected. Therefore, the initiative is best understood as a formal procurement programme under development, rather than an awarded fleet order or an approved route launch for passengers.

The proposed high-speed trains are being considered as both a growth fleet and a renewal fleet. Through one programme, more cross-border seats could be supplied and ageing international rolling stock could be replaced. International expansion could not be sustained merely by reallocating trains that would themselves approach replacement age. A longer planning horizon is consequently being adopted, with procurement work being undertaken well before the anticipated withdrawal period of the first Astoro series.

A ceiling of up to 40 units has been established through SBB’s official announcement. A guaranteed order for 40 trains has not been placed. Flexibility is therefore being preserved while demand, technical requirements, financing conditions and partner-railway needs are assessed. Through the description of the units as multi-current, operation across different railway electrification systems is being anticipated. However, exact voltage compatibility, maximum speed, passenger capacity and onboard configuration have not been publicly specified.

For travellers, the clearest intended benefit would be delivered through greater capacity on international services linking Switzerland with Italy and France. Journey-time reductions, additional frequencies and direct route extensions have not yet been guaranteed. Those outcomes would also be shaped by infrastructure capacity, available timetable paths, regulatory approvals and agreements with neighbouring railways. Wider connections could be enabled by the fleet, but they could not be established through trains alone.

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Why Two Procurement Paths Are Being Kept Open

An information-gathering process was initiated through the Swiss public procurement platform Simap in March 2025. Two exchanges were arranged. One was directed towards rolling-stock manufacturers, while the other was organised for operating-lease providers. Through these consultations, commercial and technical market conditions were examined before binding invitations to tender were prepared. Discussions were concluded at the beginning of June 2025, and strong market interest was reported by SBB without individual participants being identified.

Under the purchase option, ownership of the fleet would be acquired and a 15-year maintenance service agreement would be included. Under the alternative option, use of the trains would be secured through a 15-year operating lease. These have been presented as separate potential structures. The lease option has not yet been selected. It has also not been indicated that both procurement structures would ultimately be awarded. The eventual decision is expected to be informed by competitive submissions.

A strategic lease plan is therefore being advanced towards competition, but it is being evaluated alongside direct purchase. Capital allocation, maintenance responsibility, residual-value exposure and long-term operational flexibility could be affected differently by each structure. However, no official comparative cost, detailed risk allocation or accounting treatment has been released. Consequently, a financial advantage cannot yet be attributed to either procurement route.

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The 2030s Timeline and Its Limits

The proposed high-speed trains are intended mainly for services towards Italy and France during the 2030s. Replacement of the first Astoro ETR 610 series has been anticipated for the second half of that decade. A broad operational window has therefore been created rather than a confirmed introduction date. No delivery year, phased deployment programme or retirement sequence has been announced.

Invitations to tender are expected to be issued in 2026 following the completed market exchanges. Until tender documents are published and evaluated, firm technical specifications and contractual commitments cannot be presumed. A procurement launch would also remain distinct from contract award, manufacturing, certification and entry into passenger service. Each would represent a separate milestone within a long fleet-development process.

Potential services to Barcelona and London have been presented as examples of further expansion rather than committed routes. Their inclusion demonstrates the continental reach being explored, while Italy and France remain the primary international markets named for the fleet. Long-range ambition has therefore been signalled, but the verified scope remains bounded by procurement, partnership, infrastructure and regulatory decisions that have yet to be taken.

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How the Proposed Fleet Programme Is Being Organised

The next stage is expected to be shaped by two invitations to tender during 2026. Through one competition, bids would be requested for the purchase of the trains together with a 15-year maintenance service contract. Through the other, proposals would be requested for a 15-year operating lease. Market consultations have already been completed with manufacturers and leasing companies, but no preferred bidder, leasing provider or rolling-stock platform has been identified.

Important commercial details remain protected by the formal procurement process. No estimated contract value, minimum fleet commitment, extension option, residual-value arrangement or maintenance location has been disclosed. The maximum quantity of 40 high-speed trains should therefore be treated as a planning limit.

Category-Wise Summary of the Confirmed Programme

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Why Multi-Current Capability Will Be Essential

Cross-border trains must be capable of operating through railway systems governed by different technical and operational conditions. Multi-current capability would allow electrical power differences to be accommodated without a locomotive exchange at national borders. However, compatibility would not be secured by electrical equipment alone. Train-control systems, platform interfaces, loading requirements, signalling equipment and national authorisations would also have to be addressed.

The following operational requirements can reasonably be identified from the confirmed international purpose, although detailed specifications have not yet been released:

• Cross-network compatibility would have to be demonstrated for every country in which passenger operation was authorised.
• Safety and signalling compliance would have to be certified under the applicable European and national regulatory frameworks.
• Passenger facilities would be expected to support long-distance travel, but seating layouts, accessibility features and catering arrangements remain unspecified.
• Maintenance readiness would have to be established for a fleet expected to remain available throughout a lengthy operating or service term.

These requirements explain why deployment cannot be inferred directly from procurement ambition. Certification would be required for every intended network, and coordination would be needed with infrastructure managers and partner operators. Capacity would also have to be secured on congested corridors and at major terminals. The new high-speed trains could provide the equipment for expansion, but international paths and operating rights would still have to be arranged.

Astoro Replacement Is Being Linked With Future Growth

The first Astoro ETR 610 series is expected to reach its replacement phase in the second half of the 2030s. By connecting renewal with expansion, SBB could avoid a situation in which additional international demand was served by a fleet approaching retirement. New capacity and replacement capacity could instead be introduced within one coordinated programme.

Nevertheless, the entire Astoro fleet has not been declared for immediate withdrawal. Only the older first series has been specifically identified in the official announcement. Continued operation, refurbishment or phased retirement decisions have not been detailed. The proposed procurement should therefore not be interpreted as confirmation that every existing international train would be replaced simultaneously.

For passengers, continuity could be protected while additional international opportunities were developed. For the railway, fleet complexity, maintenance resources and training requirements could be managed through a planned transition. Yet those outcomes will depend on the specifications, quantity and delivery sequence eventually selected. Until an award is made, the project will remain a carefully structured procurement intention rather than a guaranteed transformation of the European timetable.

Italy and France Would Remain the Central Markets

The strongest immediate purpose of the proposed high-speed trains would be found on international services linking Switzerland with Italy and France. Additional fleet capacity could be used to support rising passenger demand, strengthen timetable resilience and prepare for the replacement of older international rolling stock. However, specific services, stations, frequencies and journey times have not been assigned to the future trains.

For Italy, cross-border operation would be influenced by paths through the Gotthard and Simplon approaches, coordination with Italian railway organisations and access to major destination terminals. For France, compatibility with the French network and cooperation with the relevant operating and infrastructure partners would be required. The procurement itself would not guarantee extra train paths because infrastructure capacity would have to be allocated separately.

Tourism flows could nevertheless be supported if more direct seats and dependable international services were eventually provided. Switzerland could be made more accessible from large French and Italian cities, while Swiss travellers could be given broader access to urban, cultural and leisure destinations. These benefits remain prospective because the future timetable has not been published and passenger volumes attributable to the planned fleet have not been forecast officially.

What Passengers Could Gain and What Remains Undecided

No official basis has yet been provided for claims that journeys would automatically become faster. A train capable of high-speed operation can only use the speed permitted by each section of infrastructure, signalling arrangement and timetable. Border-crossing services can also be affected by terminal capacity, engineering works and interactions with regional, intercity and freight traffic. Speed, frequency and reliability must therefore be evaluated separately.

The term high-speed trains also should not be interpreted as confirmation that every kilometre would be operated on dedicated high-speed infrastructure. International units commonly move across a combination of high-speed and conventional lines. Their strategic value can be created through interoperability and through-journey capability as well as maximum speed. Detailed performance claims should remain withheld until specifications and proposed diagrams are released.

Barcelona and London Represent Ambition Rather Than Commitment

Barcelona and London have been identified by SBB as examples of destinations that could potentially be served later. Neither city has been included in a confirmed launch programme. The references should therefore be read as indicators of possible network reach. They demonstrate why multi-country technical capability may be sought, but they do not establish commercial approval or a timetable commitment.

A Barcelona service would require arrangements extending beyond the primary Italian and French deployment, including access across the relevant French and Spanish networks. A London service would require additional compatibility and operational planning for travel through the Channel Tunnel and into a controlled international terminal. Border procedures, security arrangements, station capacity and cooperation with other railway bodies would have to be incorporated into any viable operating model.

Such routes would also have to be justified by demand, operating costs and the availability of competitive journey times. Rolling stock would form only one element of that assessment. Until formal route decisions are announced, Barcelona and London should not be promoted as destinations guaranteed by the procurement. Italy and France remain the only principal foreign markets explicitly attached to the proposed 2030s fleet.

European interoperability would remain essential because cross-border fleet deployment would depend upon coordinated infrastructure and operational decisions.

The 2026 Tenders Would Mark Only the Next Formal Step

The expected invitations to tender during 2026 would move the programme beyond market consultation, but they would not place trains immediately into production or passenger service. Requirements would first have to be defined, bids would have to be submitted and evaluated, and a preferred procurement structure would have to be selected. A contract could then be awarded only after the applicable procurement procedures had been completed.

Once an agreement had been signed, design finalisation, manufacturing, testing and certification would still be required. Multi-country approval could be particularly important because the proposed high-speed trains are intended for international operation. Training, maintenance planning, depot readiness, spare-parts provision and timetable integration would also have to be organised before reliable commercial deployment could be achieved.

The following milestones should therefore be monitored as the programme develops:

• Tender publication: Technical, commercial and maintenance requirements would be formally disclosed to eligible bidders.
• Procurement decision: Purchase and operating-lease submissions would be compared before the financing structure was selected.
• Contract award: The manufacturer, financing partner, fleet quantity and contractual timetable could be confirmed.
• Construction and testing: Trainsets would be produced produced and subjected to technical, safety and performance examinations.
• Cross-border authorisation: Approval would be required for each network on which the trains were intended to operate.
• Passenger introduction: Services could begin only after fleet acceptance, staff preparation and timetable paths had been secured.

Financial Flexibility Would Be Balanced Against Long-Term Obligations

Through an operating lease, fleet access could be secured for 15 years without the same ownership structure that would be created through direct purchase. Greater financial flexibility might be provided, but fixed contractual payments and performance conditions could also be imposed for a lengthy period. The final value would depend on financing terms, maintenance allocation, availability guarantees and the treatment of the trains when the lease ended.

Through direct purchase, long-term control of the assets could be retained, while maintenance would be supported through the proposed 15-year service contract. Higher initial capital requirements could be created, and residual-value and lifecycle risks could be carried differently. Neither model can be declared superior because comparative prices, contractual protections and whole-life cost calculations have not been released.

Tourism and Business Travel Could Be Supported

If greater international capacity were eventually delivered, tourism and business travel between Switzerland, Italy and France could be supported by additional rail choices. More seats could make cross-border journeys available to a wider passenger base, particularly during busy travel periods. Better fleet availability could also help international timetables to be operated with greater resilience when maintenance requirements or unexpected disruptions reduced usable rolling stock.

Rail connections can link city centres directly and can support multi-destination European itineraries. The proposed fleet could therefore contribute to journeys combining Swiss destinations with French and Italian cities. However, fare levels, ticket integration, reservation policies and baggage arrangements have not been addressed in the procurement announcement. Affordability and booking simplicity cannot yet be evaluated.

Wider destinations would remain dependent on approvals and commercial agreements.

A Transformative Opportunity Has Been Opened, Not Guaranteed

SBB’s investigation represents an important long-term response to rising international rail demand. Up to 40 multi-current high-speed trains could be procured, older Astoro rolling stock could be replaced, and broader continental connections could be enabled. The parallel examination of purchase and leasing structures also indicates that financing flexibility is being considered before a major fleet commitment is made.

Yet the language of the official programme remains conditional. The fleet size is expressed as a maximum, two procurement methods remain under consideration, and no manufacturer or train platform has been selected. No firm routes, frequencies, journey times, prices or entry-into-service dates have been confirmed. Barcelona and London remain possible future destinations rather than promised extensions.

For Italy, France and Switzerland, a credible foundation for a new phase of European rail travel has been established. Its eventual scale will be determined by tender results, technical approvals, infrastructure capacity and cooperation among railway partners. If those elements are secured, stronger cross-border services could be delivered in the 2030s. Until then, the initiative should be recognised as a carefully prepared strategic opportunity whose most significant passenger benefits remain ahead.