Virtual Railfan Tour of Switzerland - Wednesday - Swiss Postal Trains and Post Buses

Last mile delivery by electric tricycle  at the Seilbahn Rigiblic in Zurich


This entry has been prepared by Paul Churcher - thanks Paul
The Swiss Postal service is a very large user of the Swiss railways network.

Swiss Post has built an integrated distribution network consisting of rail transport, trucks, and local services including motorcycles to provide the last mile delivery and pick up. Drones are also being explored for parcel delivery.

Modern rail served distribution centres were constructed in the late 1990s at Daillens, Härkingen, Freuenfeld, Zurich Mulligen, and Eclépens. In the past 10 years Swiss Post have built sub-centres at Geneva, Basel, Ostermundigen, Kriens, Gossau, and Cadenazzo.The map shows the location of these distribution points. The yellow routes on the map also show the public transit PostBus routes run by Swiss Post (which are free to holders of the Swiss Pass).

The postal trains are most commonly seen near the big distribution centres but they can be seen in all parts of the main railway network. Swiss Post containers are also seen on the narrow gauge RhB.

Swiss Post have an arrangement with SBB to run unit trains for Swiss Post instead of combining their wagons with other freight traffic. The Swiss Post wagons are a combination of slide door box cars and container flats.These have a bright yellow livery  with trilingual white text promoting the postal service. This makes for colourful pictures when hauled behind red SBB or blue and red SBB Cargo locomotives through the green Swiss countryside.
Re 4/4 passing through Montreux on the way to Daillens or Eclépens.

Re 4/4 passing through Cossonay after leaving Eclepens

Yverdon-les-Bains is a good location for seeing postal trains since it is close to the big centres at Daillens and Eclépens and also is on the main line to Härkingen.

Fast moving north bound trains leaving Yverdon. These pictures were taken before I learned the Swiss signalling system and they took me by surprise.




South bound postal train

Change crew at Yverdon-les-Bains

Postal train in the Gottard Pass in the snow

Re 18/18 hauls a postal train through Arth Goldau in 2009 having come from the old Gottard Tunnel.
Lots of power is needed to make sure the freight train can keep up with passenger trains on this steep route. 
The three Re 6/6, all under power, with their combined 32,000 horsepower still seems excessive for only nine cars.

SBB locomotives switching at the Härkingen distribution centre near Olten

Large crane in operation at the Härkingen distribution centre moving containers on and off postal trains.

Swiss Post has diversified its activities and is very active in banking as well as public transit. For many years they have run the regional bus services which connect with regional rail services. The postbuses are a common site on the winding roads in the Alpine regions; they also serve
 local communities as a school bus.

Le Sepey

Post buses at a rest stop in the Susten Pass

School kids returning home for lunch transferring from the train to the Postbus at SBB Buttes

Pot Bus from Andermatt and Goschenen via the Susten Pass at the Meiringen Post Bus station 
which is across the street from the railway station








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