As a small country, Switzerland needs a rail network that is modern and efficient. Upgrades and maintenance thus require robust long-term financing. With its draft bill to finance and upgrade Switzerland’s rail infrastructure ("Finanzierung und Ausbau der Bahninfrastruktur" – FABI), the federal government is laying the foundations for a sustainably financed rail service – for both passenger traffic and environmentally friendly goods traffic.

FABI comprises:

• the open-ended rail infrastructure fund (Bahninfrastrukturfonds – BIF) which aims to finance operation, maintenance and upgrade
• the strategic development programme (Strategische Entwicklungsprogramm – STEP) under which upgrading of the rail infrastructure is to be carried out in distinct phases, and
• a suggestion for the modalities of the first STEP upgrade phase up to 2025
  

The Federal Council submitted the draft FABI bill to Parliament for consultation on 18 January 2012. It is expected that voters will decide on FABI in 2014. The FABI bill is a direct counter-proposal in response to the popular initiative "For public transport" ("Für den öffentlichen Verkehr").

Should FABI fail, the long-term financing of the rail infrastructure term would not be secured. This would have drastic consequences for the efficiency and quality of passenger and goods transportation in Switzerland.

• Rail infrastructure fund (BIF): an integrated solution for sustainable financing.

• Strategic development programme (STEP): step by step towards more railway.

• First STEP upgrade phase up to 2025: significant improvements for passengers and goods traffic

• SBB press releases on FABI (in German).

• The Union of Public Transport (UPT) on FABI (in German).

• The website of the Federal Office of Transport (FOT) on FABI (in German).