BLS Cargo AG
BLS Cargo AG specialises in freight transport within and through Switzerland, focusing on Alpine transit along the Lötschberg/Simplon and Gotthard routes with international block trains. Here, BLS Cargo AG makes trains available in unaccompanied combined transport, in accompanied combined transport («Rolling Motorway») and in conventional transport.
Another important mainstay is constituted by block-train transport within Switzerland, particularly of mineral oil, coal, construction and excavated material. With a market share of about 40%, BLS Cargo AG plays a vital role in the field of Swiss transit rail transport, thus making a substantial contribution towards the attainment of the Confederation's road-to-rail transfer objectives.
BLS AG owns a stake of 52% in BLS Cargo AG. Further partners are DB Schenker Rail Deutschland AG with 45% and the IMT AG (Italian Ambrogio Group) with 3%.
» Learn more about BLS Cargo AG here
The «Rolling Motorway»
On behalf of RAlpin AG, BLS Cargo AG has been operating the «Rolling Motorway» – or Rol-lende Autobahn or Rola for short – in cooperation with other railways ever since 2001. This 414km rail corridor transports heavy goods vehicles of up to 44 tonnes in weight from Freiburg i.B. (Germany) to Novara (Italy) along the Lötschberg-Simplon route in a mere 8 hours. Thus the «Rolling Motorway» is an important supplementary product to traditional freight transport and makes an important contribution to the transfer of road transport onto the rails.
Rola runs around the clock according to a fixed timetable. In order to make efficient use of the drivers' resting times, the service offers mainly night trains. Bans on Sunday and night transport thus become as immaterial as time-consuming customs formalities since the lorries are both loaded and unloaded on EU territory.
BLS AG owns a stake of 30% in RAlpin AG. Further partners are HUPAC Intermodal SA with 30%, SBB Cargo AG with 30% and FS Trenitalia SpA with 10%.
» Learn more about the «Rolling Motorway» here
BLS Netz AG
The purpose of BLS Netz AG is the operation, maintenance and railway infrastructure construction of the BLS Group within the framework of applicable legal precepts. In particular, this includes the operation of the entire Lötschberg axis from Gümligen to Domodossola.
BLS Netz AG is managed by BLS AG. BLS AG makes the necessary personnel for infrastructural functions available and provides BLS Netz AG with further services, such as the upkeep of infrastructural vehicles and engine-driver services for construction trains. Any transactions between BLS AG and BLS Netz AG are subject to performance agreements. The full-cost principle is applied.
BLS AG holds a stake of 33.4% in BLS Netz AG. The Confederation holds a stake of 50.1% while the share of the Canton of Berne amounts to 16.5%.Busland AG
Busland AG covers a bus route network of over 200 km in the Emmental. It is a service that perfectly complements rail-based transportation. The company employs 100 people and operates 30 scheduled vehicles.
Besides its bus route services, Busland AG operates a service centre for commercial vehicles in Langnau.
Busland AG is a subsidiary of BLS AG, which owns a stake of 84.5% in it.
The subsidiaries at a glance
