RAlpin has confirmed the final operating dates for the Rolling Highway (RoLa) between Freiburg im Breisgau and Novara, with the service set to end on 13 December 2025. The closure, first announced earlier this year, now moves into its final phase as the operator releases practical details for hauliers still using the corridor.
RAlpin states that the final trains will depart during the night of 12–13 December. The December timetable will be published by 20 November 2025, and until then, the company continues to operate its usual service.
The shutdown is the result of an “unexpected number of restrictions” on the rail network in Germany and Italy, which have significantly limited capacity since autumn 2024. These constraints made reliable, economically viable operation impossible, even with state support.
Essential message: the Rolling Highway through Switzerland will cease permanently in mid-December. No extension is expected.
Alternative routes now available
Switzerland’s Federal Office of Transport (BAV) has published a set of alternative unaccompanied combined transport options for transalpine freight.
The listed services cover various north–south connections and are intended to support companies transitioning away from the accompanied model. RAlpin expresses regret at the closure and encourages transport operators to identify replacement solutions as early as possible.
Background: why the RoLa is ending
For years, the Freiburg–Novara Rolling Highway operated under increasing pressure. Despite strong demand and consistently high utilisation, the service became progressively harder to keep on track. A growing number of construction projects on the German rail network led to repeated disruptions, often announced at short notice, making reliable planning nearly impossible.
At the same time, operating costs rose while revenues failed to keep pace, even with federal support. Switzerland’s long-term freight strategy has also shifted: policymakers now favour unaccompanied combined transport, which is more flexible and better suited to modern logistics chains.
The result is that one of Europe’s last accompanied transalpine services is reaching the end of the line. Once the RoLa shuts down in December, only a handful of similar connections, mainly along the Brenner corridor, will continue to operate.
