SWITZERLAND: Transferis has been established as a joint venture of SBB and SNCF to manage the launch of intensive cross-border suburban services for the Genève region from 2013.

SNCF CEO Guillaume Pepy joined Paul Blumenthal, Head of Passenger Traffic at Swiss Federal Railways, at a ceremony to mark the inauguration of Transferis on February 8. Blumenthal pointed to a potential catchment area of 900 000 people covering Genève, its immediate suburbs, the French border region and communities along Lac Leman towards Lausanne. The spine route will serve the 'CEVA axis' from Genève Cornavin to Eaux Vives and Annemasse, with trains continuing to other destinations including Nyon, Bellegarde, St Gervais and Annecy.

To be based in Annemasse, Transferis will be responsible for marketing services and ensuring an integrated timetable is in place along the network's constituent lines. SBB hopes ridership will grow five-fold in the seven years after services begin.