Switzerland second-largest railway BLS announced on September that it has submitted concession application for the operation of two long-distance and three Regio Express routes as it seeks to re-enter the inter-city passenger market. In a bid to open up the market for domestic long-distance passenger services, the Swiss Federal Office of Transport (BAV) has issued an open invitation for applications for the next 15-year concession. The current concession, due to run out for most services at the end of this year, is held by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), which holds a monopoly in this market and has just applied to continue running these services for the next 15-year period.

BLS is seeking to operate Interlaken - Bern - Basle inter-city services from 2022 and Brig - Bern - Basle services from 2023. The operator has also applied for the concession to run Bern - Olten, Biel - Bern and Bern - Le Locle RegioExpress services from 2020. BLS says it would invest SFr 495m ($US 521m) in rolling stock for the these routes, including new inter-city trains for the two long-distance lines and additional Stadler Kiss double-deck EMUs for RegioExpress services from Bern to Olten and Biel. Bern - Le Locle services would be operated by new Stadler Flirt EMUs ordered earlier this year.