Logistics services in Switzerland.

Switzerland logistics overview: modes, trade and gateways

Logistics services in Switzerland rely on road, rail and air, with seaborne containers moving via gateway ports in neighboring countries. Goods typically move by truck or train between Swiss hubs such as Basel or Zurich and ports like Genova, Toulon, Antwerpen and Terneuzen.

Shippers can move containers, air cargo and rail freight in and out of Switzerland using these corridors. Scheduled air cargo connections run through Geneva International Airport, Zürich Airport, Bern Airport, Lugano Airport and Sankt Gallen Altenrhein Airport, linking high-value exports and imports to global markets.

Freight forwarders in Switzerland should be able to organize truck and rail moves to gateway ports at Genova, Toulon, Antwerpen and Terneuzen, and connect with carriers such as Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, COSCO, Hapag-Lloyd and others that keep offices in cities like Basel and Zurich. Strong coordination at these cross-border nodes matters for container flows.

The country’s logistics performance index score of 4.1 is well above the world median of 2.7, but the international shipments component at 3.6 is lower than its infrastructure and logistics quality scores. When selecting freight forwarders in Switzerland or a customs broker, check their experience with major trade lanes to partners such as Germany, China, the USA and Italy, and their familiarity with OECD and WTO trade frameworks.

FCL and LCL shipping from and to Switzerland relies on road corridors to seaports in neighboring countries, as Switzerland is landlocked with 0 km of coastline. Main road gateway ports from Bern include Genova in Italy at about 448 km, Toulon in France at about 682 km, Antwerpen in Belgium at about 699 km, and Terneuzen in the Netherlands at about 762 km. These routes support container traffic for both exports and imports.

Containerized trade is about 114,000 TEU, with Switzerland ranked 118 of 168 worldwide and 31 of 36 in its region. Liner connectivity for freight forwarders in Switzerland is supported by global shipping lines with offices in Basel, Zurich, Muttenz and nearby locations. Maersk, CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, HMM, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC, ONE, PIL, ZIM and ANL are present, and MSC is headquartered in Switzerland. No observed FCL or LCL freight rates are listed for this market.

Air freight in Switzerland is served by five airports with scheduled services: Geneva International Airport, Zürich Airport, Bern Airport, Lugano Airport and Sankt Gallen Altenrhein Airport. The air cargo volume reached about 1,300 million tonne-km in 2023, ranking 26 of 184 countries worldwide.

This mode aligns with exports such as gold, packaged medicine, vaccines, nitrogen compounds and base metal watches, and imports such as gold, packaged medicine, vaccines, cars and jewelry. Air makes particular sense on routes to partners like Germany, China, the USA and Italy where time-sensitive and high-value shipments justify higher transport costs.

Rail and road freight in Switzerland benefit from a network of about 5,300 km of railway and road access to Austria, France, Italy, Liechtenstein and Germany. Rail freight moved about 12.0 billion tonne-km in 2021, with the country ranked 29 of 113 worldwide.

Trains and trucks connect inland hubs, especially around Basel and Zurich, to foreign seaports and neighboring industrial centers. Short international rail routes include Basel to Milan at 347 km, Basel to Lyon at 366 km and Basel to Munich at 390 km. Key road routes include Zurich to Milan at 308 km, Zurich to Munich at 374 km and Zurich to Frankfurt at 436 km, underpinning cross-border European freight flows.

Customs clearance in Switzerland operates within a WTO member economy that has been part of the World Customs Organization since 1952-12-19. Applied tariffs are low, with an average rate of about 1 percent in 2022.

The logistics performance index customs score is 4.1, compared with a world median of 2.6, reflecting relatively efficient border processes. Median export lead time is 3 days and import lead time is 2 days for standard shipments. For each shipment, shippers should prepare at minimum a commercial invoice, packing list and the relevant transport document to support customs processing.