Widmer Rail Services

WRS Widmer Rail Services AG is a Swiss railway undertaking (Eisenbahnverkehrsunternehmen, EVU) specialising in rail freight transport. Founded in November 2007 by Pierre Widmer, the company began by training locomotive drivers and leasing them to customers, then progressively broadened its portfolio into staff leasing, locomotive leasing, workshop services and, from 2012, full rail freight operations under its own EVU concession. Its headquarters are in Beckenried in the canton of Nidwalden, with operational bases in Basel and Glattbrugg. The company's core business is moving goods by rail across Switzerland and, increasingly, across borders. It operates in timber transport, wagonload traffic (Wagenladungsverkehr, WLV), combined transport and special transports, and increasingly runs block trains domestically and internationally. Its services include EVU operations, personnel leasing, locomotive rental and workshop maintenance. WRS employs around 100 people and operates a fleet of roughly 17 electric and 9 diesel locomotives. Geographically, WRS started on the standard-gauge Swiss network and expanded into Germany after acquiring and converting Re 421 locomotives. In August 2024 the European Railway Agency (ERA) granted WRS a ten-year safety authorisation covering Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Italy, enabling it to serve major Alpine and north–south European freight corridors. A German subsidiary, WRS Deutschland GmbH, was founded in 2018 but entered insolvency proceedings in June 2023 and ceased operations on 30 August 2023; the Swiss parent took over cross-border traffic without interruption. The company also has a subsidiary, Synopsis, active in railway-specific training in Switzerland. In 2025 WRS announced further Siemens Vectron acquisitions, including battery-power-module locomotives for last-mile operation and units equipped with the XLoad rail conditioning system, and a new site in Emmenbrücke is planned for 2025/2026.

WRS Widmer Rail Services AG was founded in November 2007 by Pierre Widmer. Initially the company specialised in training locomotive drivers and leasing them to customers. In 2008 it received authorisation for staff leasing and began to diversify its service offering. In 2010 it purchased its first diesel locomotive (Tm232), and 2012 marked a decisive turning point: alongside acquiring its first electric locomotive (Ae 1042) for conversion, WRS obtained the coveted concession as a railway undertaking (EVU) and carried out maintenance work on its own locomotives for the first time. In 2013 the company obtained the safety certificate (SIBE) for Swiss operations. In 2014 Widmer Rail Services received the operating permit for the Ae 1042. In 2017 followed ISO 9001:2015 certification, ECM certification, the purchase of several electric locomotives, the establishment of an in-house control centre and the opening of new office premises for the team in Basel. In 2018 WRS Deutschland GmbH was founded, accompanied by obtaining safety certificate B (SIBE) for the German market. In 2019 the company underwent restructuring that included moving its operational headquarters to larger offices. New office premises were also opened for the team in Glattbrugg, and the Basel team likewise moved into more spacious offices. The year 2020 brought safety certificate B (SIBE) for the Austrian market. WRS expanded its activities and is now active throughout Switzerland in timber transport and wagonload traffic (WLV). It also invested in two new electric locomotives of the Vectron Re 475 type. In 2021 and 2022 the company was organisationally expanded. At the beginning of 2023 WRS moved its headquarters from Glattbrugg to the former Mühlematt municipal building in Beckenried (canton of Nidwalden), where new jobs were created. At that time the company employed around 80 people. The Basel and Glattbrugg locations remained as operational bases. In June 2023 insolvency proceedings were opened against WRS Deutschland GmbH at the Amtsgericht Mannheim. The subsidiary ceased operations on 30 August 2023. Because the operating licence for cross-border freight traffic was held by the Swiss parent company, WRS Switzerland was able to take over Germany traffic without interruption. International operations thus continued seamlessly, so supply chains and customer services were not affected. Since 2024 WRS has employed around 100 people and operates a fleet of about 17 electric locomotives and 9 diesel locomotives. The company is active in timber transport, wagonload traffic, combined transport and special transports. Block trains are increasingly used in domestic and cross-border traffic. In 2025 the company announced the procurement of further Siemens Vectron locomotives. In February two locomotives with battery-power modules were ordered, enabling operation on non-electrified sections (the "last mile"). With this investment WRS aims to make its services more sustainable and flexible. In the following October a total of a fifth locomotive of this type was ordered, to be equipped with the XLoad rail conditioning system. In December four further Vectron MS locomotives (193 300, 302, 309 and 315) were taken over from DB Cargo Deutschland. For 2025/2026 the opening of a new location in Emmenbrücke is planned, as indicated by published job advertisements. Geographically, WRS's area of operation is primarily the standard-gauge Swiss railway network. After purchasing used Re 421 locomotives approved in Germany following conversion, Widmer expanded its area of operation to the German standard-gauge network and has since been active there as well. Another milestone in geographical expansion was reached in August 2024: the European Railway Agency (ERA) granted WRS authorisation to operate in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Italy. This authorisation, valid for the next ten years, allows WRS to extend its area of operation to these four countries and thus creates the basis for a more comprehensive cross-border offering. With this expansion WRS now covers major European transport axes of strategic importance for international freight transport, including connections across the Alps that form important trade routes between northern and southern Europe, such as the Switzerland–Italy or Germany–Italy axes.

• 2025

  Ordered two Vectron locomotives with battery-power module in February; ordered fifth Vectron with XLoad system in October; took over four Vectron MS locomotives from DB Cargo Deutschland in December.

• 2025

  Planned opening of new location in Emmenbrücke for 2025/2026.

• 2024

  ERA granted ten-year authorisation for Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Italy in August; around 100 employees and fleet of about 17 electric and 9 diesel locomotives.

• 2023

  Headquarters moved from Glattbrugg to Beckenried; insolvency proceedings opened for WRS Deutschland GmbH in June; subsidiary ceased operations on 30 August.

• 2021

  Organisational expansion.

• 2020

  Safety certificate B (SIBE) for Austrian market; investment in two Vectron Re 475 electric locomotives.

• 2019

  Restructuring; operational headquarters moved to larger offices; new Glattbrugg offices; Basel team moved to larger offices.

• 2018

  WRS Deutschland GmbH founded; safety certificate B (SIBE) for German market.

• 2017

  ISO 9001:2015 and ECM certification; purchase of several electric locomotives; in-house control centre; new Basel offices.

• 2014

  Received operating permit for the Ae 1042.

• 2013

  Obtained safety certificate (SIBE) for Swiss operations.

• 2012

  Acquired first electric locomotive (Ae 1042) for conversion; obtained EVU concession; first maintenance work on own locomotives.

• 2010

  Purchased first diesel locomotive (Tm232).

• 2008

  Received authorisation for staff leasing and began diversifying services.

• 2007

  WRS Widmer Rail Services AG founded in November by Pierre Widmer.

Swiss private rail freight operator focused on flexible, customer-tailored cross-border freight and associated rail services.

• Rail freight transport

  Timber transport, wagonload traffic (WLV), combined transport and special transports.

• Block trains

  Increasingly used in domestic and cross-border traffic.

• Locomotive leasing

  Rental of locomotives to customers.

• Staff leasing

  Leasing of trained locomotive drivers, shunters and inspectors.

• Workshop services

  Maintenance and workshop services for locomotives.

• Railway-specific training

  Provided via subsidiary Synopsis in Switzerland.

1. 1WRS Widmer Rail Services AG - Wir bewegen Zügew-r-s.ch
2. 2Widmer Rail Servicesde.wikipedia.org
3. 3Widmer Rail Serviceswikidata.org