Swiss trains in Germany – and still problems? What’s going on with Giruno?

Interestingly, my own first experience was very positive. Shortly after the first services, I traveled privately on a Giruno through Germany. The Swiss onboard restaurant felt like a completely different league, and the train arrived exactly on time.

Unfortunately, many recent experiences have been very different. From timetable year 2025 onward, Giruno units operate the EuroCity-Express services ECE 4/5 and ECE 8/9. They run in double traction between Basel SBB and Hamburg Hbf, replacing the former EuroCity coaches of the Swiss Federal Railways. In the long term, an extension to Lugano is planned, creating a direct link between northern Germany and southern Switzerland.

Why does a Swiss train run through Germany at all? The key term is axle-kilometer compensation. When one railway company operates services abroad, the other country provides comparable services in return. While German ICE trains serve destinations in Switzerland, the SBB compensates by operating Giruno trains in Germany.

The problems began shortly after introduction. Technical failures, particularly drive issues with blocked bogies, forced several trains out of service. As a temporary measure, the Deutsche Bahn deployed ICE 412 units. According to the SBB, the root cause lies in the monitoring of pantograph interference currents, which is handled differently in Germany than in Switzerland.

A software update was installed over the New Year to stabilize double traction operation. Since January, Giruno trains have returned to service, but technical disruptions still occur. Complete cancellations remain frustrating for passengers, especially on busy north–south corridors. Whether continuous high-speed operation on German lines is more demanding than typical Swiss routes remains an open question.

Have you ever traveled on a Giruno train? How did you experience the comfort compared to an ICE? Did you notice differences in onboard catering? Have you personally experienced delays or cancellations with Giruno services? Do you think Swiss trains fit well into German long-distance traffic?

_{(C) By Daniel Wipf - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,} https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59022312