The reputation of Swiss public transport is based on a long tradition. For example, in June 2012, Geneva will celebrate the 150th anniversary of its tramway which, inaugurated on 19th June 1862, is the oldest European tramline still in service. But Geneva itself is just a gateway for the many other cities and the 26 cantons which together make up the Swiss Confederation. There is a rich transport culture throughout Switzerland. The railways in particular, have a long and prestigious history. The federal railways and the numerous regional and mountain train companies are world-renowned for their punctuality, their synchronised timetables and the quality of service offered to passengers.

In addition to its railways, Switzerland has an incredibly rich and diverse public transport network. The three-tone horns of the post buses ring out in the mountains and the countryside. Funiculars and cable-cars can be found on almost every mountainside whilst boats – some of the Belle-Epoque – navigate the country's lakes. In short, each city has its own well-functioning and specialised urban public transport system.

To fully sign up to the UITP's PTx2 strategy, key public transport players in Switzerland, as elsewhere, are looking for original action plans as well as business and financial models. The theme of the 60th UITP World Congress and Exhibition in Geneva – i-MOVE 2.0 (see below) – will allow for an evaluation of the progress of the research made on this topic so far. In looking for the economic model of the future, public transport authorities around the world are working on a multitude of ideas: each of these will have to be implemented in their respective markets within their individual cultural, financial and institutional frameworks and considerations.

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