{"id":108,"date":"2026-10-15T14:43:27","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T12:43:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spedimar.ch\/news\/?p=108"},"modified":"2026-10-15T14:43:27","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T12:43:27","slug":"ten-t-corridors-logistics-ticino-switzerland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spedimar.ch\/news\/en\/ten-t-corridors-logistics-ticino-switzerland\/","title":{"rendered":"TEN-T Corridors: What They Are and Why They Matter for Ticino"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes to international logistics between Switzerland, Italy and northern Europe, one term appears more and more often in official documents and strategic plans: <strong>TEN-T<\/strong>. It is the major <strong>European infrastructure network<\/strong> that is reshaping transport flows across the continent, and it has a direct impact on companies operating along the Chiasso-Milan-Genoa axis and towards northern Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this article we explain what the TEN-T network is, which corridors pass through Ticino and why importers and exporters should be familiar with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the TEN-T network?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>TEN-T<\/strong> stands for <strong>Trans-European Transport Network<\/strong>. It is a <strong>strategic European Union programme<\/strong> that aims to create an <strong>integrated, sustainable and efficient<\/strong> infrastructure system on a continental scale, connecting ports, airports, railways, motorways and intermodal terminals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The network is organised on two levels:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Core Network<\/strong>: the priority strategic links, to be completed by 2030<\/li><li><strong>Comprehensive Network<\/strong>: the overall supporting infrastructure, to be completed by 2050<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Within the core network, <strong>nine strategic multimodal corridors<\/strong> have been identified, each dedicated to a traffic route that is vital to the European economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Switzerland and the TEN-T network<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, but it is <strong>fully integrated into the TEN-T network<\/strong> through bilateral agreements with the EU. Its geographical position at the heart of the Alps makes it an <strong>essential route<\/strong> for goods flows between the north and south of the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This integration is achieved mainly through the <strong>major Alpine rail projects<\/strong> such as the <strong>Gotthard<\/strong>, the <strong>L\u00f6tschberg<\/strong> and the <strong>Ceneri<\/strong>, which make Switzerland the most efficient intermodal transit axis in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The TEN-T corridors passing through Ticino<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ticino occupies a strategic position for two of the nine main corridors of the TEN-T network:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rhine-Alpine Corridor<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the most important corridor for Ticino. It links the major <strong>North Sea ports<\/strong> (Rotterdam, Antwerp, Amsterdam) with the <strong>Italian Mediterranean ports<\/strong> (above all Genoa), passing through Germany, Switzerland and Italy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It runs through <strong>Basel, Lucerne, Bellinzona, Lugano, Chiasso, Milan and Genoa<\/strong>. It carries the largest volumes of freight traffic between northern Europe and Italy, much of which crosses the border at Chiasso.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rhine-Danube Corridor (indirect connections)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although it does not pass directly through Ticino, the Rhine-Danube corridor connects with the Rhine-Alpine corridor and contributes to goods flows between Central Europe, Italy and Eastern Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why TEN-T matters for companies in Ticino<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For anyone importing, exporting or managing logistics in Ticino, the TEN-T network is not an abstract topic: it has <strong>concrete effects<\/strong> on day-to-day operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Faster transit times<\/strong>: the Alpine rail projects (Gotthard, Ceneri) have significantly reduced north-south journey times<\/li><li><strong>Growing intermodal capacity<\/strong>: more freight trains, fewer lorries on the Alpine passes, less road congestion<\/li><li><strong>Public investment along the axis<\/strong>: new terminals, logistics hubs and intermodal platforms (Busto Arsizio, Gallarate, Milano Smistamento) within a few hours of Chiasso<\/li><li><strong>Lower transport costs<\/strong> for those who know how to make use of intermodal transport<\/li><li><strong>Standardisation of customs<\/strong> and logistics procedures along the corridor<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Companies that plan their logistics with the TEN-T network in mind are often able to <strong>reduce lead times and costs<\/strong> compared with those who still think only in terms of traditional road routes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">TEN-T and intermodal transport: the opportunity for shippers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the central objectives of the TEN-T programme is the modal shift of freight <strong>from road to rail<\/strong>. For companies, this opens up new operational options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Accompanied combined transport<\/strong> (the entire lorry is loaded onto the train)<\/li><li><strong>Unaccompanied combined transport<\/strong> (only the container or semi-trailer travels by train and is collected by a tractor unit at destination)<\/li><li><strong>Conventional rail freight<\/strong> in full or groupage wagonloads<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Intermodal transport is particularly advantageous for flows between <strong>northern European ports, Switzerland and Italy<\/strong>, where distances and volumes make rail competitive in terms of cost, transit time and environmental impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The role of the freight forwarder in the TEN-T era<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an increasingly intermodal and integrated system, the role of the <strong>customs and logistics forwarder<\/strong> becomes central. It is no longer enough to handle a single customs entry or a single transport: what is needed is <strong>a supply-chain perspective<\/strong> that integrates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Customs clearance at the border<\/li><li>Coordination with road and rail carriers<\/li><li>Interface with intermodal terminals and logistics hubs<\/li><li>Transport documentation and transit arrangements<\/li><li>Optimisation of transit times, costs and transport modes<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spedimar SAGL has operated at the Chiasso border since 1993, right at the key point of the <strong>Rhine-Alpine corridor<\/strong>. We know the terminals, carriers and operating practices along the entire axis and help companies organise efficient shipments between Switzerland, Italy and northern Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Want to optimise your logistics along the Rhine-Alpine corridor?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Contact us to review your goods flows together and identify the most efficient solutions for your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc49 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spedimar.ch\/en\/contact_us\"><strong>Request a consultation<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udcde +41 91 682 95 79 \ud83d\udce7 <a href=\"mailto:info@spedimar.ch\">info@spedimar.ch<\/a><\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>TEN-T corridors explained: how the Rhine-Alpine corridor through Chiasso shapes logistics in Ticino and what intermodal transport means for your shipments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[72],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-108","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spedimar.ch\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spedimar.ch\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spedimar.ch\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spedimar.ch\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spedimar.ch\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=108"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.spedimar.ch\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":109,"href":"https:\/\/www.spedimar.ch\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108\/revisions\/109"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spedimar.ch\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spedimar.ch\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spedimar.ch\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spedimar.ch\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}