The bike boom during the coronavirus summer has also brought SBB to its knees. In July 2020, SBB sold 40 percent more day tickets for bikes than in July 2019. Previously, a day ticket was enough to take your bike on the train to Valais or Graubünden. A reservation is only required on Intercity tilting trains, for example on the Jura-Südfuss line and through the Gotthard. From March 21, 2021, this will apply to all Intercity trains, including those with a multifunctional compartment.

For operational reasons, it may make sense not to leave more bikes on board than can be hung on the few hooks. On the platform, however, this repeatedly causes unpleasant scenes with bikers who are not allowed on the train because there is no room for their bikes. An article in the NZZ reports on an incident in which the police ultimately had to ensure order. What happens regularly: Cyclists without a reservation get on anyway and move the discussion to the inside of the train.The reservation requirement on all Intercity routes is tantamount to a price increase for taking the bike with you (CHF 10 for the outward and return journey, together with the day ticket a total of CHF 24). The question is whether SBB customers will also receive a better service in return, for example more spaces for their bikes. Imagine a group of six people wanting to ride a tour together in Ticino. There may well not be room for all of them on the same train. Let alone the other 20 bikers who were out and about in the region on the same day and would all like to ride home at 6 pm. What's more, it's not always possible to predict which train you'll catch on the way back. Should we now make reservations on several trains and thus ensure empty bike spaces - to the frustration of those who are not allowed to travel even though there are still spaces available? There is further potential for improvement in the new double-decker trains, where the parking space for bicycles is so narrow that mountain bike handlebars protrude far into the aisle. Discussions about this are part of the background noise of almost every Dosto journey.

When confronted with these questions and objections, the SBB media office replied that the details are currently being clarified in collaboration with Pro Velo and the VCS. Information will be provided in February, a few weeks before the general reservation obligation comes into force. On the same day, Pro Velo announced in a press release that, as a lobby organization for cyclists, it would only agree to the reservation obligation if it went hand in hand with a massive increase in transport capacity and did not result in a cost increase. Consequently, this means that the day pass and reservation together should not cost more than the current day pass alone (CHF 14). It should also be much easier to buy the tickets required for bicycle transportation in the app.

SBB wants to ensure orderly conditions on the trains with the reservation requirement. In doing so, it runs the risk of damaging climate protection. At the moment, it is mainly promoting the idea of riding a train to the bike area in a negative light. Many people would rather stand in a traffic jam than stay behind on the platform.