From Fine Dining To Fast Food: Swiss Dining Cars Through The Ages

2026-03-23 07:06:50

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) The more than 100-year history of the Swiss dining car is varied – and at times surprising. From freshly cooked meals on board to steam-heated dishes and even a McDonald’s experiment, dining cars have always reflected their era. Select your language

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Listening: From fine dining to fast food: Swiss dining cars through the ages This content was published on March 11, 2026 - 11:00 3 minutes Raphael Wallimann, SRF

Deutsch de Mal edel, mal Fast Food – Speisewagen gehen immer mit der Zeit Original Read more: Mal edel, mal Fast Food – Speisewagen gehen immer mit der

Français fr Tantôt raffinés, tantôt fast-food, les wagons-restaurants ont toujours su s’adapter à leur époque Read more: Tantôt raffinés, tantôt fast-food, les wagons-restaurants ont toujours su s’adapter à leur é

Italiano it A volte raffinati, a volte fast food, i vagoni ristorante svizzeri hanno sempre saputo adattarsi ai tempi Read more: A volte raffinati, a volte fast food, i vagoni ristorante svizzeri hanno sempre saputo adattarsi ai

In the 19th century, the railway revolutionised transport across Europe. Switzerland’s first railway line opened between Zurich and Baden in 1847. Soon, a practical question arose: how would passengers be fed during long journeys?

On extended routes, trains initially stopped so travellers could eat at station restaurants. Many stations established buffets – some of which still exist today.

Dining carriages instead of station buffets

The Swiss Dining Car Company was founded in 1903. Today, the company operates under the name Elvetino. It is wholly owned by Swiss Federal Railways and continues to run the country’s dining cars.

“The first dining cars were aimed at well-heeled travellers,” says Isabelle Bitterli from Swiss Federal Railways Historic.“Before there were dining carriages, there were supply stops where passengers could have lunch in a town.”

By the 1930s, trains had become lighter and faster, reducing the need for extended meal breaks.

From the 1950s onwards, dining cars opened to all passengers.“They became places where different social classes met,” Bitterli explains.“Business deals were made over meals, and people on excursions enjoyed simple dishes. This period is often described as the ‘democratisation of the dining car’.”

Catering systems and a fast-food experiment

In the 1980s, new solutions were sought to simplify the complicated logistics. They opted for a catering system.“For the first time, meals were prepared in a centralised kitchen. The menus were then simply warmed up in the dining car,” says Bitterli. This approach remains common today.

One unusual episode followed in 1992, when McDonald’s launched a pilot project with its own restaurant carriage. The fast-food concept on rails failed to win over passengers, and the project was discontinued after a few years.

An uncertain future

“The dining car no longer has the same importance as it once did,” says Bitterli. Today’s focus is on quick service. At the same time, catering options at railway stations have expanded significantly. Many passengers buy food in station shops and consume it on the platform or in standard carriages.

What the dining car of the future might look like remains unclear.“The dining car has always mirrored society and constantly reinvented itself,” Bitterli says. During economic downturns, demand fell; in prosperous times, travellers were more willing to treat themselves to a meal on board.“Its future depends on too many factors to predict.”

Bitterli herself still appreciates the traditional dining car.“There is a special atmosphere that I enjoy,” she says. She also shares a practical tip: passengers can reserve a table for a fee of CHF5 ($6.40) – a charge that is deducted from the bill.

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Translated from German using AI/amva/ts

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