TPF

What TPF does

TPF (Transports publics fribourgeois Holding SA) is a Swiss multimodal public transport operator headquartered in Givisiez, canton of Fribourg, founded in 1868. The company operates regional trains (both standard 1,435mm and narrow 1,000mm gauge), over 40 regional bus lines, urban bus networks (Agglo, Mobul), night buses, and a funicular, serving as the primary mobility provider across the canton of Fribourg with cross-border connections into Vaud and Bern. TPF is organized as a holding structure with three subsidiaries: TPF TRAFIC (operations), TPF INFRA (rail infrastructure maintenance and slot leasing to MOB, SBB Cargo, and tourist trains), and TPF IMMO (real estate development at transport hubs).

The underlying technology stack combines physical rail and bus assets with digital channels: the FAIRTIQ mobile ticketing app, SMS-based ticketing via 873, ticket vending machines, the TPF Webshop, and integration with the NOVA central database shared across Switzerland's 240+ transport companies under the National Direct Traffic network. Distribution is multi-channel: six physical TPF sales points, La Poste branches, the SwissPass ecosystem, and B2B employer-sponsored channels (JobAbo, Flexi-JobAbo). TPF INFRA generates incremental revenue by charging track access fees (sillons) to third-party operators.

The business model combines farebox revenue (covering approximately one-third of line operating costs) with public subsidies split between the Swiss Confederation (55-57.5%) and Canton of Fribourg (42.5-45%). Ownership is publicly dominated: Canton of Fribourg holds 75%, the City of Fribourg 16%, and SBB 5%, with the remaining shares distributed among municipalities and private actors. Additional revenue streams include infrastructure access fees (TPF INFRA), real estate development at transit-adjacent sites (TPF IMMO), advertising on vehicles and stations, custom charter services (Retro Train series), and a pilot combined P+R transit product (Park2City) developed with TCS and routeRANK.

Name

TPF

Legal name

Transports publics fribourgeois Holding (TPF) SA

Website

https://tpf.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1868

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

TPF (Transports publics fribourgeois) operates multimodal public transport—rail, regional/urban bus, night bus, and funicular—across the canton of Fribourg, Switzerland. Owned 75% by Canton of Fribourg, serving commuters, employers, and tourists with farebox revenue covering ~one-third of costs and the remainder funded by Confederation and cantonal subsidies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Passenger Transportation (Bus and Rail)

NAICS

Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (48599)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Demand-Managed Urban Bus Services (Headway/Route Optimization within Fixed-Route Networks) (THAIAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

On-Street Bus Stops, Shelters & Interchanges (THAIALAE)

Keywords

• Public bus services
• Passenger rail services
• Multimodal transit
• Transport subscriptions
• Integrated mobility

Headquarters

HQ city

Siviriez

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket and Subscription Sales: TPF generates revenue from the sale of single tickets, day passes, monthly and annual subscriptions (including GA, Half-Fare, JobAbo, Flexi-JobAbo, GA Night), and SMS/FAIRTIQ e-tickets across its train, regional bus, and urban bus networks. Ticket revenue covers approximately one-third of the actual operating cost of each line.
2. Public Transport Service Contracts: As a public transport operator, TPF receives performance-based subsidies from public authorities. For regional trains (RPV), the Confederation funds 55% and Canton Fribourg funds 45% of the cost gap. For regional buses, the split is 55% Confederation / 45% Canton. For urban/city buses, the split is 57.5% Confederation / 42.5% Canton.
3. Rail Infrastructure Charges (Sillon/Trassenpreis): TPF INFRA charges track access fees ('sillons') to third-party rail operators using its network, including TPF TRAFIC itself, MOB, SBB Cargo, and tourist trains. Fees are calculated based on vehicle type, weight, origin-destination pair, and route length.
4. Real Estate Development: TPF IMMO develops real estate projects on strategically located land owned by the TPF group, often near urban centers and transport hubs. Major projects include the 'Les Taconnets' quarter in Givisiez, transforming former industrial sites into mixed-use urban districts with housing, retail, offices, and a new bus station.
5. Advertising Spaces: TPF sells advertising space across its fleet of buses, trains, and at stations and stops, generating additional non-transport revenue.
6. Custom Transport Services: TPF offers bespoke transport solutions including charter of the Retro Train and vintage buses for private groups and events, generating revenue from specialized transport services outside regular scheduled operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels10 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

TPF operates multimodal public passenger transport across the canton of Fribourg, running more than 40 regional bus lines, urban bus networks (Agglo, Mobul, Romont, Châtel-St-Denis) and night bus services, alongside standard-gauge and metre-gauge rail lines. Revenue comes from fares, subscriptions (Frimobil, GA, Half-Fare, AG Night, JobAbo), advertising on vehicles and stations, rail infrastructure access fees charged to third-party operators, real estate development (TPF IMMO), and bespoke charter of vintage rolling stock for events and tourism.

Product overview

TPF (Transports publics fribourgeois Holding) operates as a multimodal public transportation provider offering integrated train and bus services across the Fribourg canton in Switzerland. The core portfolio includes regional and urban bus networks (over 40 regional lines plus Agglo and Mobul city services), rail networks spanning multiple lines with both standard and narrow gauge tracks, and night bus services. Digital products include the TPF Webshop for online ticket and subscription purchases, the FAIRTIQ mobile ticketing app, and SMS ticketing service. Leisure offerings feature themed Retro Train experiences (Train Fondue, Christmas Market Train, Breakfast Train, etc.) and the Chocolat Express. Combined mobility services encompass Pick-e-Bike e-bike rentals, P+R facilities, and the innovative Park2City service. Subscription products include national passes (GA, Half-Fare, AG Night) and regional Frimobil subscriptions (annual, monthly, weekly), plus employer-sponsored JobAbo and Flexi-JobAbo programs. Infrastructure services are provided through TPF INFRA for railway maintenance and slot pricing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Regional Bus Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Passenger ticket revenue covers approximately one-third of actual line operating costs; the remaining two-thirds is subsidized by public authorities (Confederation and Canton).
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• TCS (Touring Club Suisse)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 October 2022Park2City is TPF's flagship pilot project with TCS, enabling combined P+R parking reservation and Frimobil day ticket purchase through the TCS mobile app. The 12-month pilot covers 7 parkades in the Freiburg region. Funded by the Federal Office of Transport (BAV) under KOMO (Coordination Office for Sustainable Mobility).
• La Poste (Swiss Post)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTPF tickets and transport subscriptions are available for purchase at La Poste branches throughout Switzerland. This partnership extends TPF's physical distribution network beyond its own sales points, leveraging La Poste's extensive branch network for convenient ticket access.
• SBB (Swiss Federal Railways)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBB is a 5% shareholder in TPF Holding and the key national partner for public transport integration. SBB operates the NOVA database on behalf of the National Direct Traffic network (over 240 transport companies). TPF coordinates train schedules with SBB, and SBB provides cross-network ticketing integration via SwissPass. SBB also handles the marketing mandate for GA and Half-Fare subscriptions.
• Frimobil (Freiburg Tariff Community)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrimobil is the tariff community for public transport in the canton of Fribourg and parts of neighboring cantons, comprising 54 zones. TPF participates in Frimobil along with other transport operators, determining ticket prices and zone boundaries jointly with cantons Fribourg, Vaud, Bern, and the Federal Office of Transport.
• TPF TRAFIC AGcoreOthersTPF TRAFIC AG is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TPF Holding responsible for the mobility services (bus and train operations) offered to the Fribourg population. Operationally distinct from the infrastructure and real estate subsidiaries.
• TPF INFRA AGcoreOthersTPF INFRA AG is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TPF Holding responsible for maintaining and renewing railway infrastructure (stations, tracks, catenary, signaling systems) on concession-granted rail sections. Leases rail network capacity to TPF TRAFIC, MOB, SBB Cargo, and tourist trains.
• TPF IMMO AGcoreOthersTPF IMMO AG is a subsidiary developing the real estate projects of the TPF group. Ownership: TPF Holding 83.8%, Canton Fribourg 8.1%, State Personnel Pension Fund 8.1%. Responsible for the 'Les Taconnets' urban quarter project in Givisiez and other strategic property developments near transport hubs.
• COSAHL (Association du cycle d'orientation de la Sarine-Campagne et du Haut-Lac français)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOSAHL is the school association commissioning the new Orientation School (OS) in Givisiez 'Les Taconnets' quarter. TPF IMMO is developing the site which will include the school (36 classrooms, 800 students) and a new bus station. School project cost estimated at CHF 93 million.
• Swiss Federal Government (Confederation)coreOthersThe Confederation (via the Federal Office of Transport, BAV) provides approximately 55% of public subsidy for regional transport and 57.5% for urban transport cost gaps. It also grants TPF railway concessions and co-finances major infrastructure projects.
• Canton of FribourgcoreOthersCanton Fribourg is the largest shareholder (75%) in TPF Holding and provides approximately 45% of regional transport subsidies and 42.5% of urban transport subsidies. Also holds 8.1% in TPF IMMO AG.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BLS AG: One of Switzerland's largest combined rail-and-bus operators, serving the Bern region with standard-gauge rail, narrow-gauge (BLS-owned) lines, and bus networks. Closest analogue to TPF in operating both rail and bus under a regional public-service concession model funded by Confederation/Canton subsidies.
• Regionalverkehr Bern–Solothurn (RBS): Regional rail and bus operator for the Bern–Solothurn area, running narrow-gauge rail lines plus bus services under cantonal concessions with similar subsidy and SBB-integrated ticketing. Directly comparable in scale, multimodal model and Swiss tariff-community integration.
• MOB (Montreux–Bulle–Oberland Railway): Narrow-gauge regional rail operator centred on Bulle/Montreux whose lines actually overlap TPF territory (Bulle–Broc, Bulle–Montbovon) and pays TPF INFRA track-access fees. Most geographically intertwined regional rail peer.
• TransN (Transports publics neuchâtelois): Cantonal multimodal (rail + bus) public-transport operator in neighbouring Canton of Neuchâtel running RegioExpress, regional trains and urban buses under a similar Confederation/Canton subsidy model.
• VBL (Verkehrsbetriebe Luzern): Public urban and regional bus operator for the Lucerne region under cantonal/municipal ownership. Closely comparable in mandate (urban + regional bus), subsidy mix and integrated SwissPass ticketing model.
• VBZ (Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich): Zurich's municipal transit operator running buses and trams; comparable in multimodal urban+regional mandate and in operating under Swiss tariff-community/FAIRTIQ-style digital distribution.

Broad incumbents

• PostBus / PostAuto: The national Swiss bus operator, partly state-owned and operating regional/postal bus lines across all cantons including Fribourg. Overlaps with TPF on regional bus concessions and is a key counterparty in the NDV/SwissPass ecosystem.
• SBB (Swiss Federal Railways): Switzerland's national rail operator that owns 5% of TPF, operates the NOVA platform and coordinates with TPF on RER Fribourg | Freiburg services. A larger, broader incumbent that TPF integrates with but does not compete against on long-distance rail.

Regional players

• Thurbo: SBB-affiliated regional train operator running cross-border services into eastern Switzerland and Germany; comparable as a regional-rail partner embedded in the national SBB scheduling and ticketing network.
• MBC (Transports de la région Morges–Bière–Cossonay): Small canton-Vaud regional rail-and-bus operator with a similar narrow-gauge heritage and concession-based structure; useful size and geographic-mix comparable for benchmarking.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tpf_medias
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TPF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/transports-publics-fribourgeois

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TPF