The making of the Lugano Tram-Train Network The Federal Court has taken another step forward. The Federal Court has rejected the request for suspensive effect contained in the sole appeal filed against the Federal Administrative Court's decision, thus confirming the possibility of starting preliminary work according to the previously established timetable. Activities are scheduled to begin in mid-October 2026.
The decision, announced by the Council of State, represents a significant step forward in the implementation of an infrastructure considered strategic for the future of cantonal mobility and also supported by a significant financial contribution from the Confederation.
The Federal Court rejects the suspensive effect
The High Court's ruling issued on June 25, 2026, concerns the only appeal filed after the Federal Administrative Court's decision. The appeal, filed on May 11 by three private citizens, was accompanied by a request to temporarily suspend the effectiveness of the planning approval decision.
According to the Ticino government, the appeal did not challenge the main infrastructure works envisaged by the project, but raised limited issues. Pending a future ruling on the merits of the case, the Federal Court held that there were no grounds to block the project.
In the reasons for the decree, the judge gave greater weight to the public interest linked to the construction of the work than to the individual interests invoked by the appellants.
The start of the works is still scheduled for October
The failure to grant suspensive effect leaves the decision approving the plans fully enforceable. This allows the project's promoters to adhere to the previously announced schedule and begin preliminary work in the second half of October.
This is a deadline that had already been indicated in recent weeks by the director of the Department of Land and Sea, Claudio Zali, who had anticipated that any appeal would unlikely result in a postponement of the start of the works.
The legal process will therefore continue with the assessment of the appeal's merits, but without impacting, at least at this stage, the operational progress of the project.
A strategic infrastructure for Ticino mobility
The priority stage of the Lugano Tram-Train Network is considered one of the most important projects in the enhancement of public transport in the Sottoceneri region.
The goal is to speed up travel between Lugano and surrounding areas, improving connections with Malcantone and the Lower Vedeggio Valley. According to estimates presented by the authorities, the new system will significantly reduce travel times, in some cases halving them compared to the current situation.
Increased travel speed should also translate into reduced pressure on the road network, offering a more competitive alternative to the car for daily travel.
Expected benefits for citizens and the territory
The future network is destined to impact not only travel times but also the overall organization of regional mobility. The project aims to strengthen integration between different modes of public transport and promote more efficient connections between major population centers.
For the Council of State, the construction of this project represents a concrete response to the traffic-related problems that have affected the city of Lugano and surrounding areas for years, with benefits destined to extend to a much wider territorial catchment area.
A work also supported by the Confederation
With the confirmation of the effectiveness of the decision approving the plans, the Canton of Ticino can continue the construction process of an infrastructure that also benefits from significant federal financial support.
Federal funding is a key aspect of the project and demonstrates the importance of the project at the national level, within the framework of policies aimed at developing sustainable mobility and strengthening public transport.
The Federal Court's ruling does not definitively conclude the legal proceedings, but it allows the planned timetable to be met. Subject to subsequent developments related to the examination of the appeal on the merits, the preliminary phase of construction of the Lugano Tram-Train Network will therefore begin in mid-October 2026, marking further progress towards the completion of one of Ticino's major infrastructure projects.
