The Company: Zentralbahn AG (ZB) is a subsidiary of SBB (Swiss Federal Railways). It connects towns such as Lucerne, Engelberg and Interlaken on the traditional metre gauge railway line. As a major regional and tourist railway, it operates its own route network and continuously implements construction, IT, and investment projects. With over 400 employees, it manages daily operations and the longterm modernisation of its infrastructure – from largescale construction projects and vehicle procurement to digital initiatives as part of their strategic development.
The Challenge: The biggest challenge was mapping a highly complex project landscape. ZB combines construction, IT and investment projects with different processes, approval paths and reporting obligations – including to the Federal Office of Transport. Different tools, Excel lists, and the absence of standards led to discontinuity and a high level of manual effort. The goal: to map all project types in a standardised, integrated system that meets regulatory requirements and provides operational flexibility for the various departments. This flexibility made it possible for the first time to combine all construction, IT, and investment projects in a single system.
The Solution: In close cooperation with TPG The Project Group, Zentralbahn implemented TPG ProjectPowerPack, built on the Microsoft Power Platform. The solution integrates all project data centrally, links to SAP, and maps the different project types through standardised workflows. Special attention was paid to modularity and future expandability, to scale the solution as its needs evolve. Automated reports, uniform data structures, and a modern user experience support transparency and efficiency across the entire project portfolio.
The Benefits: With the introduction of the TPG ProjectPowerPack, ZB has a comprehensive, scalable project and portfolio management solution. Disconnected tools and Excel redundancies have been eliminated, processes standardised, and data flows automated. Visibility across projects has increased significantly, and reporting – especially to the Federal Office of Transport (Bundesamt für Verkehr, BAV) – is now consistent, error-free, and available at the touch of a button. The PPM system maps the complex processes of the organisation and creates a solid basis for efficient ways of working.
