Rail transport in Switzerland

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Rail network of Switzerland
No. stations
1838[1]
Highest elevationJungfraujoch railway station
 at3,454 metres (11,332 ft)
Lowest elevationPiano di Magadino
 at200 metres (660 ft)
Map
Swiss railway network

The Swiss rail network is noteworthy for its density,[14][15] its coordination between services, its integration with other modes of transport, timeliness[16][17] and a thriving domestic and trans-Alp freight system. This is made necessary by strong regulations on truck transport,[18] and is enabled by properly coordinated intermodal logistics.[19]

With 5,200 kilometres (3,200 mi) network length, Switzerland has a dense railway network,[20] and is the clear European leader in kilometers traveled: 2,505 km per inhabitant and year (2019).[21] Worldwide, only the Japanese travel more by train.

Virtually 100% of its network is electrified, except for the few tracks on which steam locomotives operate for tourism purposes only. There are 74 railway companies in Switzerland. The share of commuters who travel to work using public transport (as the main mode of transport) is 30%. The share of rail in goods transport performance by road and rail (modal split) is 39%.[1]

Switzerland was ranked first among national European rail systems in the 2017 European Railway Performance Index for its intensity of use, quality of service and strong safety rating.[22] Switzerland had excellent intensity of use, notably driven by passenger traffic, a good rating for quality of service, and a very good rating for safety. Switzerland captured high value in return for public investment with cost to performance ratios that outperform the average ratio for all European countries.[23]

Switzerland is a member of the

UIC Country Code for Switzerland is 85.[24]

Standard-gauge railways

Regional train near the Rhine Falls

Three quarters of the Swiss rail network is at standard gauge, comprising 3,773 km (2,344.4 mi), administered mostly by three companies. Important railway stations are the

Zürich Oerlikon (104,000 ppd)[25]

Swiss Federal Railways

Main article: Swiss Federal Railways

Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS) is the largest railway company in Switzerland and handles the majority of national and international traffic. It operates the main east–west track in the

Gotthard Line through the Gotthard Base Tunnel (Milano-Chiasso-Lugano-Luzern/Zurich-Basel line) and the Simplon Tunnel (Domodossola to Brig-Lausanne-Geneva line).[8]

BLS

Main article:
Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon railway

BLS (

standard-gauge network. It manages the second major Alpine route Bern-Brig via both Lötschberg Tunnels (base and summit) and connection at Brig with SBB's Simplon Tunnel to Italy.[13]

SOB

Main article: Südostbahn

The original line of Schweizerische Südostbahn AG (SOB) runs on 147 km (91.3 mi) (of which 123 km (76.4 mi) are their own) between

Rothenturm, Lake Zug and Lake Lucerne.[10]

Rail links to other countries

EC 250 Giruno provides international connections across the Alps through the 57 kilometre-long Gotthard Base Tunnel

Although Austria, Germany and Liechtenstein all use the same voltage as Switzerland, dedicated types of locomotives are necessary due to Switzerland using narrower

pantographs
.

The German national railway company Deutsche Bahn (DB) owns cross-border lines from the German border to Basel Badischer Bahnhof station, which is also operated by DB. It also owns and operates an east–west line across the canton of Schaffhausen that forms a link in the largely German High Rhine Railway, and jointly owns Schaffhausen railway station with the Swiss Federal Railways.

The German

ICE services to Basel, Zurich, Berne, Chur and Interlaken. On the other hand, the Swiss operator SBB runs Eurocity services into Germany on the lines from Zurich to Stuttgart and Munich. SBB also operates a regional line termed Seehas
on German territory north of Lake Constance close to the Swiss border.

The French-Swiss joint-venture TGV Lyria operates high-speed trains between Paris and South-France with services to Geneva, Lausanne, Basel and Zurich.

The Austrian

Buchs SG
and calls Innsbruck, Salzburg and Vienna besides others.

SBB and Trenitalia jointly operate EuroCity services between Switzerland and Italy. These services are running between Geneva and Milan or even Venice via the Simplon Tunnel. Between Basel and Milan via Berne and the Lötschberg Base and Simplon Tunnels, and between Zurich and Milan via the Gotthard route.

Narrow-gauge railways

See also: List of narrow-gauge railways in Switzerland

RhB and MGB

The Glacier Express (here on the Landwasser Viaduct) is the longest distance train in Switzerland. It runs from Zermatt to St. Moritz, on both MGB and RhB networks

The

Rhätische Bahn (RhB) is the longest metre-gauge railway in Switzerland, linking Arosa, Disentis, Davos, St. Moritz in the high Alps, and Tirano in Italy with Chur, a rail junction with the SBB. It passes through the upper Rhine Valley and several side valleys, as well as the Engadine, the upper valley of the river Inn. The Bernina Pass is the highest point on this line, at 2253 m. It is also the highest rail crossing in Europe. Total length: 366 kilometres.[2]

The former

Brig
. Brig is a rail junction with the SBB and BLS and sits at the north end of the Simplon tunnel on the Milan to Lausanne CFF line and Milan to Bern BLS line.

The former

Matt Valleys, tributaries of the Rhône
. Total length: 43 kilometres.

In 2003, the FO and BVZ merged to form the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB).[3]

The Glacier Express (GEX) runs on the combined three line route St. Moritz/Davos-Filisur-Chur-Disentis-Andermatt-Brig-Visp-Zermatt. A one-day trip in panoramic-view cars takes tourists from St. Moritz/Davos to Zermatt, or vice versa, through some of the most spectacular scenery of the Alps. It is the longest distance train, the journey from Zermatt to St. Moritz lasting about 8 hours.

Further narrow-gauge railways

The

Alpine Rhine Valley.[6]

Golden Pass train near Gstaad

The

Lenk in the Simmental. The section from Montreux to Zweisimmen, approximately 63 kilometres long, is part of the "Golden Pass Panorama" trip from Montreux to Interlaken (and further to Lucerne), a trip which combines rides on the MOB, for some connections the BLS, and from Interlaken onwards the Zentralbahn (zb).[7][12]

From

Brünigbahn section of the Zentralbahn (zb) runs 74 kilometres further to Lucerne. It skirts Lake Brienz and passes through the range of mountains to the north of the lake via Brünig Pass, and then drops into Obwalden (the Sarner Aa valley) to Lucerne. The zb also runs the line between Lucerne and Engelberg.[4]

The Chemins de fer du Jura (CJ), the railways of the Jura canton in northern Switzerland, is an 85-kilometre rail network of which 74 km is metre gauge, the remaining 11 km being standard gauge. It connects La Chaux-de-Fonds to Glovelier and Tramelan, both via Le Noirmont.[5]

The

canton of Zurich
and eastern Aargau. The two lines have a total length of 51 kilometres (32 mi).

Narrow-gauge lines are renowned for their scenic views (here the WAB between Lauterbrunnen and Wengen)

The

Berner Oberland Bahn (BOB) is a 24-kilometre line from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald
. It begins at Interlaken Ost station and divides at Zweilütschinen, about 10 kilometres south of Interlaken. The western branch leads to Lauterbrunnen, while the eastern branch leads to Grindelwald. It is possible to make a loop by taking the Lauterbrunnen branch and returning via the Grindelwald branch. The two branches are connected by the Wengernalp Bahn.

The

Wengernalpbahn (WAB) is a 19-kilometre line from Lauterbrunnen to Grindelwald, leading over the Eiger ridge at the junction station of Kleine Scheidegg
. In the winter, this junction is a ski resort served by many lifts and trails, as well as the rail line. Skiers can ride the train from the valleys below to return to the top of the runs.

The

Jungfraubahn (JB), which is also rack-and-pinion throughout, starts at Kleine Scheidegg and runs 9 kilometres through tunnels in the Eiger and Mönch, leading to the "Jungfraujoch", a saddle between the Mönch and the Jungfrau summits. At the saddle are a visitor centre and an observatory. The Aletsch Glacier, largest in Europe, runs to the south toward the Rhône
valley.

The

adhesion
railway.

The

Chemin de fer Martigny–Châtelard
(MC) is 19 km long, with one rack railway section, in the canton of Valais. It connects with the Saint-Gervais–Vallorcine railway in France, the joint services being marketed as Mont-Blanc Express.

In the

Chemin de fer Lausanne–Echallens–Bercher, as well as part of the longer Montreux–Lenk im Simmental line
.

The

Ferrovia Lugano–Ponte Tresa (FLP), in canton Ticino, runs 12.3 kilometres from Lugano to Ponte Tresa
.

The

Gornergrat Bahn climbs for 9 kilometres from an elevation of 1600 metres near the Zermatt station of the Zermatt RR to a 3000-metre high-end station on the shoulder of the Monte Rosa Mountain. The entire route is a rack-and-pinion railway
.

At

Brienz Rothorn Bahn (BRB), a steam-hauled rack railway
, ascends to near the summit of the Brienzer Rothorn.

Narrow-gauge links to adjacent countries

1,000 mm / 3 ft 3+3⁄8 in

metre gauge

Urban rail

Trams

Main article: List of town tramway systems in Switzerland

There are trams operating on nine systems in seven Swiss cities. Street-running tramways are nearly all 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in). The

Chemin de fer Bex–Villars–Bretaye
(BVB) in Bex is more of a mixed interuban light rail line connected to a rack railway but it does have some street running portions, particularly in Bex where the BVB operates along the right of way of a tramway system originally built in the 1890s.

City System Start of
electric
operations 		Gauge notes
Basel Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe (BVB)[27] 6 May 1892[27] 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
metre gauge
 		8 lines
Baselland Transport (BLT)[27] 6 October 1902 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
metre gauge
 		4 lines, 65.2 km (40.5 mi), 100 trams, serves suburbs
Bern[27] Städtische Verkehrsbetriebe Bern 1 July 1902 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
metre gauge
 		 
Bex Bex–Villars–Bretaye railway (BVB) 1898 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
metre gauge
 		connects to rack railway in Villars-sur-Ollon
Geneva[27]
Transports Publics Genevois
 22 September 1894 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
metre gauge
 		 
Lausanne
Tramway du sud-ouest lausannois
 2 June 1991 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
standard gauge
 		 
Neuchâtel[27] Trams in Neuchâtel 16 May 1897 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
metre gauge
 		 
Zürich[27] Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ) 8 March 1894 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
metre gauge
 		 
Stadtbahn Glattal
 10 December 2006 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
metre gauge
 		 

S-Bahn

In many parts of Switzerland suburban commuter rail service is today known as

canton of Ticino Treni Regionali Ticino Lombardia
(TILO). The commuter rail networks of Zurich, Basel, Geneva and Ticino provide also cross-border transportation services into Germany, France and Italy].

Tourist railways

High-speed railways

Main article: High-speed rail in Switzerland

History

Main article: History of rail transport in Switzerland
Locomotive used by the Swiss Northern Railway (1868 photograph)

The construction and operation of Swiss railways during the 19th century was carried out by private railways. The first internal line was a 16 km line opened from

Lötschberg Railway
).

In 1901 the major railways were nationalised to form

Second World War rail rapidly lost its share of the rail market to road transport as car ownership rose and more roads were built. From 1970 the Federal Government has become more involved in upgrading the railways, especially in urban areas and on trunk routes under the Rail 2000 project. In addition, two major trans-alpine routes—the Gotthard Railway and the Lötschberg approach to the Simplon—were rebuilt under the NRLA project. As a consequence, two new flat routes through the Alps opened in the early 21st century: The Lötschberg Base Tunnel in 2007 and the Gotthard Base Tunnel
in 2016.

Integration of services

Between rail services

Services on the Swiss railway are integrated with each other and with other forms of public transport, such as local railways, postal buses, boats and cable transports, often in direct proximity, to minimise transfer times. Unlike its European neighbours, Switzerland has not developed a comprehensive high-speed rail network,[28] with the running speed on its one stretch, called the Rothrist-Mattstetten line, of relatively high-speed line being 200 km/h.[29] Instead the priority is not so much the speeding up of trains between cities, but the reduction of connection times through the nodal system.[30] Journey times on main lines between hubs are multiples of 15 minutes so that on the hour or half-hour all trains stand in the main stations at the same time, thus minimising connection times. Indeed, the above-mentioned Rothrist-Mattstetten line reduces journey times from Bern to Zurich from 72 minutes to 57 minutes,[31]: 29  in keeping with the clock-face scheduling.

Zürich HB
. Note the national and international departures after 16:30 and 17:00
Regional trains waiting at Aigle railway station
Postal buses waiting outside Bellinzona railway station

Between modes of transport

Rail timetables are integrated[31]: 36  with the extensive[31]: 18  network of postal buses (branded as PostBus, French: CarPostal, German: PostAuto, Italian: AutoPostale) which serve both plain and high mountain villages. For example, on postal bus line 12.381[32] the 10:35 from the mountain village of Les Haudères is planned to arrive in the regional city of Sion at 11:20 where a train departs the station (located next to the bus station) at 11:24 for Visp. Indeed, it is a familiar sight to for the postal cars to be already lined up outside the station for the arriving train. From this perspective, the Swiss rail network functions as the core of a wider public transport network. Other modes of transport concerned by the integrated timetable are boats (for instance at Thun railway station) and cable transports (for instance at Fiesch railway station).

Costs and subsidies

A goods train on the Lötschberg summit line. About CHF 18 billion have been spent on modernizing the Gotthard and Lötschberg axis, both part of the NRLA project

Although public investment is positively correlated with a given railway system's performance, the European Railway Performance Index finds differences in the value that countries receive in return for their public cost. The 2017 Index found Switzerland captures high value for money relative to the average ratio of performance to cost among European countries.[33]

Passenger transport

In 2012, the total costs for passenger transport on Swiss railway network was CHF 8.88 billion, of which CHF 4.46 billion (50%) were due to infrastructure costs, CHF 3.98 billion (45%) were costs of transportation means, CHF 427 million due to environmental and health costs, and CHF 25 million due to accidents.[34]

CHF 4.28 billion, or 48.2%, were paid by passengers, and CHF 4.15 billion (or 47%) came from rail subsidies provided by federal, cantonal, and municipal contributions. CHF 426 million (or 4.8%) were contributed by the common weal (accident and health insurances, environmental funds etc.).[34]

Freight transport

In 2012, the total costs for freight transport on Swiss railway network was CHF 2.063 billion, of which CHF 779 million (37.8%) were due to infrastructure costs, CHF 900 million (43.6%) were costs of transportation means, CHF 59 million due to environmental and health costs, and CHF 325 million (15.8%) due to accidents.[34]

CHF 1.058 billion, or 51.3%, were paid by customers, and CHF 122 million (5.9%) by transporting companies, while CHF 555 million (26.9%) were subsidised by federal, cantonal, and municipal contributions. CHF 328 millions (15.9%) were contributed by the common weal (accident and health insurances, environmental funds etc.).[34]

See also

Notes and references

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j incomplete figure

References

  1. ^ a b c "Public transport (incl. rail freight) - overview" (XSL). Neuchâtel, Switzerland: Federal Statistical Office. 15 December 2016. Retrieved 2017-01-16.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Profil 2014. Faszinierend anders unterwegs" (PDF) (in German). Chur, Switzerland: RhB Rhätische Bahn. 2015. p. 27. Retrieved 2015-04-11.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Betriebsdaten" (in German). Brig, Switzerland: MGB matterhorn gotthard bahn. 2015. Retrieved 2015-04-11.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "zb Geschäftsbericht 2014" (PDF) (Annual Report) (in German). Stansstad (NW), Switzerland: zb Zentralbahn AG. 2015. pp. 31–33. Retrieved 2015-07-13.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Die CJ in Zahlen & Geschäftsbericht 2013" (Annual Report) (in French and German). Tavannes, JU, Switzerland: Chemins de fer du Jura. 14 May 2014. Archived from the original on 2018-01-08. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "AB Fahren, Geschäftsbericht 2013" (PDF) (Annual Report) (in German). Herisau, Switzerland: Appenzeller Bahnen AG. 2014. p. 32. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "2014 Rapport de gestion" (PDF) (Annual Report) (in French). Montreux (VD), Switzerland: Compagnie du Chemin de fer Montreux - Oberland bernois SA. 2015. p. 4. Retrieved 2015-07-13.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h "Die SBB in Zahlen und Fakten. 2014" (PDF) (Jahresbericht) (in German). Bern, Switzerland: Swiss Federal Railways. p. S31. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-08-03. Retrieved 2015-04-11.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "BLS AG Infrrastructure - Key Figures". Bern, Switzerland: BLS AG. 31 December 2013. Archived from the original on 2016-06-19. Retrieved 2015-04-11.
  10. ^ a b c d e f "Die SOB in Zahlen" (in German). St. Gallen, Switzerland: Schweizerische Südostbahn AG. Retrieved 2015-04-21.
  11. ^ a b c d "Bahn S4/S10" (in German). Zurich, Switzerland: Sihltal Zürich Uetliberg Bahn SZU AG. Retrieved 2015-04-22.
  12. ^ a b c d "2014 Rapport de gestion" (PDF) (Annual Report) (in French). Montreux (VD), Switzerland: Transports Montreux - Vevey - Riviera SA. 2015. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-11-23. Retrieved 2015-07-13.
  13. ^ a b c "Facts at a glance". Bern, Switzerland: BLS AG. 31 December 2013. Archived from the original on 2016-08-31. Retrieved 2015-04-11.
  14. ^ "3000km for 41 000km2" (PDF). Osaka-sandai. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-10-12. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  15. ^ Keiser, Andreas (19 July 2012). "Rail network modernises to stay on track". Berne, Switzerland: Swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  16. ^ "Swiss Rail Passes and Transportation Information - Switzerland Trains". About.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  17. ^ "The Swiss Travel System: Trains, Boats, Buses, Cable Cars". Gemüt.com. Archived from the original on 2016-09-01. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  18. ^ "Railway upgrades include no fast track - SWI". Berne, Switzerland: Swissinfo.ch. 2010-03-24. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  19. ^ Anitra Green (20 September 2012). "Swiss operators optimise short-haul railfreight". International Railway Journal. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Inc. Retrieved 2015-04-21.
  20. ^ "Transport – Facts and Figures". www.eda.admin.ch. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  21. ^ Imwinkelried, Daniel (18 September 2022). "Das Klimaticket soll Österreicher zum Umsteigen bewegen". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  22. ^ "the 2017 European Railway Performance Index". Boston Consulting Group. 8 January 2021.
  23. ^ "the 2017 European Railway Performance Index". Boston Consulting Group. 8 January 2021.
  24. ^ "UIC country codes, Leaflet 920-14" (XLS or XML) (in German, French, and English). Paris, France: International Union of Railways. 18 April 2014. Retrieved 2011-05-15.
  25. ^ "CFF Faits et Chiffres". CFF Faits et chiffres (in French). Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  26. ^ "Infrastructures". Bern, Switzerland: Swiss Federal Railways. 2014. Archived from the original on 2017-02-14. Retrieved 2015-04-11.
  27. ^
    ISBN 0-948106-27-1
    .
  28. ^ "Railway upgrades include no fast track - SWI". Swissinfo.ch. 2010-03-24. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  29. ^ "Rail 2000: le nouveau tronçon Rothrist - Mattstetten permet de relier Zurich à Berne en moins d'une heure - Le 19h30 - TV - Play RTS - Radio Télévision Suisse". Rts.ch. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  30. ^ "Comparative Analysis of Swiss and Japanese Trunk Railway Network Structures" (PDF). Osaka-sandai.ac.jp. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-10-12. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  31. ^ a b c Lydia Alonso Martínez. Learning From Swiss Transport Policy (PDF) (Dissertation). Barcelona, Spain: UPC Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – Barcelona Tech. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  32. ^ "Sion-Les Hauderes timetable" (PDF). Fahrplanfelder.ch. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  33. ^ "the 2017 European Railway Performance Index". Boston Consulting Group. 8 January 2021.
  34. ^ a b c d "Kosten und Finanzierung des Verkehrs Strasse und Schiene 2012" (PDF) (in German). Neuchâtel, Switzerland: Swiss Federal Statistical Office. 10 December 2015. pp. 6, 9, 11. Retrieved 2015-12-20.

Bibliography

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Rail travel in Switzerland.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rail transport in Switzerland.
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