Switzerland - General Information

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Country Name

Switzerland (Suisse/Schweiz/Svizzera)

National Railway System

National Railway Operator

Schweizerische Bundesbahnen AG (SBB), Chemins de fer federaux suisses SA (CFF) and Ferrovie federali svizzere SA (FFS) are the German, French and Italian renderings of Swiss Federal Railways. The form used on buildings and other fixed installations depends on the language area in which they are situated. At a few locations, notably Biel/Bienne, two languages are used. Most rolling stock carries all three sets of initials.

Infrastructure Authority

SBB Infrastructur, a division of SBB, provides a comprehensive database of Routes and railway installations.

A few lines in Switzerland are owned by Deutsche Bahn AG, the German national railway.

Language

German is the main language. There is an extensive French-speaking area covering Cantons Vaud, Fribourg, Neuchatel and Jura, plus the western half of Valais and a small part of Bern. Italian is spoken in Canton Ticino. The predominant language in Canton Graubünden is German, but there is a minority language, Romansch.

Currency

Swiss franc

UIC code

numeric 85; alpha CH

Timetable

Journey Planner

SBB Journey Planner:[1]

Downloadable Timetable

Principal routes (IC and IR) have been given route numbers from 10 December 2017.

Printed Timetable

The Offizielles Kursbuch/Indicateur officiel/Orario ufficiale is published annually and is extremely comprehensive. There is a full introduction in German, French, Italian, Romansch and English, with tabular material in the language appropriate to the part of the country concerned. It can be ordered on line at www.fahrplancenter.ch (in German only). However, the 2017 edition will be the last one.

Engineering Information


Maps

Printed Maps

  • Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz published by Verlag Schweers + Wall GmbH. (ISBN 3-89494-122-7) is used as a reference in the Sparse/Obscure pages of this website. It also contains addresses, telephone numbers, and, where available, e-mail and web addresses for all transport companies using rail.
  • Track plans for RhB (ISBN 3-89494-101-4) and MGB (ISBN 3.89494) have been published by Schweers+Wall.
  • SBB's Schweizer Bahn-Karte, which is widely available, shows all passenger railways, inter-urban bus routes, ferries, cable cars and chair lifts on a 1:301000 relief map of Switzerland.
  • Schienennetz Schweiz: Ein technisch-historischer Atlas, published by AS Verlag (ISBN 3-905111-21-7), includes track layout diagrams and gradient profiles for all Swiss railways, as well as a vast amount of other technical and historical data.
  • European Railway Atlas: Denmark, Germany, Austria, Switzerland by M.G. Ball (1993) (ISBN 0-7110-2116-3)
  • European Railway Atlas by M.G. Ball (2008 onwards)

Web-based Maps

  • A clear on-line network map is available on the SBB website.
  • Sporenplan has an on-line map giving acces to a series of schematic track diagrams. Click on "Sporenplanen" on the left hand side to access a map showing the countries covered.
  • Thorsten Büker's Map of Switzerland.

Ticketing

Fares on some mountain railways are very expensive, though rover tickets and holiday cards may give reductions. Discounts may be available for travel on trains early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

It is not possible to purchase a ticket on board a train without paying a substantial fine. Tickets must be bought in advance from a machine on the platform, online, or by smartphone. However, the transaction must be completed - including the payment being received by SBB - before the train departs. Some tickets must be date-stamped in a machine on the platform. These rules are enforced rigidly. A few exceptions will be made, for example for travellers changing from an international train who have had no opportunity of buying a ticket.

Gauge

The SBB/CFF/FFS system is standard gauge. Most other railways are either standard gauge or metre gauge, and some have sections of both. Various other gauges are used. The Rhätische Bahn and the Matterhorn-Gotthard Bahn together form an extensive metre gauge system with through workings between the two lines.

Electrification

Most standard gauge lines are electrified at 15 kV 16.7 Hz, with 11 kV 16.7 Hz on the RhB/MGB system. Various systems are used by other railways, including low voltage dc. The CFF line from Genève to the frontier at La Plaine (but excluding the tracks to Genève Aeroport) is electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz for through running by SNCF trains; it was converted from 1500 V dc in autumn 2014. Very few lines are not electrified, the main exceptions being the DB AG line from Basel to Schaffhausen which is partly within Switzerland, the steam-worked Brienz Rothorn Bahn and the freight-only Sursee-Triengen line.

Rule of the road

Left, except for right hand running as follows: on DB AG lines through Basel and Schaffhausen, and on the SNCF line between Mulhouse and Basel SBB / Bâle SNCF.

Other Railways

Cantons (local government) have extensive shareholdings in many of these railways. Some railways have amalgamated in recent years or combined their operations. Rolling stock, tickets and publicity may still bear old names in some cases. In many cases other railways operate over SBB lines and vice versa. Funicular railways are not listed.

Aare Seeland mobil AG: Biel/Bienne to Ins; Niederbipp to Langenthal and St Urban Ziegelei; Solothurn to Niederbipp: Metre gauge, 1200V dc. The freight-only line from St Urban Ziegelei to Melchnau closed in 2012. www.aare-seeland-mobil.ch

Appenzeller Bahnen AG:

  • Gossau to Appenzell and Wasserauen; St Gallen to Gais and Appenzell; Gais to Altstätten Stadt; St Gallen to Trogen: Metre gauge, 100V dc, with Riggenbach rack at St Gallen and Strub rack between Stoss and Altstätten Stadt.
  • Rheineck to Walzenhausen: 1200 mm gauge, 600 V dc, with Riggenbach rack between Ruderbach and Walzenhausen.
  • Rorschach to Heiden: Standard gauge, 15 kV 16.7 Hz, with Riggenbach rack, except at Rorschach. www.appenzellerbahnen.ch

BDWM Transport AG: Wohlen to Dietikon: Metre gauge, 1200 V dc. www.bdwm.ch

BLS AG: Lengnau to Moutier; Bern to Neuchâtel and to Schwarzenburg; Bern to Thun via Belp; Thun to Brig and to Visp via the old and new Lötschberg tunnels; Spiez to Interlaken Ost and to Zweisimmen; Solothurn to Moutier and to Burgdorf; Burgdorf to Thun and to Langnau; Ramsei to Sumiswald-Grünen; Langenthal to Wolhusen; Sumiswald-Grünen to Burghof (freight only); Sumiswald-Grünen and to Huttwill (freight only but with summer tourist operation by Emmentalbahn - see below). All standard gauge, 15 kV 16.7 Hz. SBB operates all long-distance passenger trains over the Lötschberg route and to Interlaken. BLS operates local services in the Bern area, including those over SBB lines. Lengnau to Moutier forms part of the main line from Biel/Bienne to Basel and all passenger trains are operated by CFF. www.bls.ch

Dolderbahn Betriebs AG: Zürich-Römerhof to Zürich-Dolder: Metre gauge, 600 V dc, with Strub rack throughout. Managed by Verkehrsbetriebe de Stadt Zürich. www.zvv.ch

Chemin de fer de l’Etat de Genève: Genève Eaux Vives to French border near Ambilly: Standard gauge, 25kV 50 Hz. Leased to Réseau ferré de France and previously worked by SNCF. The railway is being rebuilt as part of the Léman Express project, which will see it linked to the main line through Genève in 2019.

Ferrovie autolinee regionali ticinesi: Locarno to Camedo (line continues through Italy as Societa Subalpina di Imprese Ferroviarie to Domodossola): Metre gauge, 1200V dc. www.centovalli.ch

Forchbahn AG: Zürich-Rehalp to Esslingen (operates over the Zürich tram system between Rehalp and Stadelhofen): Metre gauge, 1200V dc (600V on the tramway section). www.forchbahn.ch

Frauenfeld-Wil Bahn AG: Frauenfeld to Wil: Metre gauge, 1200 V dc. www.fw-bahn.ch

Gornergrat Bahn: Zermatt to Gornergrat: Metre gauge, 750 V 50 Hz three-phase, with Abt rack throughout. The railway is managed by the Matterhorn-Gotthard Bahn. www.ggb.ch

Jungfraubahnen: Jungfraubahn Holding AG and Berner Oberland Bahnen AG are jointly-managed companies that own and operate the following lines:

  • Berner Oberland Bahnen: Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen and to Grindelwald: Metre gauge, 1500 V dc, with Riggenbach rack.
  • Bergbahn Lauterbrunnen- Mürren: Grütschalp to Mürren: Metre gauge, 550 V dc.
  • Jungfraubahn: Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch: Metre gauge, 1125 V 50 Hz three-phase, with Strub rack throughout.
  • Schynige Platte Bahn: Wilderswil to Schynige Platte: 800 mm gauge, 1500 V dc, with Riggenbach rack. No winter service.
  • Wengernalpbahn: Kleine Scheidegg to Lauterbrunnen and to Grindelwald: 800 mm gauge, 1500 V dc, with Riggenbach rack. www.jungfraubahn.ch

Chemins de fer du Jura:

  • La Chaux-de-Fonds to Glovelier; Le Noirmont to Tavannes: Metre gauge, 1500 V dc.
  • Porrentruy to Bonfol: Standard gauge, 15 kV 16.7 Hz. www.les-cj.ch

Chemin de fer Lausanne-Echallens-Bercher SA: Lausanne-Flon to Bercher: Metre gauge, 1500 V dc. www.leb.ch

Ferrovie Luganesi SA: Lugano to Ponte Tresa: Metre gauge, 1000V dc. www.flpsa.ch

AG Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn: Zermatt to Brig, Andermatt, Göschenen and Disentis/Mustér: Metre gauge, 11 kV, 16.7 Hz, with several sections of Abt rack. www.matterhorngotthardbahn.ch

Meiringen Innertkirchen Bahn: Metre gauge, 1200 V dc. Owned by a local power company, Kraftwerk Oberhasli AG. www.grimselstrom.ch

Ferrovia Monte Generoso: Capolago Lago to Generoso Vetta: 800 mm gauge www.montegeneroso.ch

Chemin de fer Montreux Oberland Bernois: Montreux to Zweisimmen and Lenk: Metre gauge, 900 V dc. www.mob.ch

Chemin de fer Nyon-St Cergue-Morez: Nyon to La Cure: Metre gauge, 1500 V dc. The company's name reflects that railway originally continued to Morez, in France, but the line beyond the Swiss border at La Cure closed in 1958. www.tprnov.ch

Oensingen-Balsthal Bahn AG: Balsthal to Oensingen: Standard gauge 15 kV 16.7 Hz. Passenger services are worked by SBB. www.oebb.ch

RegionAlps SA: A joint venture between CFF (70%), Transports de Martigny et Régions SA (18%) and Canton Valais (12%) responsible for operation of local passenger trains between Brig and St Gingolph. www.regionalps.ch

Regionalverkehr Bern-Solothurn AG:

  • Bern to Solothurn and to Worb Dorf via Worblaufen: Metre gauge, 1250 V dc.
  • Bern Egghölzli to Worb Dorf via Gümligen: Metre gauge, 600 V dc, with through running at Egghölzli onto the Bern tram system.www.rbe.ch

Rhätische Bahn:

  • Chur to Arosa; Chur to St Moritz and Pontresina via Thusis; Reichenau-Tamins to Disentis/Muster; Chur to Filisur via Davos; Klosters to Sagliains and Susch; Bever to Scuol-Tarasp; Samedan to Pontresina: Metre gauge, 11 kV 16.7 Hz.
  • St Moritz to Tirano: Metre gauge, 1000 V dc.

There is mixed-gauge track Chur to Ems Werk, to allow freight operation by SBB. The Italian and Romansch names Ferrovia retica and Viafier retica appear on rolling stock, but the abbreviation 'RhB' is always used. www.rhb.ch

Rigi Bahnen: Vitznau to Rigi Kulm; Arth-Goldau to Rigi Kulm: 1500 V dc, with Riggenbach rack on both lines. www.rigi.ch

Schweizerische Südostbahn: Romanshorn to St Gallen St Fiden; St Gallen to Wattwil and Nesslau-Neu St Johann; Rapperswil to Arth-Goldau, Wädenswil to Samstagern, Biberbrugg to Einsiedeln: Standard gauge 15 kV 16.7 Hz. The company trades as Südostbahn, but the service between Luzern and St Gallen is branded Voralpen Express. www.suedostbahn.ch

Sensetalbahn: Flamatt to Laupen: Standard gauge 15 kV 16.7 Hz. The line is staffed by SBB, but trains are operated by BLS. Rail-cycles can be hired throughout the year at Laupen station for use on the closed railway from there most of the way to Gümmenen.

Sihltal-Zürich-Uetliberg Bahn SZU AG:

  • Zürich HB to Uetliberg: Standard gauge, 1200 V dc.
  • Zürich HB to Sihlbrugg: Standard gauge, 15 kV 16.7 Hz. There is no passenger service between Sihlwald and Sihlbrugg.

Trains operate over the same tracks in Zürich, so the overhead wire on the Uetliberg line is offset to one side. www.szu.ch

Sursee-Triengen-Bahn AG: Sursee to Triengen: Freight only, standard gauge, not electrified. Occasional steam passenger trains operate. www.sursee-triengen-bahn.ch

Thurbo AG: A SBB (90%) and Canton Thurgau (10%) joint venture for operation of local trains in north-east Switzerland. www.thurbo.ch

Transports de Martigny et Régions SA:

  • Martigny to Orsières and Le Châble: Standard gauge 15 kV 16.7 Hz.
  • Martigny to Le Châtelard-Frontière: Metre gauge, 800 V dc, with Strub rack and third rail electrification between Vernayaz and Salvan. There are through workings over the SNCF line to Chamonix. www.tmrsa.ch

Transports Montreux-Vevey-Riviera:

  • Vevey to Les Pléiades: Metre gauge, 850 V dc, with Strub rack Blonay to Les Pléiades.
  • Montreux to Rochers-de-Naye: 800 mm gauge, 850 V dc, with Abt rack.

Managed by Chemin de Fer Montreux Oberland Bernois. www.mob.ch

transN SA (Transports Publics Neuchâtelois):

  • Les Brenets to Le Locle (temporarily closed from 31 July 2017); La Chaux-de-Fonds to Les Ponts-de-Martel : Metre gauge, 1500 V dc.
  • Travers to Fleurier and Buttes: Standard gauge, 15 kV 16.7 Hz. There are occasional steam trains over a non-electrified standard-gauge freight branch from Fleurier to St Sulpice. www.transn.ch

Transports Publics du Chablais

  • Aigle to Leysin Grand Hotel: Metre gauge, 1500 V dc, with Abt rack, except between Aigle and Aigle Dépot
  • Aigle to Le Sépey and Les Diablerets: Metre gauge, 1500 V dc.
  • Monthey to Aigle and to Champéry: Metre gauge, 850 V dc, with Strub rack on most of the line to Champéry. To be converted to 1000 V dc and Abt rack.
  • Bex to Villars-sur-Ollon and Col-de-Bretaye: Metre gauge, 650 V dc, with Abt rack between Villars-sur-Ollon and Col-de-Bretaye. www.tpc.ch

Transports Publics Fribourgeoise Holding (TPF) SA:

  • Bulle to Palézieux, Broc Fabrique and Montbovon: Metre gauge, 800 V dc.
  • Romont to Bulle; Ins to Muntelier; Murten to Givisiez: Standard gauge, 15 kV 16.7 Hz. www.tpf.ch

Transports de la Région Morges-Bière-Cossonay SA: Morges to Bière; Apples to L’Isle-Mont-la-Ville; Bière Jonction to Bière-Casernes (freight only): Metre gauge, 15 kV 16.7 Hz. www.mbc.ch

Travys (Transports Vallée du Joux Yverdon-les-Bains Sainte Croix SA):

  • Yverdon to Ste Croix: Metre gauge, 15 kV, 16.7 H z.
  • Chavornay to Orbe: Standard gauge, 700 V dc but to be converted to 15 kV 16.7 Hz by 2025.
  • Le Pont to Le Brassus: Standard gauge, 15 kV 16.7 Hz. www.travys.ch

Waldenburgerbahn: Liestal - Waldenburg: 750 mm gauge, 1500 V dc. To be converted to metre gauge. In 2016 the railway became part of BLT Baselland Transport AG. www.blt.ch

Wynetal- und Suhrentalbahn: Aarau to Schöftland and to Menziken. Metre gauge, 750 V dc. Together with Busbetrieb Aarau AG, the company trades as AAR bus+bahn. www.aar.ch

Zentralbahn (ZB Zentralbahn AG): Luzern to Interlaken Ost and Engelberg: Metre gauge, 15 kV 16.7 Hz with some Riggenbach rack sections. The company is 66% owned by SBB. www.zentralbahn.ch

Tourist lines

Many railways operate principally for tourists, usually on a daily basis throughout the year. The following are "heritage" operations:

Chemin de fer touristique Blonay-Chamby: Blonay to Chamby (metre gauge) www.blonay-chamby.ch

Dampfbahn Furka Bergstrecke: Realp to Oberwald (metre gauge) www.dfb.ch

Dampfbahn Verein Zürcher Oberland: Bauma to Hinwil (SBB line with no other passenger service) https://dvzo.ch/

Emmentalbahn: Sumiswald-Grünen to Huttwil (BLS Lötschbergbahn line with no other passenger service) www.emmentalbahn.ch

Sursee Triengen Bahn: Sursee to Triengen ('private' freight-only line) www.sursee-triengen-bahn.ch/

Museumsbahn Stein am Rhein - Etzweilen - Singen: Etzwilen to Rielasingen. It is intended to extend operations to Singen. www.etzwilen-singen.ch/

Vapeur Val de Travers: Travers to St Sulpice (there is a regular passenger service by Les Transports régionaux neuchâtelois between Travers and Fleurier) www.vvt.ch/

Zürcher Museumsbahn: Zürich-Wiedikon to Sihlbrugg (there is a regular passenger service by Sihltal Zürich Uetlibergbahn between Zürich-Giesshübel and Sihlwald) www.museumsbahn.ch/

For further information about Swiss heritage railways, including mine railways and rail cycling oppportunities, see www.psul4all.free-online.co.uk/Swiss-heritage-railways.htm


Metro

A significant number of local lines around Swiss towns and cities have Metro characteristics. The Metro system in Lausanne, between Lausanne-Flon and Renens VD and between Ouchy and Epalignes, is the only one designed and built as such, though a short section of the line from Ouchy is converted from a former rack line.

A track plan of the Lausanne system is available on the Carto.Metro site.

Trams

Basel www.bvb-basel.ch (BVB), www.blt.ch (BLT: the BLT-operated routes to Ettingen, Dornach and Rodersdorf appear in the railway section of the Offizielles Kursbuch), www.tnw.ch; Bern www.bernmobil.ch; Genève www.tpg.ch; Neuchatel (the route from Place Pury to Boudry appears in the railway section of the Indicateur officiel) www.tnneuchatel.ch; and Zürich www.vbz.ch. Part of the line from Basel to Rodersdorf runs through France. An unusual tramway is Riffelalptram, connecting the Riffelalp Resort hotel and the Riffelalp station (GGB). It is 500 m long, located on altitude 2200 m, has 800 mm gauge and is battery-operated www.riffelalp.com.

Track plans for Basel, Bern and Zürich are available on the Gleisplanweb site. A track plan of the Genève system is available on the Carto.Metro site.

See also Switzerland - Tram services over obscure routes

Recent and Future Changes

The Swiss federal government has created a new rail infrastructure fund, which SBB has welcomed, and pointed out the urgent need for additional capacity on the Olten - Zürich line. Conversely, many local train services are under review, to see whether bus substitution would be more economic. See Switzerland - Services Under Review. This could result in stopping services being withdrawn on some main lines, together with closure of secondary lines. The Porrentruy – Bonfol line is threatened with closure in the near future owing to the cost of renewing the signalling and providing disabled access. The Solothurn - Moutier line is threatened with closure from 2016 owing to the condition of Weissenstein tunnel. The line from Sissach to Olten via Läufelfingen was proposed for closure, but this was rejected in a local referendum in November 2017.

Projects under way or planned

On the Regionalbahnen Bern-Solothurn line between Bern and Worb-Dorf, a deviation at Boll-Utzigen, including a new station, is to become operational in 2021.

Chavornay - Orbe is to be modernised in 2020 - 2025, with a new north curve at Chavornay replacing the present OC terminal platform, and converted from 750 V DC to 15 kV AC.

The Transports Publics du Chablais (TPC) Aigle - Leysin line is to be extended 780 m in tunnel to Télésiège Tête d’Aï to serve a ski lift, planned for 2023. The line from Leysin-Feydey to the current terminus of Leysin-Grand Hôtel will be closed.

The 4.7km long branch from Bulle to Broc is to be regauged from metre to 1435mm between 2016 and 2021 and converted to 15 kV.

Major renovation of the Neuchâtel - La Chaux-de-Fonds line has been proposed which would involve the line being blocked for 15-36 months, starting in 2019 (the overall scheme would be due for completion sometime between 2026 and 2030).

A 22 km metre gauge Grimselbahn link between Innertkirchen and Oberwald, mostly in tunnel including the long [8km] Grimsel tunnel, but only single track, is planned. This could connect the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn and Zentralbahn metre gauge systems by 2020. The tunnels would be shared by power cables diverted from their existing route over mountains.

In Geneva, the CEVA project to link Cornavin station with the Eaux Vives to Annemasse branch is progressing. As a first step, local trains were introduced over part of the La Praille freight branch, to Lancy-Point-Rouge (where a new station opened 8 December 2017). From here the line will use the existing freight line to Bachet-de-Pesay, beyond which a new line will cross the river Arve then run in tunnel to the French border, at which point the existing line will be used to Annemasse. The new underground line will follow the alignment of the closed Eaux Vives branch. The [Genève Cornavin - ] Lancy-Point-Rouge - Genève Eaux Vives - Annemasse service was planned to start in December 2019 but has been delayed by local opposition.

Delle - Belfort (closed to passengers in September 1992) will reopen from 9 December 2018, to restore connection with the French network.

The Trogenerbahn and Appenzeller Bahnen lines are being linked in St Gallen. The first stage with a new station but two parallel dead-end platforms, one for each service with a short extension of the S21 service from Trogen opened on 10 December 2016. A new tunnel which will eliminate the rack-equipped section between St Gallen and Riethüsli is under construction with completion scheduled in October 2018. There will also be a more direct exit route from St Gallen to the north of the SBB Depot by 2020/21.

TPF intends to build a new curve and station at Châtel-St-Denis so trains no longer have to reverse there. The current station is due to close in Spring 2019 with the new alignment and station opening in Autumn 2019.

Construction has started on the 700m long Buechiwaldtunnel, between Zweilütschinen and Lütschental on the BOB Grindelwald branch, which will allow replacement of the existing sharply curved line.

Recent changes

The Mendrisio - Stabio - Arcisio [IT] – Varese cross-border line opened to Stabio on 14 December 2014 and through to Varese on 7 January 2018. It was originally scheduled for completion in 2013, but construction of the new line between Stabio and Arcisio was heavily delayed.

Basel tram line 3 was extended on 31 July 2017 from Burgfelden Grenze to Burgfelderhof on the French border, and the former renamed Waldighoferstrasse. It was extended further from Burgfelderhof to Gare Saint Louis from 10 December 2017.

transN's metre gauge service between Le Locle and Les Brenets was suspended from 31 July 2017 until further notice because of technical problems with the rolling stock.

The full service through the Gotthard base tunnel commenced on 11 December 2016. A period of trial running had followed the official opening ceremony on 2 June 2016. However, the full benefit will not be achieved until the Ceneri Base Tunnel (Bellinzona – Lugano) starts operation in December 2020, as gradients of up to 2.6% on the existing line limit its capacity.

The standard/metre gauge line between Wohlen and Bremgarten West was converted to metre gauge only in 2015.

Basel Tram Line 8 was extended from Kleinhünigen to Weil-am-Rhein in Germany on 14 December 2014.

The Ferrovia Mesolcinese / Misoxerbahn (Castione to Cama), which the local authorities wanted closed, last operated in spring 2014. The preservation group moved their base to Grono with the aspiration of running over a short section but have since given up all rights to operate over the line, which has now been completely lifted.

A new 2km section of line, just south of the old alignment, opened on 25 September 2014 between Geschinen and Ulrichen on the MGB Brig – Andermatt line allowed the elimination of 4 level crossings.

The new Zürich HB underground station (Löwenstrasse, platforms 31 - 34), and the line from here to Oerlikon, opened on 15 June 2014. As a consequence of this the temporary four platform terminal Sihlpost station closed and the limited passenger service over the Zürich Alstetten to Zürich Wiedikon line (CH14/20) ran for the last time on 13 June 2014.

New flyover at Huerlistein near Effretikon, carrying trains from Dietlikon over the Basserdorf – Effretikon line, opened on 30 November 2013.

The Bubikon - Wolfhausen freight only branch saw occasional excursions run by DVZO, who run regular services over the nearby Bauma to Hinwil line. Such trains ceased in October 2013 when the line closed.

A short extension of the ASm operated metre gauge system, from Niederbipp to Oensingen, opened in December 2012.

Berne tramway line 9 was extended to Bern Wankdorf station in 2012.

The dual-tracking of the Zentralbahn section closest to Luzern was completed in November 2012. This includes a 1,5 km tunnel and a sub-surface station at the sport and exhibition centre. One of the tracks has dual gauge for standard gauge freight to Horw . However the remains of KLB at Kupferhammer has lost its connection.

The CJ has been re-routed at Glovelier in order to eliminate street-running there. The new line came into use in 2012.

A 3.3km section of double track opened between St Gallen And St Gallen St Fiden on 27 August 2011. On the same day a new flyover opened at St Gallen St Fiden giving access to the Romanshorn line.

On 21 April 2011 SBB opened a new section of line through Boniswil on the Lenzburg – Beinwel am See route, avoiding 22 level crossings.

The the Geneva Tramway from Cornavin station to Avanchet opened on 8 December 2007, and was extended to Meyrin-Gravière 13 December 2009. A short section from Cornavin to Coutanche was opened 12 December 2010. The final section to the north-west between Jardin-Alpin and CERN opened on 30 April 2011.

The third track Lenzburg – Gexi Jct (the line towards Wohlen was officially opened 27 November 2010.

The last train Aarau - Suhr, using the on-street section ran the night 19/20 November 2010. The new alignment, using the old SBB trackbed was inagurated 21 November.

The Zentralbahn Engelberg tunnel (Mettlen - Engelberg) opened formally 11 December 2010, with normal traffic the following day. The old, steeper, rack line was closed 7 December.

The Meiringen - Innertkirchen Bahn has been exteneded into the Zentralbahn station (track 3, a part of which can be energised with either ZB 15kV AC or MIB 1200 V DC) in Meiringen from 6 December 2010.

The construction of the “Western” tramway in Berne, from the Kaufmännlicher Verband stop on the existing network to Bümplitz and Brünnen station was completed in September 2010, and operation started 12 December 2010.

The third and final section of the Glattal tramway Auzelg – Stettbach station opened 11 December 2010.

Special notes

Distinctions between main line railways, light railways and tramways are more difficult in Switzerland than perhaps any other country. For example, the main line of the Rhätische Bahn from St Moritz to Tirano has several sections of street running. In Chur, the first section of the Arosa line out from Chur station is street running dual track, but not wide enough to permit trains crossing. In addition there is 11 kV ac over the street.

The Matterhorn-Gotthard, Rhätische Bahn and Montreux Oberland Bernois are among the railways running "Panoramic", "Glacier Express" or other trains with special facilities, such as observation cars. A supplementary fare is usually charged and advance reservation compulsory or strongly recommended.

See also