Shorter travel times, more frequent service, greater comfort as Swiss railroads launch ambitious Rail 2000 program December 12
White Plains, NY, November 8, 2004 - Switzerland’s already enviable rail system will offer travelers even shorter travel times, more frequent service - including half-hourly departures between major cities - and greater comfort on a growing number of new and refurbished trains on December 12, 2004, when the $6.15 billion first phase of an ambitious program called Rail 2000 is launched, according to an announcement by Rail Europe. The largest North American distributor of European rail products, Rail Europe is owned in part by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB.)
New simpler timetable, greater frequency
On December 12, 90% of Switzerland’s trains will run on a new timetable with half-hourly service between all major cities. To simplify travel planning, arrivals and departures will be on the hour and the half-hour in major hubs (such as Zurich, Basel, Bern.)
Shorter travel times
The core infrastructure project of Rail 2000 responsible for reducing travel times is the recently completed 29 mile-long rail line between Bern and Olten. This line allows trains to travel at 100 mph and shaves 15 minutes off travel times between Bern-Zurich, Bern-Basel and Bern-Lucerne. When a new signaling system becomes operational, trains will run at 124 mph. The new line enables all travel times within the Bern-Basel-Zurich triangle to be less than one hour. Other Rail 2000 construction projects helping to reduce travel times are a new tunnel between Zurich and Thalwil and a new track between Geneva and Coppet, both already in service.
More comfortable trains
The Swiss Railroads have added more trains and upgraded older trains throughout the system. On December 12, the fleet of trains providing long-distance travel will consist of:
- 44 sleek tilting ICN trains traveling up to 15% faster than conventional trains and featuring a restaurant car and business class compartments, as well as 1st and 2nd class compartments;
- 340 double-decker Intercity trains, with 1st and 2nd class compartments and business seats, and on certain routes a child-friendly family car, bistro/bar on the lower deck and restaurant on the upper deck;
- 460 refurbished Intercity trains with 1st and 2nd class compartments
Improved service to tourist destinations
Thanks to the new timetable and other improvements, most alpine tourist destinations will offer faster, more direct service to/from Zurich and Geneva and their airports:
- Interlaken - Half-hourly service to/from Zurich Airport (now hourly), 15 minutes shorter time.
- Zermatt and Saas Fee - Reach Zermatt up to 30 minutes faster from Zurich Airport. New direct service Zurich Airport-Brig every other hour means only one change (now two) to go to either resort.
- Lausanne, Montreux, Aigle, Martigny, Sion - Half-hourly service to/from Geneva Airport.
- Davos, St. Moritz, Arosa - Hourly non-stop trains Zurich-Landquart and better connections in Chur or Landquart make the trip to/from Zurich up to 25 minutes faster. Trains on these routes will also have more space for sports equipment and luggage than currently.
- Locarno - New direct train every hour from either Basel or Zurich.
For more information or to book a Swiss Pass or other Swiss Travel System products or point-to-point tickets in Switzerland, contact a travel agent or call Rail Europe at 1-888-382-7245 in the U.S., 1-800-361-7245 in Canada or log on to www.raileurope.com.
Photos: members of the press may download high-res photos of Eurostar and other European trains at www.raileurope.com/presspix
