Costs for rail expansion by 2035 significantly higher than previously planned
Published: Thursday, Nov 28th 2024, 10:30
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The expansion of the rail infrastructure up to 2035 will be significantly more expensive than previously planned. In addition to the CHF 16.4 billion already approved by Parliament, a further CHF 14 billion will be required.
The Federal Office of Transport (FOT) confirmed corresponding information in the "Neue Zürcher Zeitung" on Thursday at the request of Keystone-SDA.
According to the FOT, the additional costs are divided into CHF 8.5 billion for extensive expansions such as station conversions, new tracks and stabling facilities and CHF 5.5 billion for projects such as the Brütten tunnel on the Zurich - Winterthur line, which will be more expensive. Additional investments were also needed, for example to ensure that larger stations remain safe despite a higher passenger flow.
The measures are necessary so that the major expansion of services can be implemented and operated in a stable manner, explained the FOT. For example, the rail expansion step 2035 will enable new quarter and half-hourly frequencies on around 60 routes and increase the number of seats by around 20 percent.
For freight transport, a nationwide express network for time-critical goods such as parcels or food is also planned. According to the FOT, all of this is necessary in order to cope with the growing demand for mobility and transportation.
The additional costs were calculated by the FOT and SBB at a technical level. The revised 2035 service concept is now being reviewed internally and externally. This will also involve examining potential savings. This is also because the financing of the additional costs via the rail infrastructure fund is currently not secured, especially as the maintenance of the existing network has legal priority.
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