Rail travel to ski resorts becomes easier
Published: Monday, Nov 27th 2023, 10:20
Updated At: Monday, Nov 27th 2023, 10:23
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With the new timetable, SBB wants to improve connections to tourist destinations such as Graubünden and Valais. Among other things, there are now additional direct connections from Geneva via Zurich to Chur and vice versa at the weekend.
As of the timetable change on December 10, there will be four direct connections between Geneva and Chur throughout the day at weekends, as announced by SBB on Monday. The railroad company introduced two such direct trains at the last timetable change a year ago.
From Christmas to Easter, on Ascension Day, Whitsun and from June to October, a direct train will now also connect Zurich with Brig on Saturday mornings, according to the press release. The train also stops in Frutigen in the Bernese Oberland. On Sunday afternoons, a direct train runs in the opposite direction on the same route.
There will also be two new direct connections from Zurich to Einsiedeln at weekends from mid-January to the beginning of March. The Intercity between Zurich and Chur now runs every half hour at weekends throughout the year.
Growing demand
The new timetable brings additional connections where demand is growing most strongly, SBB wrote in its communiqué.
Commuters will be able to travel earlier from Brig to Bern and Basel from Tuesday to Sunday. The first train will now depart from Upper Valais at 05:16. At the same time, the last train in the opposite direction in the evening will run one hour later than before. It will now arrive in Brig at 00.41.
For night owls, there is also a new express connection between Olten and Biel on Friday and Saturday nights.
Accident in the Gotthard tunnel has consequences
According to the information provided, the original plan was also to introduce a half-hourly service through the Gotthard Base Tunnel. However, this innovation has been delayed due to the accident in the tunnel last August.
Last week, SBB had already announced its intention to run 31 passenger trains per weekend through the Gotthard Base Tunnel from the timetable change on December 10. From Monday to Thursday, however, all train paths in the Gotthard Base Tunnel should be available for freight traffic.
The new timetable also provides for an expansion of international rail services: In future, an additional train will run daily in each direction between Zurich and Munich. According to SBB, this will provide passengers with a continuous two-hourly service. Numerous innovations are also planned for regional services.
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