Canton of Geneva plans billion-euro underground rail project
Published: Wednesday, Dec 11th 2024, 19:00
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An underground rail link between the southern foot of the Jura and Mont Salève will provide better access to the greater Geneva area in future. The opening of the "Léman Express No. 2" is planned for 2045. Estimated cost: 4 billion Swiss francs.
The Geneva cantonal government presented the cantonal rail strategy at a media conference on Wednesday. In terms of financing, the State Council wants to avoid the detour via the federal railroad infrastructure fund (BIF), which is already overburdened.
To avoid having to wait until 2050 or even 2070 before Bern takes this infrastructure project into account, the canton wants to cover half of the costs. The Geneva government wants to make faster progress than the current process allows through a new type of partnership with the federal government, State Councillor Pierre Maudet told the media.
For the Geneva State Council, the proposed rail strategy is an investment in the prosperity and quality of life of the region's inhabitants. The approximately 20-kilometre-long line would make it possible to provide half of the canton's population with a train station less than 750 meters away.
The Swiss Transport Club (VCS) expressed its satisfaction with the vision presented by the Geneva government. It is "the beginning of a rapid and appropriate response to the climate crisis and the associated need to shift traffic to other modes of transport", it said in a press release.
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