Europe's news in English

COPY LINK

For members

TRANSPORT

REVEALED: The train routes Switzerland plans to cut

Switzerland’s federal railways (SBB) looks set to cut several popular rail lines affecting Zurich, Bern, Lucerne and Bellinzona. Here’s what you need to know.

Published: 19 May 2022 15:56 CEST

A red SBB train in the Swiss city of Aarau, Switzerland

In its draft timetable for 2023, the SBB looks set to reduce the number of trains circulating between some Swiss cities, while adding services for leisure commuters.

The lines will be cut due to a lack of demand, with the SBB telling Swiss media that train usage across the country had not returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Some of the lines that will be cut however are in peak hours between major Swiss cities, which could be problematic for commuters.

For instance, the SBB is planning to do away with several trains between Bern and Zurich, including those departing from Bern at 7:10am and 4:10pm, and the departures from Zurich at 6:49 am.

Two morning connections on the Lucerne-Zurich route are also to be eliminated, along with some off-peak-hour trains between Zurich and Arth-Goldau on weekdays and between Bellinzona to Zurich on Sundays.

However, the draft timetable for 2023 also provides for an expansion for the leisure traffic on weekends, including between Geneva and Chur.

New direct connections are also planned on the Romanshorn-Interlaken route. This means that the tourist destinations in the Bernese Oberland will be better linked to eastern Switzerland and the Zurich area.

As yet, the draft timetable has only been seen by media sources, but will be released publicly for consultation towards the end of May.

Night trains grow in popularity

A growing demand for night trains has seen a number of new routes added to the network going from Swiss cities to major European destinations.

There will be an additional night train to Prague via Germany, while in the future lines to Leipzig and Dresden will be added.

Existing lines to several German and Austrian cities like Hamburg, Berlin, Vienna and Graz will have their capacity expanded.

Night trains have grown in popularity in recent years, a trend which was accelerated by the Covid pandemic.

Travel: What are the best night train routes to and from Switzerland?

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.

Become a Member to leave a comment.

How and where can you travel on an iconic Swiss PostBus?

If you are wondering what the big deal is — after all, a bus is just a bus — then you have been missing a truly special experience, because the route network of this particular mode of transport spans some of Switzerland’s most scenic routes.

The 2,400 PostBus vehicles currently in service cover a network of 936 lines that span almost 17,000 kilometres of picturesque country roads.

And while these buses used to transport only letters and packages, you should not worry about having to sit on top of a stack of mail and near a goat or two — these days, PostBuses transport human passengers only.

READ ALSO : What you need to know about Switzerland’s iconic yellow buses

Where can you catch a PostBus?

Unlike buses and trams crisscrossing only major urban centres, a PostBus ventures farther afield.

That’s because it is operating mostly in suburban, rural, and mountain areas, where other modes of transport could be lacking. It covers even the most remote villages and deepest valleys.

This is why you will mostly spot a PostBus in the countryside or on Alpine roads — no matter how narrow and winding.

If, for example, you want to go to the mountains but don’t feel like driving, a PostBus will bring you all the way up, practically to the top.

This link shows the entire PostBus route network in all regions of Switzerland, so you can see where the nearest one to your place of residence is.

How do you buy a ticket for the PostBus?

Just like for ‘regular’ public transport, you can download an app for the PostBus as well, through which you will be able not only to purchase your tickets, but also check the timetable.

Alternatively, you can also buy your ticket at a bus stop.

The good news is that you can also buy PostBus tickets through your SwissPass, the same way as for any other public transport.

READ ALSO: An essential guide for using Switzerland’s public transport ticket

What else do you need to know about the PostBus?

There are two further things.

One, that this bus serves not only as a public transport option, but can also be used for scenic rides.

The so-called Palm Express, for instance, starts in the resort of St. Moritz in Graubünden and ends in Lugano, Ticino.

The four-hour ride transits through the Maloja Pass, Val Bregaglia to Chiavenna (Italy), and then along Lake Como and Lake Lugano.

Secondly, it is worth riding the PostBus just to hear its unique, legendary horn, which celebrates its 100 anniversary this year.

Inaugurated in 1924, the distinctive three-tone horn comes, appropriately enough, from the overture of Rossini’s opera “William Tell.”

And by the way, the PostBus is one of many services provided by the Swiss Post Office. These are some of the others:

READ ALSO: 11 things you can do at a Swiss post office other than buy stamps

Url copied to clipboard!