At the end of June 2022, the Federal Council submitted the updated plans for the future railway infrastructure for consultation under the title “Bahn 2050”. The rail connection in the agglomerations and between the regional centers must be improved. Until now, the focus has been on eliminating bottlenecks and condensing the cycle.
The cantons support the measures and perspectives proposed by the Federal Council. At the same time, they fear that important major projects will be delayed. This also applies to the negative effects that would result from not driving the SBB in curves with overturning trains.
The Conference of Cantonal Public Transport Directors expects the Federal Council to fully and timely implement the plans – with additional infrastructure measures if necessary. The implementation of the expansion step 2035 was delayed by three to five years.
The cantons support the Federal Council’s proposal not to plan a full expansion step in 2026, but to review the existing service concept. The cantons expect the Federal Council to ensure the full and timely implementation of the service objectives based on the expansion steps taken so far.
For its part, the Association of Public Transport (VöV) calls for full implementation of the measures taken by parliament. A comprehensive overview is necessary. Rail development should not be limited to short and medium distances. Increasing the share of public transport in total traffic is leading.
In principle, the Swiss Builders’ Association (SBV) shares the line of the Federal Council. In the consultations, however, too little is said about the fact that maintenance and expansion of the infrastructure remain a necessary condition for more efficient use of the rail infrastructure. The delays in the construction projects are not explained enough. The SBV is therefore looking for a discussion with those responsible.
For its part, the Swiss Mountaineering Association notes with concern that the federal government’s transport policy is increasingly focused on urban transport. It is particularly important for tourism that mountain and rural areas are easily accessible by road and rail.
There is skepticism in the SVP among the major parties. She calls for a critical examination of the expansion programs and the “Bahn 2050” perspective. The largest Swiss party recognizes the political mandate to open up the peripheral regions. However, luxury solutions should be rejected.
The systematic redistribution of road money to rail transport must finally come to an end. The SVP calls on the Federal Council to draw attention to alternative propulsion systems in motorized private transport such as hydrogen, synthetic fuels and biofuels in transport policy.
The SP, on the other hand, applauds the fact that the Federal Council wants to increase the share of public transport in passenger transport. However, increasing the share by just 3 percentage points to 24 percent is not enough to meet the Paris climate targets. According to a VCS study, the share should increase from 20 percent today to at least 40 percent by 2040.
Like the Mitte party, the SP believes that the focus should not only be on the agglomerations when it comes to rail infrastructure. Long-distance traffic in Switzerland and the connection to Europe must also be taken into account when planning.
The center welcomes the inclusion of the full extension of the Lötschberg Base Tunnel in the expansion phase of 2035. However, it firmly rejects the Federal Council’s proposal to waive preparatory investments at the junction to Wädenswil (Zimmerberg Base Tunnel II). These pre-investments must be made.
The FDP calls on the Federal Council to take more measures in the short term to increase efficiency and improve rail services. It should also be thoroughly investigated whether larger expansion projects can be adapted. In this way a standstill of the march for at least ten years could be avoided.
According to the FDP, the Federal Council should propose measures by 2026 to start construction of new railway lines by the end of the decade at the latest to reduce travel times between Lausanne and Bern and between Winterthur and St. Gallen.
(SDA)