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The heart of the Swiss railways

Zurich is one of the busiest train stations in the world. It rarely comes to a standstill. (SRF/swissinfo.ch)

Zurich’s main railway station is the largest in Switzerland. Every day more than 400,000 people travel through it.

Zurich’s railway hub came into service in 1847 and is the second oldest railway station in the country. It was built as a terminus for the Swiss Northern Railway, the first railway to be built within Switzerland’s borders.

Because of its central location within Switzerland and Europe, the station quickly became an important railway junction. As many Swiss mainline trains travel to or from Zurich, when delays and disruptions occur, they can affect the whole national network.

The latest addition to Zurich’s railway station is the second underground transit station at Löwenstrasse. It opened in 2014 and it caters for a new cross-city link aimed at dealing with the future increase in passengers.

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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR