New Swiss rail timetable speeds up cross-border trips
Next year the train connections from Switzerland to Germany and Italy will be faster.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/sm
On Wednesday the Swiss Federal Railways unveiled the timetable for 2021. In addition to various inland tweaks, the new schedule brings swifter links from Zurich to Milan (3:17) and Munich (ca. 4hrs). From Zurich there will be ten direct trains to Milan; from Basel, five. The capacity for the Zurich-Munich connection will be doubled from three to six trains per day.
There will also be two direct trains per hour from Lucerne to Zurich Airport. Overall, the new schedule, effective as of December 13, will mean about 1.4% more regional and long-distance trains in operation.
However, the coronavirus pandemic will make it a challenge for the railways to fully implement the timetable. And in addition to interrupted construction work, the railways also face a shortage of 210 train drivers. This means that on weekdays, some 200 out of 9,000 trains will be cancelled.
As the railways told the media on Wednesday, the staff shortage is down to Covid-19 measures that postponed training for new drivers. Courses running from November to May 2021 should reduce the shortage to 110 drivers.
Following a downturn in numbers during the Covid-19 lockdown, passenger trains are now filled to about 70-75% of their capacity.
More
More
Swiss railways see more demand for train trips abroad
This content was published on
According to a report in the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper, demand for night train journeys especially increased on stretches between Switzerland and the German cities of Berlin and Hamburg, while overall demand for international trips rose most on routes to France. Federal Railways Spokesperson Sabine Baumgartner told the NZZ am Sonntag it was impossible to…
This content was published on
Nemo brought the Eurovision Song Contest to Switzerland with a victory on Saturday evening in Malmö, Sweden. It is Switzerland's third victory in the history of the music contest.
Switzerland abstains from vote on Palestinian bid for full UN membership
This content was published on
On Friday, Switzerland abstained from the vote at the General Assembly on granting the Palestinians new rights at the United Nations (UN).
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
This content was published on
The Swiss took the train on average 71 times last year, travelling 2,398 kilometres by rail, according to the latest figures from the European Statistical Office, Eurostat. Measured by distance travelled per capita, Switzerland is a European leader. The average train distance covered by train passengers in Switzerland last year far outstripped its nearest rivals.…
Join the conversation!