New rail links planned from Switzerland to London

Swiss rail infrastructure needs adapting to provide long haul services Keystone / Michael Buholzer

Swiss Federal Railways plans to create several new lines to connect Europe, including a direct line to London that could be operational as early as 2030.

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However, several adaptations are necessary on the side of Swiss stations and on the train routes.

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If the project goes ahead, the new direct trains from Geneva and Zurich are expected to arrive at St Pancras station in London.

The project has also just been the subject of an agreement between the British station and the Getlink group which manages the Channel Tunnel.

There is enthusiasm among both British and Swiss passengers. “We feel so disconnected after Brexit. This kind of direct connection would be incredible,” says one Briton.

Choosing best route

Swiss Railways is also pleased with the project. However, the company notes that Swiss railway stations will have to be adapted to accommodate these new passengers.

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“We now have the challenge of having to reserve a platform to be able to make a terminal. Perhaps we will temporarily put a departure in the peripheral stations of Geneva to be able to ensure it starts. And then we will return to the main station once the development work is finished,” suggests Vincent Ducrot, Swiss railways director.

The biggest challenge will be which route to take, says public transport specialist Momentum Transport. The line could, for example, go through Brussels and Germany, or a new TGV section could be built between Lille and Reims in France.

French connection

But there is also a more pragmatic option, explains Claudio Borsari, a transport specialist at the firm. “The simplest solution is to leave from London and then go to Paris,” he says.

But without going through the city centre, because changing stations takes an hour, or even an hour and a half, he continues. “We would use the high-speed line from Charles de Gaulle airport and from there we would head south towards Dijon and the Swiss border.”

Translated from French by DeepL/mga

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