Geneva-Lausanne railway celebrates 150th birthday

The first rail line between Geneva and Lausanne was opened on this day in 1858, with a second track added 21 years later. Lobbyists are still battling for a third track to expand passenger train capacity, although the railway network, CFF, says it won't be necessary for at least 12 years. As Lake Geneva region politicians fight for an expansion of passenger capacity on the railway between the two cities, the train line celebrates its 150th anniversary on June 25. The rail link was inaugurated in 1858, offering passengers a one hour, 20-minute trip to replace one by horse-drawn carriage that took eight hours. After its initial modest beginnings, the single line was double tracked in 1879.  It has grown to become one of the five busiest rail routes in Switzerland, carrying 38,000 passengers a day on 200 trains.
The 64-kilometre journey now takes just 33 minutes on the fastest intercity trains, although slower regional trains with stops in between the two cities run on a 44 or 48 minute schedule. Some local politicians complain that service has not kept up with other sections of the Swiss train network, particularly in the  Zurich area. In a bid to end overcrowding at rush hours and to increase the frequency of fast trains, they have been lobbying the federal government without success for the completion of a third rail line between the Vaud capital and Geneva. However, Vincent Ducrot, of Swiss Federal Railways (CFF/SBB), said a third rail line will not be needed for another 12 to 20 years, although passenger growth on the route is expanding at the rate of seven percent a year.
 
Ducrot, in charge of CFF’s major routes, acknowledged that not all passengers can find a seat during peak periods. But he said that is a problem elsewhere in the network. Ducrot told the Tribune de Genève that a third rail line, while important for the region, would not significantly add capacity to the railway’s overall national network.
 
He said the CFF plans to add double-decker carriages on its inter-city and regional service to expand capacity between Lausanne and Geneva. The railway is also counting on federal transport officials to introduce measures to encourage freight trains to operate at off-peak times, Ducrot said. The potential is to boost passenger capacity by 30 to 40 percent, although he did not set a time frame for this.  

The first rail line between Geneva and Lausanne was opened on this day in 1858, with a second track added 21 years later. Lobbyists are still battling for a third track to expand passenger train capacity, although the railway network, CFF, says it won't be necessary for at least 12 years. As Lake Geneva region politicians fight for an expansion of passenger capacity on the railway between the two cities, the train line celebrates its 150th anniversary on June 25. The rail link was inaugurated in 1858, offering passengers a one hour, 20-minute trip to replace one by horse-drawn carriage that took eight hours. After its initial modest beginnings, the single line was double tracked in 1879.  It has grown to become one of the five busiest rail routes in Switzerland, carrying 38,000 passengers a day on 200 trains.
The 64-kilometre journey now takes just 33 minutes on the fastest intercity trains, although slower regional trains with stops in between the two cities run on a 44 or 48 minute schedule. Some local politicians complain that service has not kept up with other sections of the Swiss train network, particularly in the  Zurich area. In a bid to end overcrowding at rush hours and to increase the frequency of fast trains, they have been lobbying the federal government without success for the completion of a third rail line between the Vaud capital and Geneva. However, Vincent Ducrot, of Swiss Federal Railways (CFF/SBB), said a third rail line will not be needed for another 12 to 20 years, although passenger growth on the route is expanding at the rate of seven percent a year.
 
Ducrot, in charge of CFF’s major routes, acknowledged that not all passengers can find a seat during peak periods. But he said that is a problem elsewhere in the network. Ducrot told the Tribune de Genève that a third rail line, while important for the region, would not significantly add capacity to the railway’s overall national network.
 
He said the CFF plans to add double-decker carriages on its inter-city and regional service to expand capacity between Lausanne and Geneva. The railway is also counting on federal transport officials to introduce measures to encourage freight trains to operate at off-peak times, Ducrot said. The potential is to boost passenger capacity by 30 to 40 percent, although he did not set a time frame for this.