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REVEALED: What you need to know about Switzerland’s new train schedule

Swiss rail operator SBB has released its timetable for 2024 — this is what you can expect.

REVEALED: What you need to know about Switzerland's new train schedule
SBB will add new connections in 2024. Image by Erich Westendarp from Pixabay

The new timetable will come into force on Sunday December 10th, but the national rail company has already published its 2024 schedule.

“New direct connections to Swiss tourist regions such as Valais, Graubünden and Bernese Oberland” are planned, along with some new or expanded international routes, the SBB said.

These are some of the changes you can expect:

Geneva – Annemasse (France)

This line is used mostly by cross-border employees who commute to work from the French communities to Geneva and Vaud.

From December 10th, RegioExpress trains (line RE 33) will make additional stops between Geneva and Annemasse.

In the Annemasse–Geneva direction: Chêne-Bourg, Genève-Champel, and Lancy-Bachet.

In the Geneva–Annemasse direction: Geneva-Champel.

Geneva Airport

Two morning trains linking Biel /Bienne to Geneva Airport will be put into service on December 23rd and 24th. This route serves the following cities:
 
Biel (departure: 02:40)
Neuchâtel (03:02)
Yverdon-les-Bains (03:25)
Morges (03:47)
Nyon (04:04)
Geneva City (04:18)
Geneva-Airport (arrival: 4:24 a.m.).

These early trains will allow passengers from the cities mentioned to take the first wave of flights offered from Geneva Airport, SBB said.

Brig – Berne and Brig – Basel

Commuters will be able to go directly to Bern (arrival at 6:24 am) and Basel (arrival at 7:32 am) from Tuesday to Sunday by taking the IC6 in Brig (departure at 5:16 am).

The last IC6 of the evening will run from Basel (departure at 10:28 pm) to Brig (arrival at 12:41 am) via Bern (departure at 11:37 pm.), an hour later than before.

In order to connect to these new IC6s in the morning and evening, a RegionAlps connection is set up earlier between Martigny (04:07) and Brig (05:13).

In the evening, a train will run from Brig (00:27) to Martigny (01:38) and will stop at all stations with a connection at Visp (00:36) to Martigny.

Geneva – Chur

Two new direct trains linking Geneva to the capital of Graubünden via Zurich will be put into service. Four direct trains will run in each direction during the weekends.

Gotthard Tunnel

The situation will improve in Gotthard tunnel, where traffic had been disrupted since August, following the derailment of a freight train.

From December 10th, SBB plans to operate 31 passenger trains via the Gotthard Base Tunnel on weekends, with journey times identical to those before the derailment.

International connections

Bern – Paris

From December 10th 2023 to July 7th 2024, on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, two RegioExpress (RE9) services will be extended to and from Bern, providing an alternative for travel between Bern and Paris: departure from Bern at 6:23 am, from Neuchâtel at 7:06 am, and arrival in Frasne at 8:06 am. A connection is provided with the TGV for arrival in Paris at 11:08 am.

In the opposite direction, a connection is provided between the TGV from Paris (departure at 17:56) and the RegioExpress service from Frasne (departure at 20:53) to Neuchâtel (arrival at 21:53) and Bern (arrival at 22:30).

Geneva – Marseille

From June 29th until August 18th, 2024, TGV Lyria will operate a daily round trip train between Geneva and Marseille, with stops in Lyon, Avignon, and Aix-en-Provence.

Zurich – Munich

Since travel to the Bavarian capital has been very popular with Swiss commuters, an additional train will connect Zurich to Munich, and vice versa, daily from December 10th.

Commuters will benefit from a train service every two hours between the two cities.

You can see more domestic and international connections for 2024 here.
 
 

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TRAVEL NEWS

SWISS airline to make 80 changes in bid to avoid summer delays

The airline Swiss has introduced over 80 new measures to avoid delays this summer, after a difficult 2023.

SWISS airline to make 80 changes in bid to avoid summer delays

The changes come after the airline admitted that only 57 percent of SWISS flights departed on time in May and June of 2023. 

Further embarrassment came when the Swiss carrier ranked 48 behind budget airlines Easyjet and Wiztair in the 2023 Airhelp Score.

Preparations for the summer holidays. include the hiring of more than 2,000 ground staff and customer service staff after shortfalls caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with many on hand to deal with complaints – an area that was highlighted in the Airhelp results. 

An improved baggage system at Zurich airport and new weather forecasting systems are further changes the airline hopes will avoid delays. 

In the future, passengers will also be able to use the SWISS mobile phone app to be notified about compensation and lost luggage. 

“We have made our preparations”, Oliver Buchhofer, SWISS’s COO told Blick. 

Unique challenges

Switzerland’s position and geography make it a challenging space for airlines to operate. 

The alpine topography of the country and the associated weather patterns generated means flight corridors are highly trafficked and can be easily shut down by severe weather. 

READ MORE: SWISS airline expands its US-bound flights and ups frequency

Adverse conditions are not something to risk – there have been 29 air crashes causing 445 fatalities since records began, according to the Aviation Safety Network. 

The country’s location also makes delays more likely. At the very heart of Europe, there are hundreds of flights crossing the country’s airspace, with Zurich airport connected to 205 destinations worldwide. 

Changing fortunes

SWISS has experienced a decline in standing over the past two decades. 

As Swissair, it was considered one of the world’s premier airlines in the decades following its founding in 1931. 

However, over-expansion in the 1990s caused the airline’s financial position to become more precarious. The 1998 crash of Swissair Flight 111 off Nova Scotia, coupled with the September 11 attacks in 2001, caused it to go bankrupt in 2002. 

The airline rebranded as SWISS, was then acquired by the Lufthansa group in 2005.

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