Gr�tzi the list,

My name is Ari and I'm a student from the city of Geneva. I used to
have some trains and I'm always in admiration in front the St-Gothard
model in the Luzern transport museum�

TRAINS
The Swiss railway network is one of the most extensive in Europe,
with around 5,000km, (3,100mi) of track (almost all electrified),
1,800 stations and 650 tunnels. It includes 2,000km (1,242mi) of
private lines operated by some 100 private companies, although they
aren't strictly private as many are run by canton governments. The
Swiss federal railways are usually referred to by their initials,
which vary according to the local language: SBB (Schweizerische
Bundesbahnen) in German, henceforth used to refer to the Swiss
federal. railways, CFF (Chemins de Fer F�d�raux) in French and FFS
(Ferrovie Federali Svizzere) in Italian. The SBB celebrated its 150th
anniversary in 1997 and became a private company in 1999. It's
renowned for its punctuality (although building or maintenance work
and bad weather occasionally delay trains), comfort and speed, the
only disadvantage being that the speed of some trains doesn't allow
time to
admire Switzerland's beauty (if you're sightseeing, catch a slow
train).

Despite frequent fare increases in recent years to try to reduce
SBB's deficit, Swiss
trains remain relatively inexpensive if you take advantage of special
tickets, excursion fares, family reductions and holiday package
deals. Over long distances trains are cheaper than buses. The Swiss
are Europe's most frequent train travellers and average
around 1,600 km a year, per head of population. Most trains consist
of 1st class, denoted by a yellow stripe along the top, and 2nd class
carriages.

Trains are categorised as local trains (Regionalzug/Lokalzug, train
r�gional), fast trains (Schnellzug, train direct), Intercity (IC),
InterCity Express (ICE) and Eurocity (EC), depending on the number of
stops made. Intercity and InterCity Express trains are fast trains
servicing the main Swiss cities. Eurocity trains are fast
international trains, providing regular services between major Swiss
towns and over 200 European cities. They are air-conditioned and
provide both a restaurant and a mini-bar trolley service. A
supplement is payable by all passengers on EC trains and a seat
reservation is obligatory (optional on Intercity and many domestic
fast trains). The reservation fee is Sfr. 4 and bookings can be made
from 24-hours to two months in advance (up to three months for
compartments in sleeping cars). Sleeping cars and cars with seats
that convert into berths (couchettes) are available on most Eurocity
trains. A private CityNightLine (CNL) sleeper train service (a joint
venture with Austria and Germany) was introduced in 1995 and CNL
plans to make Zurich the sleeper capital of Europe. International car
trains also operate from Switzerland to a number of countries. It's
advisable to reserve seats in advance, particularly when travelling
during holiday periods or over weekends.

In recent years the SBB has invested heavily in expanding and
modernising its rail network, introducing new rolling stock and
improving services. The latest examples are new S-Bahn (S is short
for schnell or fast) suburban train services in Berne and Zurich with
new double-decker trains. Fast regional trains, called RegioExpress,
have also been introduced in some areas, e.g. between St. Gallen and
Chur. The TGV from Berne, Geneva, Lausanne and Neuch�tel to Paris and
southern France, at speeds of up to 300kph. Geneva to Paris takes
around three-and-a-half hours. From spring 1996, 200kph (120mph)
Cisalpino (CIS), Pendolino tilt-body trains have connected major
Swiss towns with Milan, and German ICE high speed trains link
Interlaken and Zurich with cities throughout Germany. Switzerland is
building two new high-speed rail tunnels through the Alps to carry
heavy lorries, the New Transalpine Railway Project
(Neue Eisenbahnalpentransversalen/NEAT), which is expected to be
completed between 2015 and 2020 and will cost some Sfr. 15 to 20
billion.

In addition to the SBB, there are many small private railways in
Switzerland. Among the most interesting, for both train enthusiasts
and tourists alike, is the Glacier Express, the slowest express in
the world (average speed 20mph). It runs from St. Moritz to Zermatt
and negotiates 291 bridges and 91 tunnels during its 7 and 1/2 hour
journey (the Swiss make holes in both their mountains and their
cheese). The Montreux Oberland Bernese (MOB) railway from Montreux to
Zweisimmen/Lenk/Lucerne is 1st class only, with ultra-modern
panoramic or superpanoramic (sounds like a cinema screen) express
coaches and a saloon bar coach with hostess. The Bernina express from
Chur to Tirano in Italy, has the highest (2,253m/7,390ft) railway
traverse in the Alps and provides a unique and beautiful experience.
Switzerland Tourism (ST) publish a brochure for steam train fans
entitled Steam in Switzerland, containing general information,
schedules and fares for all private steam trains.

Most public and private trains and carriages can be chartered for
special occasions. You can also charter a special Panorama 'Vista
Dome Car' and have it hooked onto most scheduled trains, or
alternatively charter a whole train. You can even charter the Orient
Express! An excellent book for train buffs is Switzerland by Rail by
Anthony Lambert (Bradt Publications). Information about Swiss rail
services is available via their information telephone number 1572222
(calls cost Sfr. 1.19 per minute) and via the Internet (www.rail.ch).

Tch�ss

Ari
(I am also the Switzerland Onelist owner
http://www.onelist.com/group/SWITZERLAND).

Sorry, I have to publish a few corrections on what

Ari wrote:

....

1,800 stations and 650 tunnels. It includes 2,000km (1,242mi) of
private lines operated by some 100 private companies, although they
aren't strictly private as many are run by canton governments. The

....
exact mileage see messages nr. 15 and 16
http://www.onelist.com/messages/SwissRail
no, not RUN by canton governments BUT:
OWNED for a big share by cantons: typically about 30% of the shares are held
by the Swiss Confederation, about 60% by the cantons interested and about
10% by others. As important exceptions I should mention:
- BLS: majority held by the canton of Berne, Confederation only 20%
- BVZ (Brig - Visp - Zermatt): no public shareholders
- FO (Furka - Oberalp): Confederation about 80%, Cantons about 20% (a
consequence of the break-down of the BFD in 1915 after having finished only
half of the stretch, with subsequent bankruptcy in 1923, auction in 1925 and
opening of the rest of the line in 1926, then electrification during
1940-42)
- all cogwheel railways going to "nowhere" (no town) as Jungfrau, Pilatus,
Gornergrat, Brienzer Rothorn etc. have no or few public shareholders.
....

Swiss federal railways are usually referred to by their initials,
which vary according to the local language: SBB (Schweizerische
Bundesbahnen) in German, henceforth used to refer to the Swiss
federal. railways, CFF (Chemins de Fer F�d�raux) in French and FFS
(Ferrovie Federali Svizzere) in Italian. The SBB celebrated its 150th

...
in the Swiss commercial register, an official name in two other languages
figures:
Viafiers federalas svizras VFS
Swiss federal railways SFR
http://www.hrabe.ch/cgi-bin/fnrGet.exe?fnr=0358021438&amt=035&lang=4&hrg_opt
=11000&shab=0000000
....

anniversary in 1997 and became a private company in 1999. It's

....
no, not a private company, but an independent company ("Aktiengesellschaft
des �ffentlichen Rechts" so of public right) with 100% of the shares held by
the Confederation
....

Despite frequent fare increases in recent years to try to reduce
SBB's deficit, Swiss

....
not only SBB but the whole public transport of Switzerland increased prices,
for all railway and bus companies have the same problem: they need
subsidies. In ticketing there are only few SBB offers, standard are public
transport offers with participation of all long-distance trains and most
regional trains and busses.
....

trains remain relatively inexpensive if you take advantage of special
tickets, excursion fares, family reductions and holiday package
deals. Over long distances trains are cheaper than buses. The Swiss

....
there is no long-distance bus service in Switzerland because no concessions
are delivered for this. Exception is Chur - Bellinzona where only a road
tunnel but no rails give a connection. But the numerous border-crossing
busses are in general cheaper than trains.
....

Trains are categorised as local trains (Regionalzug/Lokalzug, train
r�gional), fast trains (Schnellzug, train direct), Intercity (IC),
InterCity Express (ICE) and Eurocity (EC), depending on the number of
stops made. Intercity and InterCity Express trains are fast trains

....
there is no "Lokalzug". The correct categories are:
- Regionalzug/train r�gional or S-Bahn/RER (all trains NOT bold printed in
official timetable)
- RX RegioExpress (regional trains with limited stops, generally subsidized)
- Schnellzug/train direct (bold printed trains without RX, IR, IC sign or
other)
- IR InterRegio (air conditioned train with stops about every 10 to 20
minutes)
- IC InterCity (air conditioned trains with few stops)
- EC EuroCity, EN EuroNight, CIS Cisalpino, TGV, ICE etc. (border-crossing
trains)
....

supplement is payable by all passengers on EC trains and a seat
reservation is obligatory (optional on Intercity and many domestic

....
no supplement and no mandatory seat reservation within Switzerland on EC
trains!
....

trains. A private CityNightLine (CNL) sleeper train service (a joint
venture with Austria and Germany) was introduced in 1995 and CNL

....
Austria already went out of CNL and SBB will sell its shares to DB, so CNL
will be an offer of DB in the future
....

In recent years the SBB has invested heavily in expanding and
modernising its rail network, introducing new rolling stock and
improving services. The latest examples are new S-Bahn (S is short
for schnell or fast) suburban train services in Berne and Zurich with
new double-decker trains. Fast regional trains, called RegioExpress,

....
no double-deckers in Berne! S-Bahn Berne is not an SBB project! S1, S11, S3
are run by SBB, S2, S22, S33, S5, S51, S55 by BLS, S4, S44 by RM
(Regionalverkehr Mittelland)
.....

Interlaken and Zurich with cities throughout Germany. Switzerland is
building two new high-speed rail tunnels through the Alps to carry
heavy lorries, the New Transalpine Railway Project
(Neue Eisenbahnalpentransversalen/NEAT), which is expected to be
completed between 2015 and 2020 and will cost some Sfr. 15 to 20
billion.

....
the two tunnels will see passenger trains, freight trains and probably some
trains carrying heavy lorries. BLS-built L�tschberg is due 2007, SBB-built
Gotthard about 2013
....

cheese). The Montreux Oberland Bernese (MOB) railway from Montreux to
Zweisimmen/Lenk/Lucerne is 1st class only, with ultra-modern
panoramic or superpanoramic (sounds like a cinema screen) express

....
MOB has lots of second-class panoramic cars! and as of mai 28 there will not
be any 1st class only train on MOB. Narrow gauge MOB ends in Zweisimmen,
where you have to change to continue on standard gauge.
....

Markus Giger

Dear Markus,

I took what I posted from standard news in a book about Switzerland
printed in 1999. Sorry for the imprecisions whether they hurt you, it
was only general informations that had the quality to make a good
summarise. This book is a bit humorist but I think it's good for a
lot a people who don't know anything about trains. You seem having
taken what it was written very strictly.

Let me try to explain why it was written what I post:

-VFS and SFR are not written on the trains, that's why nobody knows
them!

-Private or independent company, the most of the Swiss don't see the
difference�

-About buses, we have a bus station in Geneva (not TPG) for long
distance as South France and elsewhere in Switzerland too I suppose�

-How do you name Gen�ve-La plaine? I think it's a 'train local'
(Lokalzug)?

-I hope that the tunnels open to lorries trains can also see
passenger trains�

All the best

Ari
http://www.onelist.com/group/SWITZERLAND

Please do not post personal answers to the list but to the person concerned.
The e-mail adress of this person is always given in the header of the
message.

Now the personal thing, sorry, but as it was posted to everybody, I have to
post the answer to everybody:
Dear Ari,
The impecisions did not hurt me, I just think that we should have
informations as precise as possible on SwissRail. We can leave imprecisions
to newspaper, television and the like. There you will find plenty of it
anyway... If you found all these imprecise informations in a book, I would
not recommend this book. I think there are enough books about Swiss
railways, that are precise.

Still two points:
1. Those people in Switzerland who speak about SBB as privatized, they
really think that. What means, they do not know the reality. SBB is not
private, definitely not. British Rail was privatized.
2. Busses starting from the Geneva bus station are NOT ALLOWED to take
passengers for a ride within Switzerland!

From: "Ari " <space.of.ari@...>

Dear Markus,

I took what I posted from standard news in a book about Switzerland
printed in 1999. Sorry for the imprecisions whether they hurt you, it
was only general informations that had the quality to make a good
summarise. This book is a bit humorist but I think it's good for a

....

-Private or independent company, the most of the Swiss don't see the
difference.

-About buses, we have a bus station in Geneva (not TPG) for long
distance as South France and elsewhere in Switzerland too I suppose.

-How do you name Gen�ve-La plaine? I think it's a 'train local'
(Lokalzug)?

Gen�ve - La Plaine is an "RER" (S-Bahn) which, in this case means "Rh�ne
Express R�gional" instead of the official "R�seau Express R�gional". In any
case, the train numbers are from the series for S-Bahn trains (15000 Gen�ve
and Berne, 17000 Basel, 18000/19000 Z�rich).

Markus Giger

Hello, this is Ari again.

I simply explain to the members why it was written what I posted. The
list is not moderated�Ok I won't post anything in the future, because
I'll leave the list, I didn't receive neither a welcome to join, nor
a thank you for posting, so I suppose I won't receive a "Tch�ss".

I don't know a lot of things about trains but I have the feeling that
the list is too fanatic for me. The R�stigrabben is too deap. I have
no pleasure to read longer these stories of details, in fact I wanted
to join a lively list with active surveys and some pictures�

The bus station in Geneva is alone in Switzerland to be specialised
in the passengers transport ACROSS MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN
SWITZERLAND and other countries. It has been working like that for
years, if it's illegal, I doubt there would be a web site:
http://www.geneva.ch/f/GenevaCoachStation.htm

Best regards and all the best for the future.

Ari (from Switzerland onelist)

Ari won't read it, but this is the text I copied from the site he mentioned:

Our coaches run mainly towards neighbouring France as well as more distant
destinations. With Eurolines we also make connection with most of Europe.
Our regular line services include transport to the French Ski resorts. With
our guided tours you will discover points of high touristic interest in
Switzerland and neighbouring France, in particular Chamonix.

So, the only thing within Switzerland are "guided tours", no public
transport.

Antoher question: Do you also think, discussion is "too fanatic", goes too
much into details? Please post off-list, directly to me. Thanks.

Markus Giger

The following question and the answer might be of interest to SwissRail members. It gives an idea of the actual state of the rail reform in Switzerland.

Markus Giger

"What needs to be done to enhance competition in railway services through free access to the railroad network, given that so far, the market share of competitors of the state-owned CFF remained minuscule (less than 0.1 per cent)?"

For the time being, free access to the (standard gauge) rail network is only granted to freight haulage by Swiss railways. Free access on the European level will be introduced as soon as the bilateral agreement on land transport between the EU and Switzerland comes into force.

However, the railway networks operated by the individual companies differ widely with respect to technical standards, electricity supply, signalling systems etc. Some of these characteristics are true non-tariff barriers to interoperability. That is why the Federal Office of Transport (FOT) now requires that the future signalling standard be a train protection system which is harmonised throughout Europe, the European Train Control System (ETCS). The interoperability of the railways is strongly promoted by this international harmonisation.

A second element to be considered is the fact that, in the past, the railways were organised strictly territorially. A considerable change of mentality, therefore, has to take place which takes time. A new approach of "co-operation in competition" has to be found involving all major national and foreign railway companies. With the exception of the Swiss Federal Railways (SFR), the Swiss railway companies are comparatively small and only regionally established. It is not easy for them to market their service away from their home base. They need encouragement and advice, but also the necessary marketing and management capabilities in order to succeed in the market place. The FOT encourages closer co-operation between companies of complementing or similar capabilities which could improve their situation. Another promising measure could be the promotion and creation of rolling stock companies (ROSCOs) because smaller train operating companies (TOCs) often meet shortages in locomotives and wagons when trying to submit competing offers for freight haulage.

Finally, the opening of the markets causes tariffs and special operational services to become the normal instruments in competition. Sometimes concealed, others applied quite openly, these weapons are difficult to control. Official complaints by defeated competitors can, of course, be followed up and analysed. In most cases, however, no explicit complaints are articulated. This makes it virtually impossible to apply remedies. On the international level, there are signs of misuse of market power. Some European railway companies seem to apply infrastructure tariffs that are unreasonably high and push competitors out of the market. Future EU directives are expected to contribute to fair solutions.

It is not surprising, therefore, that under these circumstances the share of smaller companies in the rail freight market is not very high. Before the Swiss railway reform, i.e. before the introduction of Swiss internal open access, the (so-called) private railway companies performed 5 –7 per cent of rail tonne kilometres. However, it is not Switzerland’s goal to transfer freight from one railway company to another. The primary objective in transport policy is transferring freight from road haulage on to the railways thus alleviating road traffic and reducing environmental impacts. The measures, most of them already explicitly approved by the electorate, include building new rail capacity (Rail 2000, two New Rail Links through the Alps etc.), a mileage-related heavy vehicle tax, the bilateral agreement on land transport with the EU, a Traffic Transfer Act (transferring road freight traffic to rail), the railway reform, subsidies on train path prices for combined transport etc. The Swiss authorities are confident of their success.

• SBB took responsability for the whole carload traffic on standard gauge. Private railway companies still active in this sector act as contractual partners of SBB. They do no longer have their share of the price a customer pays, but they are paid by SBB for locomotive-kilometers and other output they contribute. In some cases, SBB now runs with their own locomotives, as is the case on the MThB network or on the three-rail sections of RBS where an SBB diesel released the narrow gauge electrics (1200 V d.c) with standard gauge couplings. Trains to Ems chemical plant over the three-rail section of RhB, which had ever been operated with SBB locomotives (under 11 kV catenary instead of 15 kV) is now also under full responsability of SBB.
• On the other hand, MThB/SOB (Lokoop) and some other companies took full responsability for specialized traffic, as postal traffic in Eastern Switzerland, fuel block trains and the like.
• SBB also took responsability for narrow gauge traffic on RBS. Narrow gauge trains with electric RBS locomotives and standard gauge freight cars on RBS transporter trucks are operated by SBB staff. RBS is now focussed on passenger transport.
• Combined traffic (piggy back, containers) is offered on the own responsabilitiy of operators like Hupac etc. Traction of the trains is done by SBB and BLS (BLS also works on the Gotthard!) at fix prices.
• RhB and BVZ are forcing their own freight traffic but cooperate with SBB in the case of through-going carloads (with transshipment in Landquart or Visp), which is not very important in the case of RhB and nearly inexistant in the case of BVZ. FO is only active in freight traffic on special demand. Most important at the moment is supply with cement and steel of the Sedrun work place for the new Gotthard tunnel. RhB still has other cement transports (plant at Untervaz with narrow gauge and standard gauge connections), fuel transports from the Italian boarder (brought there by trucks) to the Engadin, timber in the other direction, postal transports and daily supply for Coop super markets in containers through the new Vereina tunnel, mineral water bottles (Valser Wasser) to a logistic center etc. BVZ is active in any supplies to Zermatt (which is called a car-free resort) including LCL and Express. Part goes in containers.
  See http://www.egroups.com/files/SwissRail for a picture.
  See http://www.bvz.ch/zermatt/spe/index_gueterverkehr_d.html BVZ home page!
  RhB freight only in German http://www.rhb.ch/Gueter/index.htm
• CJ is now active in garbage transports, for which the two newer railcars 487 and 488 from former RhB d.c. electrification to Arosa (now a.c.) were bought.
• ASM will introduce gravel transports on the former BTI line
• Carload traffic in standard gauge cars on narrow gauge transporter trucks on BAM, YSC, CJ, TRN (ex CMN), GFM, MOB, ASM (former BTI, RVO and SNB), WSB, AB, FW and RhB is, for the moment, continued under a cooperation agreement.
• Future of such traffic on SBB-owned Brünigbahn and connecting MIB and LSE is discussed at the moment. Changes are expected.
• Cogwheel railways and cable transport bring supplies to the mountain areas, this is of some importance on WAB (to Wengen) and GGB (with cars running through from Visp).

• different lenghts as to meet restrictions on lines with very sharp curvature, as on Bernina line of RhB (45m radius) or St. Gallen - Gais of AB (30m radius)
• closed or open toilet system or no toilets
• intermediate or driving trailer (car or cab car)
• conventional windows or panoramic windows (dome car)
• air brakes or vacuum brakes, with or without cogwheel
• center buffer or automatic coupling
• air condition or conventional heating/fresh air system
• electrical system for 300, 1000 or 1500 V a.c. or d.c. or combined
• compartments
      A: first class 2054mm seating 2+1 or 2+2
      B: second class 1782mm (long distance) or 1650mm (short distance) seating 2+2
      D: baggage
      t: cab car

• AB: Appenzeller Bahnen, 1500 V d.c., air brakes (short cars with cogwheels), automatic coupling, 12 cars, short distance version
• RhB: Rhätische Bahn, 300 V a.c. (and 1000 V d.c, short cars only)., vacuum brakes, central buffers, 17+10 cars, long distance version
• SBB: Brünigbahn, 1500 V a.c., air brakes (with cogwheels), automatic coupling, 2 cars

The name of the startingpoint of this train is "Kijfhoek". One of the
biggest railway-distribution-points of Europe.

--- In SwissRail@..., Giger Markus BAV <Markus.Giger@b...>
wrote:

According to todays "Bund" newspaper, it was early in the morning of
Thursday that the first freight train with BLS locomotive arrived in
Chiasso. The train consisted of Re 4/4 189 and only nine waggons.

It starts

in Kaijfok near Rotterdam and ends in Milano-Smistamento. Loading

capacity

of the train is sold by a dutch firm, traction is done by DB, BLS

and FS.

The train will return on Saturday. Weekly running is planned for

now,

additional trains only being added when transport volume will grow.
Markus Giger