SBB: faster frequent and more efficient.
| Auteur | Sethi, Aradhana |
| Fonction | Feature |
Rail 2000, the project that came into existence in 1997, will complete its first phase of construction and service by end-2004. Here's looking at some of the forthcoming developments.
One of the first things you notice upon arriving in Switzerland is the punctual and reliable public transportation service.
And now, towards the end of 2004, add to this convenience, inter city trains with better frequency and greater speeds--the magic formula for many more satisfied rail users, who bring in bigger profits for the rail authorities.
This will be the result of Rail 2000--a project that commenced with the plebiscites of 1987 and was further given a green signal in 1998 for its financing and modernisation.
Says Roland Binz, Press Officer at SBB CFF FFS or the Swiss Federal Railways, "Rail 2000 has a long history, backed by an even longer political process. The goal, naturally, is to bring more people to the trains and public transport to protect the environment."
He continues, "The idea is based on a vote by the Swiss people in the year 1987. Earlier the project was much bigger, but the lack of funds has made it smaller to a "step-by-step" project. The idea, at the end, is to improve the heart of the railway system and then making the whole network a winning proposition. The new line Mattstetten-Rothrist is really the heart of the Rail 2000 project, together with around 120 other projects."
Welcome Changes
The first phase of Rail 2000 will become fully operational on December 12, 2004. With the setting up of the 45 km long new line Mattstetten-Rothrist, travel time between Bern and Zurich will be shortened by 15 minutes and you will save a quarter of an hour travelling from Geneva and Lausanne to Zurich.
Binz says, "There are many changes in store. Some 90 per cent of the time tables of SBB trains will change on December 12, 2004. There will be a 12 per cent increase in the number of trains and some 14 per cent more driven kilometres than there are at present. Faster and more number of connections between the cities and more comfort are some of the advantages lined up for Swiss Railway customers."
"Of course," he adds, "we hope that more people will use the trains instead of their private cars. And I think the project will be successful (as it saves on time, too). For example, it will take you less than an hour to travel from Bern to Zurich by train. That's not possible by road. And along the main line, you have a train every, half an hour. This...
Pour continuer la lecture
SOLLICITEZ VOTRE ESSAICOPYRIGHT GALE, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
