Railway construction work next year will cause the temporary closure of various lines in Switzerland, resulting in major challenges for rail freight operators.
Sections of the Simplon line from canton Valais in southern Switzerland to Milan, Italy, are to be completely closed on the Italian side for up to three months next year, Swiss public radio SRF reported on Monday.
The situation will also be complicated in August for freight traffic on the Gotthard line: the marshalling yard in Chiasso will be rebuilt and at Bellinzona there will only be one track available at the same time. In addition, construction work is planned north of the Alps in summer.
A list from the Federal Office of Transport (FOT) reveals a total of 15 construction projects on the north-south axis, many involving “full closures”. “The operating situation in freight transport is and remains difficult,” says Andreas Windlinger from the FOT.
Construction is also underway in Germany along the entire Rhine-Alpine rail corridor. Switzerland has completed the New Railway Link through the Alps (NRLA) north-south rail link, but construction work is still ongoing abroad, said Windlinger. This will continue intensively, especially in Germany, until 2040, but the next three years will be particularly challenging. ...