SWISS Federal Railways (SBB) has issued its draft 2022 timetable for public consultation, which includes a number of planned changes to provide faster or simpler journeys, as well as enhanced international connections.
Changes to domestic services include:
- extending the hourly IC5 Geneva - Zürich - St Gallen service to Rorschach on Lake Constance
- increasing the number of direct trains between Zürich and Chur, with a half hourly frequency at busy times of the year such as for winter sports between Christmas and April
- direct connections via the new IR35 Aare-Linth route, running from Bern via Burgdorf, Zürich and Ziegelbrücke to Chur - operation will be shared between Southeast Railway (SOB), using Stadler Traverso Flirt EMUs, and SBB; at the weekend, only SOB Traverso trains will run on the line, while during the week some trains will be operated by SBB using double-deck trains
- additional services on the Lausanne - Brig route operated with double-deck Intercity trains, and
- additional overnight services during the weekend on the Zürich - Zug - Lucerne route.
The main changes for international services are the introduction of a daily Nightjet service between Zürich and Amsterdam operated in conjunction with Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), using sleeping and couchette cars. The new service will depart Zürich at 21.59 and arrive at Amsterdam at 09.00 the next day.
The main change to day services is the reduction in journey times between Zürich and Munich from 4 hours to 3h 30min thanks to the opening of the new station at Lindau Reutin in Germany, avoiding the need for trains to reverse in the old Lindau main station.
SBB has also announced it will no longer produce printed pocket timetables from the 2022 timetable. However, making and printing an up-to-date pocket timetable will be possible via the SBB website or in station travel centres.
