Switzerland’s Newest Tramway – From the Light Rail Transit Association

Limmattalbahn, Switzerlandd's newest tramway.

Limmattalbahn, Switzerland’s newest tramway.

Interesting news from Switzerland.

I have reprinted this story from the LRTA’s February’s issue Light Rail and Urban Transport to illustrate the cost of a modern European style tramway (LRT).

The 13.4 km Limmattalbahn cost €607 million or CAD $884 million or about $65 million a kilometre to build!

Compare this with $4.6 t0 $5 billion or 287.5 per km. for the 16 km extension of the Expo Line to Langley!

A modern tramway in today’s money costs four and half times less than a light metro, yet the tramway could, if pushed offer a higher capacity if needed.

And the SkyTrain Lobby fails to understand why no one builds with SkyTrain light metro!

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Join the Light Rail Transit Association at www.lrta.org and be up to date with modern public transport!

 

Limmattalbahn

Limmattalbahn

Switzerland’s newest tramway

Delivered 20% under budget, Zürich’s Limmattalbahn is inaugurated for Europe’s timetable change

December’s Europe-wide timetable change saw inauguration of the new Limmattalbahn.

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Opened with celebrations and free travel on 10 December – with regular service from 11 December – the 13.4km (8.3-mile) metre- gauge line links Bahnhof Altstetten in the western suburbs of Zürich with communities in the Limmat Valley. There are 27 stops serving Farbhof, Schlieren, Urdorf, Dietikon and Killwangen (the western terminus).

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Track-sharing takes place with the VBZ tram network (line 2) in Zürich between Farbhof and Schlieren, and at Dietikon with the Bremgarten – Dietikon Bahn (BDWM). The line’s depot is atMüsli (near Kreuzäcker stop), next to a railway marshalling yard.

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The Limmat Valley has always been a significant transport corridor; the first Swiss railway (the Spanisch-Brötli-Bahn) ran here from 1847. With a highway network at capacity and 113 000 additional journeys per day expected by 2030, plans for the new public transport connection were endorsed in a November 2015 referendum.

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From Altstetten to Schlieren the line is electrified at 600V dc for compatibility with VBZ trams, while further west the line voltageis powered at 1200V dc (the same as BDWM). A 15-minute service is provided by eight double-ended Stadler Tramlink LRVs; each 44.3m-long, 2.4m-wide car can carry 260 passengers, 88 seated. Aargau Verkehr holds an option for eight more of the seven-section trams, which would permit a 7.5-minute service as traffic develops. End-to-end journey time is 38 minutes. The trams were part of a joint order with Baselland Transport for the  re-gauged Waldenburgerbahn, which re-opened to passengers on the same day (see below).

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Test running started in July 2022. The total cost of the project was around CHF600m (EUR607m), less than the budgeted CHF755m/ EUR766m), with one third met by the Federal Government and 50% by the Canton Zürich.

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An extension beyond the current western terminus is proposed, but is yet to progress beyond the planning stage. The earlier Limmattal- Strassenbahn ran trams from Zürich to Dietikon until 1930.

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A feature on the Limmattalbahn will appear in the next TAUT.

Comments

3 Responses to “Switzerland’s Newest Tramway – From the Light Rail Transit Association”
  1. George R. says:

    Absolutely pathetic Translink/BC Government refuse to consider anything but the antiquated ‘Sky-Train’ despite the cost to tax payers. How soon I wonder before they start planning to expand it to Abbotsford or even Chilliwack?

    Politicians could care less about the cost, will not consider alternatives and have brainwashed so many ‘Sky-Train’ is so good despite no one else really using it anymore other than Airport movers and Kuala Lumpur. Other than metro Vancouver when was last time anyone bought this???

    Heck with all the money spent on ‘Sky-train’ you could of had LRT all the way to Chilliwack and all through the lower mainland years ago..

    Zwei replies: That is why then Premier Van der Zalm and the social Credit sold off the BC Hydro Railway because there was plans afoot to build and operate a Metrotown to Chilliwack electric railway cheaper than the then proposed Lougheed mall extension.

  2. Hello railforthevalley.com administrator, You always provide great examples and case studies.

  3. Erin says:

    Swiss tram train and cargo tram! Notice how the tram blends into the community:

    https://youtu.be/WwrM2ejpBXk?t=152

    No towers and no ScumTrain. Also no drug trafficking!! Walkers coming soon to Broadway in Vancouver with the opening of the ScumTrain stations.

    https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/cruel-way-people-get-hooked-on-zombie-drug/news-story/05ab33fcfc3be6b2686c7973b644fca1

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfAc2U20uyg

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