A potential new train service will provide a direct rail link between the UK and Switzerland. Ambitious plans to construct the line, which would connect cities like Geneva, Zurich and Basel to London via France and the Channel Tunnel, have taken a step forward after railway companies Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and SNCF Voyageurs signed a letter of intent to explore the project.
Direct trains between Zurich and London are expected to take around six hours, while Geneva to London will take five hours and 30 minutes and Basel to London five hours. Following the signing of the memorandum, the next stage would be the drawing up of operational concepts and potential schedules. As well the safety standards of the Channel Tunnel, the project also faces the obstacle of border and security checks at the stations in Switzerland as the UK is not part of the Schengen area.
According to SBB, demand for international rail travel is high and London is the top destination for those departing from Switzerland. There is also growing interest in more environmentally friendly alternatives to short-haul flights.
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All rail travel between the UK and Switzerland currently requires a train change, usually in Paris, with the proposed plans set to create the first direct line between the countries. Swiss Federal Councilor Albert Rösti and British Transport Minister Heidi Alexander signed a memorandum of understanding in London toward an intergovernmental agreement last Friday (May 8), as reported by Railway Pro.
Although flights between London and Switzerland take around one hour and 45 minutes, the overall journeys are longer due to airport transfers and waiting times. If the new train services go ahead, they are likely to be launched in the early 2030s.
However, there are a number of stumbling blocks in front of the project. Work is needed on timetabling, border controls, infrastructure and international agreements.
There are also concerns about the capacity of already congested rail routes through France the Channel Tunnel. The project is seen as part of a broader trend toward developing long-distance international rail links throughout the continent.
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