The Federal Council intends to pursue its vision of a direct train service to London
Keystone-SDA
The Swiss government sees great potential for a direct rail link between Switzerland and the British capital, London. However, travellers will have to be patient: the government faces numerous challenges in establishing the connection.
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The government took note of the challenges associated with this rail link during a discussion, it said on Friday.
For example, it still needs to be determined exactly which stations in Switzerland are to be served. As the United Kingdom is not part of the Schengen Area, border controls would also be necessary for both entry and exit, it said. In the case of a direct train service between Switzerland and London, entry checks would have to take place on Swiss soil, it added.
Furthermore, stricter security regulations and correspondingly tighter controls apply to the Eurotunnel. According to the government, extending international treaties to Switzerland is necessary for border and security controls.
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The relevant departments have been tasked with further examining the outstanding issues. It intends to decide on the next steps by the end of 2027. A direct connection between Swiss stations and London is expected to come into operation from the 2030s onwards.
London most popular destination
London is considered the most popular travel destination for Swiss people. A planned direct link is expected to enable journey times of six hours between Zurich and London, five-and-a-half hours from Geneva and five hours from Basel, Swiss Federal Railways said last March. This meets travellers’ expectations, it said.
In May last year, the federal railways signed a memorandum of understanding with the French rail company SNCF Voyageurs and Eurostar International, the operator of high-speed trains between London and the European mainland.
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A political basis for the train also already exists: last May Transport Minister Albert Rösti and British Transport Minister Heidi Alexander agreed on a corresponding intergovernmental agreement in London.
According to the transport ministry, no state subsidies are planned for the operation of the service. It would have to be run commercially by a rail company and financed through ticket sales.
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Adapted from German by AI/ts
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