The new Swiss train called Giruno is the federal railways' first international long-distance train with low-floor access serving Italy, Switzerland and Germany. It is also the first Swiss train with separate restrooms for men and women.
Keystone
Several European rail companies, including the Swiss Federal Railways, are expanding their network capacity to provide more options for people travelling in and out of Switzerland.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/sm
The Swiss Federal Railways, along with Deutsche Bahn (DB), the French state railways SNCF and the Italian counterpart Trenitalia are offering additional international rail services to meet increased demand. Also, the Swiss and Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) plan to further develop night train services between Switzerland and Austria.
In Zurich on Saturday, the rail companies presented new trains including the ICE 4, a high-speed German train with service from Zurich and Chur, and free WLAN, starting next month. The new fleet has 20% more capacity than the previous trains, which were about 30 years old.
This Tweet shows the ICE 4 along with two other new trains:
Also starting next month, the French TGV Lyria will operate 15 double-decker trains on the routes from Zurich, Lausanne and Geneva to Paris – replacing the current single-decker trains. The timetable will also be expanded. These moves will increase the daily capacity from 4,500 to 18,000 seats. All passengers will get free WLAN, and those in “first-class business” will receive hot meals at their seats.
The new Swiss Giruno train is the federal railways’ first international long-distance train with low-floor access for Italy, Switzerland and Germany. Also offering free WLAN, it takes to the tracks next month, with service to Chiasso and from spring 2020 to Milan. When the Ceneri Base Tunnel opens in 2021, travel times to Italy will be much faster.
“With the introduction of three new fleets, [the Swiss and partner railways] are offering a comfortable and climate-friendly range of services to neighbouring countries. The use of the new trains for international expansion will enable the railways to expand their capacity in the medium- and long-term, thus strengthening their competitiveness compared to airplanes, cars and other modes of transport,” said Swiss Federal RailwaysExternal link in a media release.
Train travel is also expected to get cheaper. The Swiss Federal Railways’ online sales system for international tickets is undergoing a major overhaul to make it easier for customers to search for and book economy fares.
More
More
Swiss railways see more demand for train trips abroad
This content was published on
According to a report in the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper, demand for night train journeys especially increased on stretches between Switzerland and the German cities of Berlin and Hamburg, while overall demand for international trips rose most on routes to France. Federal Railways Spokesperson Sabine Baumgartner told the NZZ am Sonntag it was impossible to…
Swiss central banker wants to boost equity to head off risks
This content was published on
Equity levels at the Swiss National Bank (SNB) are much too low for the risks its large balance sheet poses, according to Martin Schlegel.
Beer sales in Switzerland watered down by bad weather
This content was published on
The past brewing year fell through in Switzerland, partly due to the bad weather. Beer sales shrank again. For the first time, per capita consumption fell below the 50 liter mark.
Compensation for Syrian after pregnant wife denied help on Swiss train
This content was published on
Switzerland’s Federal Court has partially upheld the appeal of a Syrian family being deported from Switzerland to Italy in 2014. The man now also receives compensation.
Swiss-EU negotiations: Cassis to meet Sefcovic in Bern
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis will meet the Vice-President of the EU Commission, Maros Sefcovic, in Bern on Wednesday.
Heavy snowfall in Switzerland causes traffic chaos and accidents
This content was published on
The heavy snowfall late on Thursday and during the night into Friday led to traffic chaos and many accidents in many regions of Switzerland.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss night trains: past, present and future
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Railways is discussing re-investing in sleeper trains, reacting to a public increasingly sceptical of flying short distances.
This content was published on
Jump on, ride to your stop, hop off — without offending anybody. Sounds easy, but it’s not, warns a guru of Swiss transport etiquette.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.