Rail services on the Geneva-Lausanne line remain reduced. Four regional trains per hour will travel in each direction. A full service will not resume before two weeks.
Keystone / Jean-christophe Bott
As of Friday morning, trains are running again with a reduced service on the Geneva to Lausanne rail line. The line had been suspended since Tuesday afternoon after land collapsed near the tracks.
The first passenger trains were able to circulate on the line early on Friday morning after workers repaired the holes that appeared between tracks at Tolochenaz, near Morges in canton Vaud, on Tuesday.
However, services remain reduced. Four regional trains per hour will travel in each direction on the line, Swiss Federal Railways said on Friday. A full service will not resume before two weeks. Intercity trains are still cancelled.
Federal Railways advises travellers to avoid non-essential travel in the region until next Tuesday.
Two holes were caused by tunneling work under the tracks carried out by a private company, which was working on a thermal energy project using water from Lake Geneva to heat an industrial zone not far from the train line.
The holes were caused by tunneling work under the tracks carried out by a private company, which was working on a thermal energy project using water from Lake Geneva to heat an industrial zone not far from the train line.
Keystone / Jean-christophe Bott
Busy link
The Geneva-Lausanne rail link is a busy connection, transporting up to 10,000 passengers per hour and rail freight between France and the rest of Switzerland.
Following the incident, local politicians again called for greater rail investment in French-speaking Switzerland. A second track is needed on this line to avoid such incidents in the future, they said.
“The Lake Geneva region, the country’s second biggest economic hub, is unique,” Nuria GorriteExternal link, the Vaud minister in charge of infrastructure, told Swiss public television RTS on Wednesday.
“We have a single line to link the two major poles [Geneva and Lausanne]. Elsewhere, especially in Swiss German regions, there is always extra capacity and a second line.”
She said French-speaking Switzerland has always been the “poor cousin” when it comes to federal rail investments. The situation in the Lake Geneva region is the result of money being invested in the New Rail Link through the Alps (NRLA) – the Lötschberg Base Tunnel and the Gotthard Base Tunnel – and around the Zurich region, she added.
SBB/CFF
Most Read Swiss Abroad
More
Gold-digging: why some Swiss bury their wealth in the garden
French cross-border workers in Switzerland fear ‘discriminatory’ unemployment reform
This content was published on
In the French region around Geneva, cross-border workers are protesting proposals to cut unemployment benefits for those working in Switzerland.
Swan infected with bird flu in central Switzerland
This content was published on
Switzerland has reported its first bird flu case of the season. A swan found dead in central Switzerland tested positive for the H5N1 virus.
Swiss researchers identify gene variants linked to cancer progression
This content was published on
ETH Zurich researchers explored genetic mutations’ effects on cell function and their role in cancer development and treatment using CRISPR/Cas techniques.
Explosion at Swiss company Givaudan’s US plant leaves two dead
This content was published on
Swiss flavour and fragrance maker Givaudan reported that an explosion at its Kentucky plant resulted in two deaths and several injuries.
Swisscom’s Vodafone Italia takeover cleared by Italian telecoms authority
This content was published on
Swisscom is one step closer to its planned acquisition of Vodafone Italia, as the Italian communications regulator has approved the €8 billion deal.
Swiss parliamentary committee proposes foreign aid cuts and military funding boost
This content was published on
A committee of the Swiss House of Representatives has proposed increasing funds for the military and agriculture while reducing foreign aid and asylum.
Swiss Rolex Submariner watches reach nearly $50 billion in total market value
This content was published on
The total market value of all Rolex Submariner watches ever made is nearly $50 billion, based on newly released production data.
Swiss Jew wrongfully detained due to prosecutor’s ‘bias’
This content was published on
A Jewish Swiss man was detained after the prosecutor argued he might flee to Israel. The Federal Court said this implies bias due to his Jewish faith.
US reportedly scrutinises Russian accounts UBS took over from Credit Suisse
This content was published on
The US is investigating Russian clients acquired by UBS during its takeover of Credit Suisse, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
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.