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Zurich S-Bahn
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Zurich S-Bahn
The Zurich S-Bahn (German: S-Bahn Zürich) system is a network of rail lines that has been incrementally expanded to cover the ZVV area, which comprises the entire canton of Zurich and portions of neighbouring cantons (Aargau, Glarus, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, St. Gallen, Thurgau and Zug), with a few lines extending into or crossing the territory of southern Germany. The network is one of many commuter rail operations in German speaking countries to be described as an S-Bahn. The lines connect with services of Aargau S-Bahn to the West, Basel S-Bahn (only in Waldshut) and Schaffhausen S-Bahn to the North, St. Gallen S-Bahn to the East, and Lucerne S-Bahn/Zug Stadtbahn to the South, as well as with InterCity, InterRegio and RegioExpress services at major junction stations.
The entire ZVV S-Bahn network went into operation in May 1990, although many of the lines were already in operation.
Unusual among rapid transit services, the Zurich S-Bahn provides first class commuter travel; about a quarter of seats on each train are first class.
Before the construction of the Zurich S-Bahn, most trains to Zurich terminated at Zürich Hauptbahnhof (lit. 'Zurich Main Station'), apart from the Sihltal Zürich Uetliberg Bahn lines which terminated at Zürich Selnau. Originally built as a west-facing terminus, the Hauptbahnhof acted as a terminus for trains coming from all directions. It was connected to lines to the north and northeast via the Wipkingen Tunnel and Zürich Oerlikon railway station. The Hauptbahnhof was also connected via the Letten Tunnel to the Lake Zurich right-bank railway line to the southeast. This line also stopped at Stadelhofen station at the opposite side of the city centre, before passing through the single track tunnel to Letten station, then turning 180 degrees to reach the Hauptbahnhof. This line travelled 5 km (3.1 mi) to cover the 1.5 km (0.93 mi) distance between Stadelhofen and the Hauptbahnhof.
The first step in developing Zurich's rail system which eventually led to the establishment of the S-Bahn was the establishment of the so-called Gold Coast Express (German: Goldküstenexpress) on 26 May 1968 between Zurich Stadelhofen and Rapperswil via Meilen along the wealthy north shore of Lake Zurich, popularly known as the Gold Coast. This development came about because, after World War II, there was a rapid expansion of commuting to Zurich from the former wine-growing villages along the railway line, which originally opened in 1894. As a result, commuters complained that the trains were overcrowded, slow and often delayed.
The canton of Zurich began to develop a project to improve the railway in the 1950s. Because it was not used by either long-distance passenger or freight trains, improvements in local services were possible. Double track sections were built between Kuesnacht and Herrliberg and between Stäfa and Uerikon, along with new stations. The main problem was finance. Development of the line would only serve local interests and would not lead to increased revenue for Swiss Federal Railways (SFR). At the time the canton and cities affected could not fund improvements to an SFR line, so the law was changed to allow local contributions.
The new Gold Coast Express service operated a regular schedule every half-hour, with the total journey time for the distance of 36 kilometres (22 miles) reduced from the previous 60 to 40 minutes. The most striking feature of the improved railway was the three-car claret-coloured RABDe 12/12 electric multiple units. These had good acceleration and braking performance and immediately became known as "Mirages", after the jet fighters. The modern features of the Mirages included automatically closing doors, which allowed short stops at stations and a reduction in travel time.
On 30 May 1959 some voters put two proposals to the Zurich city council. The first would have allocated CHF 200,000 for a study on the construction of a two-line U-bahn (underground railway) with lines from Enge to Kloten and from Altstetten to Tiefenbrunnen; but it was opposed by the majority of the City Council and failed. The second motion proposed the establishment of a company to build and operate a Zurich U-Bahn. The city had already considered such a proposal and opposed it, on the basis that Zurich was not big enough for an underground railway, and it would cost too much. In a referendum on 14 February 1960, 69.8% of voters voted "no" to the proposal.
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Zurich S-Bahn
The Zurich S-Bahn (German: S-Bahn Zürich) system is a network of rail lines that has been incrementally expanded to cover the ZVV area, which comprises the entire canton of Zurich and portions of neighbouring cantons (Aargau, Glarus, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, St. Gallen, Thurgau and Zug), with a few lines extending into or crossing the territory of southern Germany. The network is one of many commuter rail operations in German speaking countries to be described as an S-Bahn. The lines connect with services of Aargau S-Bahn to the West, Basel S-Bahn (only in Waldshut) and Schaffhausen S-Bahn to the North, St. Gallen S-Bahn to the East, and Lucerne S-Bahn/Zug Stadtbahn to the South, as well as with InterCity, InterRegio and RegioExpress services at major junction stations.
The entire ZVV S-Bahn network went into operation in May 1990, although many of the lines were already in operation.
Unusual among rapid transit services, the Zurich S-Bahn provides first class commuter travel; about a quarter of seats on each train are first class.
Before the construction of the Zurich S-Bahn, most trains to Zurich terminated at Zürich Hauptbahnhof (lit. 'Zurich Main Station'), apart from the Sihltal Zürich Uetliberg Bahn lines which terminated at Zürich Selnau. Originally built as a west-facing terminus, the Hauptbahnhof acted as a terminus for trains coming from all directions. It was connected to lines to the north and northeast via the Wipkingen Tunnel and Zürich Oerlikon railway station. The Hauptbahnhof was also connected via the Letten Tunnel to the Lake Zurich right-bank railway line to the southeast. This line also stopped at Stadelhofen station at the opposite side of the city centre, before passing through the single track tunnel to Letten station, then turning 180 degrees to reach the Hauptbahnhof. This line travelled 5 km (3.1 mi) to cover the 1.5 km (0.93 mi) distance between Stadelhofen and the Hauptbahnhof.
The first step in developing Zurich's rail system which eventually led to the establishment of the S-Bahn was the establishment of the so-called Gold Coast Express (German: Goldküstenexpress) on 26 May 1968 between Zurich Stadelhofen and Rapperswil via Meilen along the wealthy north shore of Lake Zurich, popularly known as the Gold Coast. This development came about because, after World War II, there was a rapid expansion of commuting to Zurich from the former wine-growing villages along the railway line, which originally opened in 1894. As a result, commuters complained that the trains were overcrowded, slow and often delayed.
The canton of Zurich began to develop a project to improve the railway in the 1950s. Because it was not used by either long-distance passenger or freight trains, improvements in local services were possible. Double track sections were built between Kuesnacht and Herrliberg and between Stäfa and Uerikon, along with new stations. The main problem was finance. Development of the line would only serve local interests and would not lead to increased revenue for Swiss Federal Railways (SFR). At the time the canton and cities affected could not fund improvements to an SFR line, so the law was changed to allow local contributions.
The new Gold Coast Express service operated a regular schedule every half-hour, with the total journey time for the distance of 36 kilometres (22 miles) reduced from the previous 60 to 40 minutes. The most striking feature of the improved railway was the three-car claret-coloured RABDe 12/12 electric multiple units. These had good acceleration and braking performance and immediately became known as "Mirages", after the jet fighters. The modern features of the Mirages included automatically closing doors, which allowed short stops at stations and a reduction in travel time.
On 30 May 1959 some voters put two proposals to the Zurich city council. The first would have allocated CHF 200,000 for a study on the construction of a two-line U-bahn (underground railway) with lines from Enge to Kloten and from Altstetten to Tiefenbrunnen; but it was opposed by the majority of the City Council and failed. The second motion proposed the establishment of a company to build and operate a Zurich U-Bahn. The city had already considered such a proposal and opposed it, on the basis that Zurich was not big enough for an underground railway, and it would cost too much. In a referendum on 14 February 1960, 69.8% of voters voted "no" to the proposal.
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