Bern station and the entire railway hub are reaching the limits of their operational and physical capacity.
They are therefore being expanded for our customers in a number of projects over the next few years. This will ensure that the station and the railway hub will continue to fulfil their growing functions and serve as a modern transport hub for all future modes of transport.
Impact on passengers.
Although the project managers will minimise noticeable effects through careful planning, temporary service restrictions cannot be entirely prevented. Please always consult the online timetable. On this information portal, you will find out when and where there will be restrictions and how best to avoid them.
From autumn 2019 until spring 2021, various construction work will be taking place on platforms 12 and 13 and on the corresponding tracks. Platform 13 is therefore closed until then and only about half of the platform space will be accessible to passengers. The reason for the closure is the construction of the new pedestrian underpass in Bern station and the raising of the platform to facilitate passenger boarding and alighting (see zukunftbahnhofbern.ch/enLink opens in new window.).
The access routes to platform 12/13 are also restricted due to the construction work:
From 2 November 2020: the ramp and the stairs in sector A will occasionally be narrower than usual due to construction site barriers. However, both will remain open to passengers and the ramp will also remain accessible at all times.
25 January to 7 March 2021: the stairs and the escalator between the Welle bridge and the platform in sector F will be closed. – To exit to the station or get to the other platforms, please use the pedestrian underpass in sector B. People with limited mobility can use the lift in sector F which provides an accessible link between the platform and the Welle bridge. To get from the Welle bridge to the platform, please take the longer route via platform 9/10 and the pedestrian underpass in sector B. Or ideally, instead of entering the station from the Welle bridge, enter from Bahnhofplatz and use the pedestrian underpass to get to platform 12/13.
Before platforms 12/13 can re-enter service completely on 8 March 2021, SBB will carry out completion work from 5 to 8 March 2021 meaning the platform will be completely closed during this time.
From March 2021 until March 2022, various construction work will be taking place on platforms 9 and 10 and the corresponding tracks. As a result, platforms 8, 9, 10 and 11 will be closed in the meantime and only around half of the platform area for tracks 9 and 10 will be available to passengers at any one time. The reason for the closures is the construction of the new pedestrian underpass in Bern station and the raising of the platforms to make it easier for passengers to get on and off the train.
Access to platforms 9/10 will also be restricted in the meantime, as some stairways and the ramp will have to be closed and there will be less space on the platform area due to the construction site barriers.
Check the online timetable ahead of time.
Because of the platforms closures, there will be several changes to departure tracks until March 2022. SBB asks that customers always check the online timetable or the SBB Mobile app before starting their journey and plan sufficient travel time. If you have any questions, the SBB Contact Center (@RailService on Twitter or 0848 44 66 88, CHF 0.08/min) will also be able to help you.
SBB is building new sidings for long-distance and regional trains at Bern Bümpliz Süd. These sidings will replaces those previously used, which are no longer available due to various construction projects in the Bern rail hub. This project will mean that the long-distance and regional service offers can be expanded as planned.
The construction work will provisionally take place from 4 January 2021 to 31 May 2022. SBB will attempt to keep service restrictions for passengers, and noise levels for local residents, to a minimum during construction.
Total closure of Bern Bümpliz Süd on six weekends in 2021.
Bern Bümpliz Süd station will be closed completely on six weekends in 2021 to enable the construction work:
30/31 January
6/7 February
10/11 April
10/11 July
21/22 August
28/29 August
During these total closures, there will be major restrictions to timetabled services on the Bern–Fribourg/Freiburg route:
The IC1 St. Gallen–Genève-Aéroport and IR 15 Luzern–Genève-Aéroport will be cancelled between Bern and Fribourg/Freiburg. The RE Bern–Bulle will be cancelled between Bern and Düdingen.
Direct rail replacement buses will operate between Bern and Fribourg/Freiburg. In Bern, the buses will stop at Bubenbergplatz (in front of the Generationenhaus), and at the tpf bus station in Fribourg/Freiburg.
Passengers travelling between German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland or vice versa should take the IC5 via Biel/Bienne.
The S1 Thun–Fribourg/Freiburg will be cancelled between Bern and Thörishaus.
Rail replacement buses will operate between Bern Europaplatz and Thörishaus Station and between Thörishaus Dorf and Bern Europaplatz.
The S2 Langnau i.E.–Bern–Laupen will be cancelled between Bern Europaplatz and Flamatt (January/February on weekends) and between Bern Europaplatz and Thörishaus (April to August on weekends).
Total closures January/February: to replace the S2, the 130 bus route will be adapted to operate along the Laupen–Thörishaus–Bern Europaplatz route.
Total closures April to August: rail replacement buses will operate between Bern Europaplatz and Thörishaus Station and between Thörishaus Dorf and Bern Europaplatz.
Single-track operation for several weeks.
Moreover, during two phases lasting several weeks, only one track will be available for rail traffic at Bern Bümpliz Süd station. SBB will provide information on the effects this restriction will have on the timetable in good time.
From Monday, 8 February to Thursday, 1 April 2021
From Monday, 12 July to Friday, 27 August 2021
Check the online timetable ahead of time.
SBB asks that customers always check the online timetable or the SBB Mobile app before starting their journey and plan sufficient travel time. In addition, SBB keeps its customers informed about timetable changes by means of announcements on the train and electronic displays at the station. Customer guides will also be deployed during the total closures. If you have any questions, the SBB Contact Centre (@RailService on Twitter or 0848 44 66 88, CHF 0.08/min) will also be able to help you.
Please allow more time to access trains on platforms 49 and 50, as they are several hundred metres away from the Welle bridge.
The new tracks are located directly behind tracks 9 and 10 (west side) and can be accessed barrier-free from the platform for track 9/10 as well as from the Welle. Directions to the new tracks are provided by signs and signposts on all levels of the railway station. Directions are also provided in the SBB app ‘My station’.
Access is wheelchair accessible, both from the Welle and directly via platform 9/10. The entire track 49/50 platform extension is barrier-free with tactile lines, stair markings, a lift and loudspeakers. Customer guides and the agency in stations providing assistance to passengers are also available for travellers with reduced mobility.
SBB has extended the platform for track 9/10 by 385 metres to the west (platform 49/50) to enable it to maintain operations during the expansion of Bern railway station and other construction work in the Bern region. The extended platform also results in longer paths within the railway station for some travellers. However, the alternative would have been a massively reduced timetable lasting several years.
For travellers changing to or arriving on a bus or tram, SBB generally recommends using the nearby stops ‘Schanzenstrasse’, ‘Obergericht’ and ‘Hirschengraben’. These are nearer to track 49/50 than the stops on the station forecourt.
Until Bern station re-emerges, expanded and shining with new splendour, there will unfortunately be plenty of noise, dust and construction site barriers around. Maintenance work on the tracks, the platforms and platform canopies, as well as in the underpass will now also be an everyday occurrence. SBB maintains one of the busiest track networks in the world. Such intensive use means that the network also needs to be maintained.
This work may affect track occupation.
Some construction work will also take up platform space, further limiting the space available. Passengers are therefore requested to spread out as much as possible along the entire length of the platform while waiting and to use all available space within the white safety lines. This will help to make conditions on the platforms more relaxed. Furthermore, the better the passengers are distributed between the various passenger coaches when boarding and alighting, the more punctual departure will be.
Thank you for your consideration, understanding and cooperation.
Bern station of the future.
Bern station is being expanded so it can continue to accommodate the rapidly growing numbers of passengers and serve as a transport hub for all modes of transport in the future. Bern is the second-largest railway station in Switzerland and plays a key role in both domestic and international rail traffic. It is starting to reach its limits in terms of operational and physical capacity.
As part of the future Bern station, SBB and RBS will be working on two large projects:
A new RBS station beneath the existing platforms 2 to 7.
The new SBB “Mitte” underpass, accessible from Länggasse and Bubenbergplatz.
The City of Bern plans to reorganise the traffic arrangements around the station in conjunction with the expansion work and create improvements in tram and bus services as well as for pedestrians and cyclists
