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 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.
From the end of March 2022 to the end of March 2023, SBB will be installing supporting pillars on platforms 1-8. These pillars will be needed from April 2023 when the future underpass will be further excavated.
While the supporting pillars are being installed from March 2022 to March 2023, certain tracks will frequently have to be taken out of service. Because of the platform closures, there will be several changes to departure tracks until March 2023. SBB requests that passengers check the online timetableLink opens in new window. or the SBB Mobile app before starting every journey and allow enough 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.
The excavation work on the underpass itself will be suspended until the end of March 2023, as RBS first has to finish expanding the two underground tunnels. From March 2023, the excavation work on the underpass below platforms 7/8 will continue.
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.
Conduct at the station during construction work.
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
