The Rhine-Alpine axis is an example of how the rail freight industry needs valid alternative routes to be resilient and competitive. The railway along the left bank of the Rhine River is not suitable for the transport of semi-trailers (4-metre profile). Over the next four years, a key section in Basel will be adapted to accommodate this type of traffic, possibly signalling the start of a new chapter for the modal shift.
The corridor connecting the Alpine area with the ports in northern Europe is one of the busiest when it comes to the transport of goods. However, only the rail line on the right bank of the Rhine, running through Germany and known as the Rhine Valley line, is fully equipped for the transport of semi-trailers.
Other than infrastructural hurdles, sections on the left bank are not electrified, requiring companies to rely on diesel locomotives. Moreover, the line crosses. The upgrade of the section in Basel, thus, is only the beginning of the road to create a valid rail alternative along the left bank of the Rhine.
What will happen in Basel?
The section in question connects Basel SBB, the city’s main station, with Basel St. Johann, the border crossing station leading into France. Here, two tunnels, two overpasses and one bridge will be upgraded. This short stretch is the beginning of the railway running along the left bank of the Rhine, which connects Basel to Belgium through France and causes many headaches to the industry.
The works for the upgrade the Basel SBB-Basel St. Johann line includes the lowering of tracks and overhead line adjustments in the Schützenmatt Tunnel (286 metres) and the Kannenfeld Tunnel (around 1,000 metres). Moreover, the overhead line will be fixed along the Marschalkenstrasse and Oberwilerstrasse overpasses and the bridges crossing the Birsig River will be renovated.
An overview of the works for the adaptation of the 4-metre corridor in Basel. Image: © SBB
Almost 122 million euros (114 million francs) will be deployed for the 4-metre corridor in Basel. The project should normally take two years to complete, according to the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB). However, the company decided to spread it over four years to cause fewer disruptions to both freight and passenger services. “The construction work for the profile adjustment will therefore result in relatively few train cancellations overall”, SBB stated.
Urgent need for valid alternative routes
This is an issue for the industry because, when the Rhine Valley line is closed, a significant portion of the sector finds itself without valid alternatives to stick with rail transport. This happened with the Rastatt accident in 2017 and again in August 2024 due to infrastructure works. In this last case, various players came together to provide an alternative service on the non-electrified route.
However, the need for a second, up-to-date, rail artery along the Rhine River remains a key concern. Switzerland is willing to do its part. The upgrade of the connections between the two stations in Basel is not the only initiative that shows this. Swiss institutions claimed to be willing to finance similar projects all along the Basel-Strasbourg-Metz axis, as they look for ways to further reduce the number of trucks in the country.