High capacity at the heart of the city

What else will change for passengers?
I think the situation at Zurich main station will ease somewhat. Passenger flows will be distributed more evenly and transfer times will be shorter on the whole. The new sections are also very spacious, allowing pedestrians to pass each other in a less stressful manner.

As an expert, what excites you about the project?
The way Löwenstrasse station has been built under the existing central station is extraordinary. The builders not only had to secure the old sandstone building in every phase of construction, but also keep an eye on the threat of flooding from the Sihl – and all that during ongoing rail operations! Specifically, 300,000 people were on the move in the vicinity of the construction site every day, rushing to get their trains. The construction process was highly precise, combined with state-of-the-art technology – for example, for structural monitoring. This was the only way to complete the project in such a short time with minimal disruption.

But are the four new tracks at Löwenstrasse sufficient?
In terms of capacity, these tracks replaces roughly eight to 10 tracks at a terminus. In a through station, the trains no longer have to be turned around and can enter the station one after another, which saves a lot of time. The principle is similar to that at Museumsstrasse station, in which a train passes through every two to three minutes.

Do you expect any surprises with the opening?
No. Although it is a large project, it didn't require any fundamental intervention in the system. In the long run, there will be new questions, however, because Zurich main station now has exceptional capacity. I like to compare it to an onion: the cross-city link is the indispensable core with a high capacity, but now the outer layers become critical too. Stations such as Hardbrücke and Stadelhofen have a limiting effect, as do the single-track sections in the Furttal, on the right shore of Lake Zurich, at am Albis and Knonauer Amt. Not to mention the national bottlenecks Zurich-Olten and Effretikon-Winterthur.

The second part of the cross-city link will open in about a year. What’s happening now?
In terms of construction, the second part is not quite as challenging and a lot of it is already finished. But from a functional standpoint, it is very important because it allows integration with the long-distance network. The central elements are the two new bridges – the Kohlendreieck and the Letzigraben – which are clearly visible parts of the cityscape. And just to clear up a common misconception here: only passengers leaving Zurich will be able to enjoy the beautiful view from the bridges. Travellers to Zurich reach the main station at ground level.