SBB line betwen Zug and Arth-Goldau to be closed for 18 months from the middle of next year

Following the dismissal of objections to the planned works on the railway lines on the eastern shores of Lake Zug by the Swiss Federal Court, the SBB has now been given light to proceed, meaning that, from the middle of next year, the line between Zug and Arth-Goldau will be closed for 18 months.

The work involves extending double tracks by 1.7 kilometres to the north of Walchwil station, allowing trains to be able to pass by each other on a 2.2-kilometre stretch of track. This will mean the SBB having increased capacity on long-distance services as well as being able to provide half-hourly services at the Hörndli halt.

Members of the IG Neat Zug (interest group) had been objecting to the SBB’s plans since 2014 on account of fear of increased levels of noise from passing trains and wanting to protect the local natural environment from being spoilt by new rail lines, not to mention their great fear, too, that goods trains might also use the tracks.

Following this ruling by the Swiss Federal Court in Lausanne, the highest court in the country, this work will now go ahead, as mentioned.

For his part, Andreas Schaub, the chairman of the IG Neat Zug committee, which also represents locals in Walchwil who live near the affected railway lines, said (as of Tuesday), that he had not yet heard anything official from the judges in Lausanne, hence he was awaiting their statement and would respond accordingly later. However, he reiterated his fears that the lines would be used for goods traffic, not least as result of previous statement from the SBB which said this was a possibility from 2020 onwards, following the opening of the Ceneri tunnel that year.

However, Matthias Michel, who heads the Cantonal Department of Economic Development and who also welcomed the Federal Court’s ruling, reassured objectors that goods traffic would be directed by the western side of the lake.

For his part, the mayor of Walchwil, Tobias Hürlimann, also welcomed the news. “The municipality is behind the SBB’s plans,” he said, adding how pleased he was that now, at last, there was certainty over the situation. However, he also acknowledged that train passengers would have to make use of bus services, making the journeys both to Zug and Arth-Goldau longer, though only by four minutes.

The mayor also mentioned how the 18-month period of closure would provide the municipality with the opportunity of building a Panorama Path by the side of the tracks from Hörndli to Walchwil, a matter to be discussed in December. At least as far as this thoroughfare was concerned, no double lane would be necessary.