As a first step, the SBB will offer a new long-distance night connection as part of a pilot project with the next timetable change on eight weekends in winter 2024/2025 and in autumn 2025, as the SBB announced in response to a request from Keystone-SDA regarding a report by CH Media. This is planned for the Bern – Olten – Zurich HB – Zurich Airport route.
The night connections with the timetable change are attractive for night owls as well as for travelers who fly out early from Zurich Airport. In Olten and Zurich there is also a connection to the night S-Bahn. The trains leave Bern for Zurich at 2:01 a.m. and 3:01 a.m., and the 3:01 a.m. train continues to Zurich Airport (arrival at 4:16 a.m.), it said. In the opposite direction, the trains leave Zurich main station at 2:02 a.m. and 3:02 a.m.
The new timetable also includes various improvements planned for the existing regional night networks at weekends.
Further steps are conceivable. It is not yet clear whether and when these will be implemented, according to the SBB website on Thursday. Travellers are increasingly travelling at night. The SBB wanted to offer an alternative to the car.
