Lausanne: Total reconstruction of the railway station begins

The expansion of Lausanne station as the most important hub in French-speaking Switzerland is central to the functioning of the entire Swiss rail system between St. Gallen and Geneva, according to SBB. Building the station from scratch in the middle of Lausanne's city center while maintaining existing transport and services is a challenge, said Vincent Ducrot, CEO of SBB, at the groundbreaking ceremony, emphasizing the "extreme complexity of the construction site".

The plan is to widen and extend the platforms so that trains up to 400 meters long can stop. Furthermore, the passenger underpasses are to be completely rebuilt, according to the communiqué. With three instead of two underpasses in the future, the passageway will be twice as wide as it is today. According to forecasts, passenger capacity at the most important rail hub in French-speaking Switzerland will double by 2030, with around 200,000 users expected daily.

Furthermore, the station is to be directly connected to the stations of the m2 and m3 metro lines via the basement and the connections to the new station square and to Rue du Simplon are to be reorganized. The historic glass and steel platform hall will have to be moved slightly but will be retained, while the station's south facade will be replaced.

The first construction work has already begun and, according to SBB, the intensive phase of the work will start in the summer, during which the buildings on Chemin des Epinettes and later on Rue du Simplon will be demolished. According to current plans, the first modernized platform is to be put into operation in 2025. By 2029, all five new platforms should be ready for use, and the first two passenger underpasses (west and center) are scheduled for completion by 2030. One of these will provide direct access to the new museum. At the same time, the new station of the re-routed metro line m2 is planned to be opened. In the time horizon 2031, the new metro line m3 should connect the station with the Blécherette quarter. According to plans, the new east passenger underpass and the entire mobility hub will be in operation from 2032.

The expansion of the station provides the city of Lausanne with important opportunities to redesign the public space and mobility around the station, SBB emphasizes. According to the statement, the new station square will become "the pulse of the city" and will be designed in a friendly and functional way and planted with greenery.

According to the communiqué, the cost of the work is around CHF 1.3 billion. The federal government and SBB Immobilien are providing the bulk of the financing, with around CHF 900 million and CHF 250 million respectively. The canton of Vaud and the city of Lausanne are contributing CHF 90 million and CHF 15 million respectively. (bw)