Transport in Switzerland

Of share its geographical position in the center of Europe, Switzerland has an highway network and of dense railroad. The crossing of the the Alps constitutes an strategic issue for European transport since the Alps (which recover a good part of the country) separate North and the South from Europe. Since the beginnings of the industrialization of the European countries, Switzerland constantly had to improve its transalpine network (in 1882, inauguration of the traffic by the tunnel of the Saint-Gothard, length 15 km; in 1906 with the Tunnel of the Simplon…) to support its attractivity for the localization of many companies and its position of turntable of the exchanges.

This strategic position returns regularly during negotiation with the European Union: May 21st 2000, the Swiss people accepted the seven bilateral agreements among which the liberalization and the harmonization of the European traffic with Switzerland appear which envisages to increase the weight limit of the trucks with the help of a tax and envisages to intensify the promotion of the rail traffic via the Alps.

However, of many ecologists and residents fight for a reduction in the traffic and the stop of constructions of new roads, sources of pollution and noise pollutions.

Railroads

total: 5053 km (including 1564 km with double track):

with normal way (1 435 mm): 3 681 km;
with metric gauge track (1 000 mm): 1 336 km;
with ways of other spacings (750 mm, 800 mm, or 1 200 mm): 46 km.

The network is almost completely electrified (except for 20 km); the current of traction is to the German standards (15 Kv, 16 2/3 Hz); it belongs to the CF for 3007 km, to BLS for 245 km, and remainder, 1791 km, with 48 Entreprise S private. It comprises 700 Tunnel S a length total of 395 km.

See also: Swiss federal Railroads, List of the Swiss railroads, basic Tunnel of Gothard, basic Tunnel of Lötschberg, Tunnel of the Simplon

Trams: 180 km (Basle BVB, Bern, Geneva TPG, Zurich VBZ)
Cog railways: funicular 97 km
S: 59 lines, 58 km.
the Subway of Lausanne

Ski lifts

Cable car S: 214
Telpher carrier S: 124
Chair-lift S: 307
Ski-lift S: 1104

Road S

total: 71.059 km of Road S covered (including 1638 km of Highway S) (2002)

See also: List of the Swiss highways, List of the collars and tunnels of Switzerland

Principal road tunnels:

Saint-Gothard (Uri - Tessin): 16,6 km
Seelisberg (Nidwald - Uri): 9,3 km
San Bernardino (Grison): 6,6 km
Large-Saint-Bernard (Were worth - Italy): 5,8 km

road Collars with more than 2000 m of altitude:

Umbrail : 2501 m;
Nufenen : 2478 m;
Large-Saint-Bernard: 2469 m;
Furka : 2431 m;
Flüela: 2383 m;
Bernina: 2323 m;
Albula: 2312 m;
Julier: 2284 m;
Susten: 2224 m;
Grimsel : 2165 m;
Ofenpass: 2149 m;
Splügen: 2113 m;
Holy Gothard: 2108 m;
San Bernardino : 2065 m;
Oberalp : 2044 m;
Simplon: 2005 Mr.

postal Coaches

716 postal lines of bus, 8500 km served.

inland Waterways

65 km: the the Rhine (of Basle to Rheinfelden, of Schaffhouse to the Lake of Constancy])

See the List of the navigable rivers of Switzerland

Lake S: 12

See the List of the Switzerland Lakes

Control S

Pipeline S 314 km; Gas pipeline S 1506 km

Ports

Basle: The river port of Basle, ensures 15% of the international business of Switzerland.

Since the “Convention of Mannheim” 1868, the the Rhine is classified international water since the last bridge of Basle until the the North Sea, ensuring Switzerland an free access with the sea.

Merchant navy

total: 29 Ship S (of 1000 barrels or more Gross tonnage) adding up 597.049 barrels (1 051.380 tons of Port into heavy).
note: including foreign ships recorded in Switzerland under Flag of convenience: The United States 1, the United Kingdom 6, (2002)
ships by categories: Bulk carrier S 16, cargo liners 6, Chimiquier S 2, Container ships 2, momentary 1, Oil S 1, Citernier S specialized 1

Airport S

Total, included/understood private airports public, aerodromes, military airports and heliports.

82 (2006)

Airports

total: 41
of more than 3000 m: 3

International airport of Zurich
International airport of Geneva-Cointrin
International airport of Basle-Mulhouse

from 2500 to 3000 m: 5
of 1500 to 2500 m: 10
of 1000 to 1500 m: 9
less than 1000 m: 14 (2002)

Aérodromes, with ground track:

total: 25
1500 to 2500 m: 1
less than 1000 m: 24 (2002)

winter Aérodromes (temporary)

3, including 1 on cold lake

Héliport S:

24, including 13 of restricted use

Airline companies

National company: Swiss
Other companies: Edelweiss Air, Farnair Europe, Belair, Baboo or FlyBaboo, Darwin Airline, Helvetic Airways, EasyJet Switzerland, Sky Work Airlines, Hello, Air Glacier, Air Zermatt.
disappeared Companies: Swissair (1931-2002), Crossair (1975-2002)

See too

Swiss | Transport by country

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