Rhône Express Regional

The Geneva RER (Rhône Express Regional) is a commuter railway line which runs between Geneva (Cornavin, main line station) where it uses dedicated platform 5 and the French border at La Plaine. The line continues beyond La Plaine to link up with the SNCF system with some trains, which run non-stop in Switzerland, extended to Bellegarde in France. The railway, which in many aspects is non-conformist within Swiss railways, is now operated as part of the SBB-CFF-FFS.

This line is electrified at 1500V d.c. and signalled to SNCF standards from the border to both Geneva's central passenger station and La Praille goods depot. (See Below)

Rolling Stock

The line is presently operated by specially built two coach articulated railcars of class Bem 4/6 550. These were built by Vevey Technologies (formerly Ateliers de Construction Mechaniques de Vevey (ACMV)) with electrical equipment by Asea Brown Boveri in 1994.

Service

The service is hourly in each direction with additional trains at peak periods. Fares, within the Swiss sector are covered within the "Geneva Tout" system, zones 11-17 and will eventually be incorporated into the Lac Léman "Mobilis" system when this reaches Geneva in 2010.

Looking to the Future

On 8th February the Swiss and French Railways brought into being a study and marketing company, Transferis, which is to look at improvements to the RER system. They are to look at the type of train to be used and evaluate to market for improvements to line and service provided. This has been brought about by the number of commuters living in France and working in Geneva, not only on the short, exsisting RER system but on the lines leaving the station at Eaux Vives on the south side of the lake.

The new, enlarged, RER network will cover the present Eaux Vives to Annemasse line with services at regular intervals beyond to serve Evian, St. Gervais and Annecy, the present Cornavin to La Plaine line with services beyond to serve Bellegarde and the CFF services operating from Lancy (Pont Rouge) to Coppet through Cornavin, some of which are extended to Nyon. These services at present carry some 7,000 commuters a day and this is expected to grow to over 35,000 and cut up to 50,000 car journeys between France and Switzerland.

The largest civil engineering project within the scheme is the line from Cornavin to Annemasse which will be in tunnel between La Praille, close by the present goods station, and Eaux Vives. Between Eaux Vives and Annemasse the present line will be closed for a four years period whilst it is doubled and cut-and-covered. The whole scheme is expect to cost 776 million euro and include improvements to the French stations, although 650 million euro will be spent in Switzerland.

As part of the scheme and to remove the non-standard electrical system on the Cornavin - La Plaine - Bellegarde line examination is being carried out with a view to re-electrification at 25 kV a.c.. This would not only allow standard dual voltage emu's to work on the line but also improve the performance to the TGV workings-

(Source: Joint Press Release, CFF-SBB-FSS / SNCF)