The reason for this outlook is the new trains of the Bernese Oberland Railway (BOB), which can already be seen out on the route. However, in order for the BOB to become the first suburban-style railway in the Alps, various key projects need to be implemented. One of the first to be implemented is the Matten station and the Park+Ride Matten bei Interlaken.
In operation since December 2023, the Park+Ride facility is showing ever-increasing utilisation rates. Overnight parking is now also possible. “The Park+Ride facility will achieve its full effect with the seasonal quarter-hourly service on the BOB line between Interlaken Ost and Grindelwald, which is set to become a reality when the timetable changes in 2029,” says Stefan Würgler, Head of Railway Operations, with confidence. “From then onwards, motorists will no longer have to wait more than 15 minutes for a train.”
Additional trains have already been running hourly on peak days since 2023. From the 2025/2026 winter season onwards, these will also be included in the timetable and will run every half hour thanks to the new rolling stock. Since 2022, all winter sports passes for the Jungfrau Ski Region have also been valid from Interlaken Ost. All these are important measures to further cut individual motorised transport in the Lütschinentäler valleys.
Modernisation of the rolling stock
Implementing this vision also includes the modernisation and expansion of the rolling stock. The Bernese Oberland Railway has ordered a total of 15 new ABeh 4/8 vehicles in several stages. The ten vehicles in the first delivery will be put into service in 2025/2026. They will be used for additional train journeys and will serve to improve vehicle availability. The second batch of five vehicles will be delivered in 2027/2028 and will replace rolling stock from the 2000s.
This means that in future the BOB will be equipped exclusively with modern rolling stock featuring low-floor entrances. “The first seven new vehicles have already been delivered and have been in commercial use since the end of September. They are very high quality and so far they have proven themselves in daily operation,” explains Stefan Vögeli, Head of Rolling Stock and Workshops.
The new low-floor vehicles provide 140 seats and are equipped with large, multifunctional compartments on both sides of the entrances for skis, snowboards, pushchairs and luggage. The wide low-floor entrances with spacious entrance areas enable passengers to board and alight quickly.
Implementation of quarter-hourly service
For the quarter-hourly service to be implemented, various projects still need to be carried out along the route: as Head of Infrastructure & Technology Dominik Liener explains, the replacement and extension of the double track at Schwendi station is scheduled to take place in 2026/2027. From 2027 to 2029, Burglauenen station is expected to be equipped with an extended crossing point and an underpass to remove the level crossing on the cantonal road. At the same time, an additional train shed is being built in Zweilütschinen for the new multiple unit trains. Between 2029 and 2031, the Lütschental double track will be replaced and extended, with the station upgraded.
If all construction work proceeds as planned, the BOB will be the first suburban-style railway operating in the Alps from 2030/2031 onwards, not only fulfilling an important feeder function for the renovated First Cableway from Grindelwald railway station, but also further strengthening public transport connections for the residents of Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. The introduction of seasonal quarter-hourly services between Interlaken Ost and Grindelwald is planned for December 2028.
Traction power optimised
In order to increase the traction power supply for the current and future timetable, two new rectifier stations will be put into service in Lütschental and Schwendi by the end of 2025.
