The Park+Ride is ideally located near the motorway exit. Guests are transported from the Matten stop on the Bernese Oberland Railway (BOB) to the excursion destinations in the Lütschinen valleys. The Lütschinen valleys will thus see even less congestion, both from individual motorized traffic and coaches with group travellers. The new station will also serve to provide public transport access to the cross-municipal commercial zone on the former Matten airfield.

The station will be built with a reception building, two outdoor platforms and a passenger subway with ramps and stairs. Furthermore, two bus stops and, the as main elements for motorised traffic, a new access road from the direct motorway connection as well as 207 car parking spaces and 36 parking spaces for coaches are planned. On the already existing taxiway, another 300 car parking spaces and 32 parking spaces for coaches can be provided in case of increased traffic.

Promoting rail instead of road

At the official ground-breaking ceremony, Urs Kessler, Director of Jungfrau Railways, emphasised the importance of the station: “It is one of the last pieces in the mosaic of the V-Cableway project. In this way, we can encourage more guests to switch from car to train,” he asserts. The V-Cableway project includes the Grindelwald Terminal, the Eiger Express tricable gondola and the new Grindelwald-Männlichen Gondola Cableway (GGM).

After the Stop of Bernese Oberland Railway BOB at the Grindelwald Terminal, the one now being built in Matten is already the second new Stop of Bernese Oberland Railway BOB to be built within five years. Trains will stop there for the first time in December 2023.

Costs from 19.5 million Swiss francs

The project, which includes a station and Park+Ride, will cost around CH 10.7 million. In addition, 1 million Swiss francs will be spent on measures for non-motorised traffic, i.e. cycle paths and footpaths. Of the approximately 6.5 million Swiss francs (Park+Ride and non-motorised traffic), BOB AG will pay around 4 million from its own reserves.

In the course of the work, the Wilderswil junction can also be completed. The costs for the second and final part amount to 7.8 million Swiss francs. In future, trains will cross on the new double-track line between the Aenderbergstrasse Matten level crossing and the Rosshag/Wilderswil area. In addition, there is a new safety system with interlocking in a switching and transformer station.

A total of around 19.5 million Swiss francs will be spent on the construction site.