Zermatt track renewal

In Zermatt station, numerous switches and several rail tracks had to be renovated or replaced between 2018 and 2019. This includes not only mainline tracks, but also stabling and shunting facilities. Work on the installations of a mountain railway is generally demanding. In addition to the capricious weather, special demands on the railway technology (radii, narrow gauge) have to be taken into account in the planning and execution.

Due to the poor condition of the Zermatt installations, the project had to be planned and executed very efficiently. The planning took one and a half years; the execution took place in several weeks of night work and partly under operation. Since the original switches could no longer be installed, the entire track geometry had to be recalculated, switches had to be moved, and the connections had to be elaborately adapted. As Zermatt can only be reached by train (220 trains a day run between Täsch and Zermatt), the work could not interfere with the operation of the station and had to be carried out partly during operation.

Project scope in detail

• Complete renewal of the track superstructure as well as renovation and new construction of drainage systems

• New construction of three single and four double crossing points incl. connection to the mainline tracks

• One-to-one replacement of two sidings incl. new construction of service routes and drainage system

RUBI Railtec was responsible for the overall management as well as the technical planning of the track, railway construction and substructure/civil engineering, and coordinated the technical services.