Outlook
Necessary expansion phases
The NRLA Lötschberg project originally envisaged the construction of a full two-tube tunnel with a branch to Steg. For financial reasons, the Federal Council decided in 1996 to initially make only the eastern tube fully operational. The western tube of the base tunnel has currently only been tunnelled between Raron and Ferden and has been equipped for operations only between Raron and Mitholz. The branch of the tunnel leading to Steg and one track of the Engstlige tunnel is still under construction.
The current single-track section, almost 21 kilometres in length, results in considerable operational constraints. The shorter this single-track section, the higher the operational flexibility and therefore the scheduling stability on the Lötschberg–Simplon axis as a whole. Track maintenance planning and the rescue and intervention processes would be much simplified by having a second through track, which would also allow further increases in capacity on the route as a whole. Extending the twin track throughout the tunnel is therefore vital if the enormous potential of the new base line is to be fully exploited.
Only the full completion of the tunnel will allow additional long-distance connections to be operated without impacting on freight traffic, an area which is growing strongly. Such an increase in capacity would also benefit regional and tourist traffic, particularly on the section via Kandersteg and Goppenstein.
As well as the tunnel, expansion measures are necessary at the Berne hub, on the equally busy Aaretal section between Berne and Thun and on the southern access route. Only by doing so can the Lötschberg transport system be operated and developed in a future-oriented manner.
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