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This is a blast: because of Corona, cross-border rail connections between Switzerland and Italy will be suspended. Starting Thursday and indefinitely.
Upon request, SBB can discuss a wide range of measures. These are summarized in a decree of the Italian government. Although the decree does not prohibit border traffic in principle, it calls for a series of protection measures that go beyond the previous concept of protection in public transport: “We are currently unable to comply with these measures and demands,” says SBB spokesperson Ottavia Masserini to VIEW.
Required measurements include temperature measurements before crossing the border. And proof of a negative corona test. The decree also stipulates a maximum load of 50 percent for trains. Restless passengers or those who do not comply with the requirements of the new border regime would have to get off the train. All of this is a challenge that, with current capabilities, is too large a number for SBB. The state railroad would need an army of controllers and Securitas personnel to enforce the measures. Trains would have to be stopped for a long time, the timetable would be greatly affected.
Regional traffic should be back up and running soon
Therefore, SBB decided together with Trenitalia to apply the emergency brake and stop long-distance cross-border traffic for an indefinite period starting Thursday. The regional supply of Tilo is affected. SBB trains run to the national border.
SBB is working on a solution. Apparently, the goal is to be able to resume regional traffic with the December 13 time change. That would ease the traffic of some 70,000 cross-border travelers in Ticino somewhat. “Our economy depends on cross-border travelers from Italy. These restrictions particularly affect hospitals and homes for the elderly ”, says CVP’s national advisor, Fabio Regazzi (58).
Regional trains between Brig and Domodossola are not affected by the suspension. At BLICK’s request, BLS said: “Right now we are driving according to schedule. We currently have no signs that further action can be taken. “
I’ve got a cold
The background: Unlike the SBB, which is connected to Lombardy and probably also to Rome, the BLS is in contact with another regional authority. In addition to the canton of Valais, the Italian Agenzia della mobilità piemontese (AMP) issues the transport order for the route from Brig to Domodossola. And in Piedmont, BLS regional trains are an important entry-level offering for Italian cross-border travelers.
Incidentally, the SBB report caught the Italian authorities off guard. Rome celebrates the Immaculate Conception on December 8. “Immacolata Concezione”. In German: conception of Mary. The offices are closed.
Italians wonder why Rome’s new Italian anti-crown measures would provoke such a backlash in Bern. Temperature measurements at Italian train stations have been standard for months. And verifying the train passengers on a form with a self-declaration that includes negative Covid test, as airlines do, is quite reasonable, so the tenor of the Belpaese.
The following settings will be made for the SBB service in Switzerland:
- The CE on the St. Gotthard runs normally between Zurich and Zurich. Basel and Chiasso, from Chiasso to Italy trains are canceled without replacement.
- The EC in Lötschberg runs normally between Basel and Brig, from Brig to Italy the trains are canceled without replacement.
- The EC on the Simplon is canceled, only the EC 39 and EC 42/44 operate between Geneva and Brig.
- The trinational train (Frankfurt – Milan) EC 52 and 451/151 runs until December 11. between Brig and Frankfurt resp. Frankfurt and Chiasso. On 12.12. Train 451/151 still runs between Frankfurt and Chiasso, train 52 between Brig and Basel SBB. From the time change 13.12. trains only run between Brig and Basel resp. Basel and Chiasso and are canceled in Italy and Germany.
- The BLS RE between Brig and Domodossola continues to operate as scheduled.
Cross-border regional rail connections (Tilo) S10, S30, S40 and S50 are canceled. Trains on the RE10 connection between Chiasso and Milano Centrale are canceled. Trenitalia replacement concept is planned between Como and Milano Centrale
