Lötschberg Base Tunnel – through the Alps at 250 km/h.

The 35 km Lötschberg Base Tunnel – the first of the new transalpine routes – is opening in 2007. It is a key element in the Rotterdam–Genoa corridor linking northern and southern Europe. Once it is open, international passenger trains, domestic Intercity services and heavy transit freight trains will operate through the Base Tunnel using ETCS Level 2.

In this project, RailXperts was mandated by BLS Lötschberg AG to manage two sub-projects relating to train control systems and telecommunications. In addition to project design and technical management of ETCS system development, Railxperts ensure interoperability between the route and vehicle equipment of the various suppliers.

Test runs on the Lötschberg Base Tunnel line began in June 2006. Trial operation started in March 2007, with inauguration of the Base Tunnel scheduled for June 2007.

Facts & figures

• 34.6 km single / double track tunnel
• 110 trains per day (total )
• Headway 180 sec. @ 250km/h
• Signaling system ETCS Level 2 based on SRS 2.2.2 and some CR’s of subset 108
• Electronic interlocking Elektra II
• Redundant axle counters AzLM
• Commissioning of ETCS ongoing
• Freight traffic operation by 15 June 2007
• Full mixed traffic operation by December 2007