Overview of the construction works

The preparatory works being carried out as part of the various projects will be completed in September 2023. A detailed schedule can be found further down on this page.

During this period, the railway line between Giswil and Meiringen will be closed to regular train services. Replacement bus services will operate during the closure. Please consult the online timetable at sbb.ch/fahrplan before travelling. 

Train services will resume across the entire section in accordance with the new timetable (timetable change). The installation areas and construction access roads for the railway projects will be dismantled step by step. This will be followed by the necessary finishing works on the structures as well as recultivation works.

The individual projects in detail

The single-track rack railway line operated by Zentralbahn between Giswil and Kaiserstuhl runs through a challenging area exposed to natural hazards and has reached the end of its service life. Both the bridges and the supporting structures are in poor condition and must therefore be partially replaced or refurbished.  In addition, new supporting structures will be constructed to provide adequate protection for the track in the event of natural hazards. In this section, Zentralbahn is working closely with the Municipality of Giswil’s flood protection project and the Canton of Obwalden’s N8 project. This collaboration has made it possible to exploit synergies in terms of site access and installation areas, and to jointly plan the design of the structures.  In addition to the five bridges and various supporting structures, the entire track section between Giswil station and Weidlibach will be completely renewed. Furthermore, an additional natural stone retaining wall will be replaced in front of the Kaiserstuhl stop, and the entrance turnout at Kaiserstuhl station will be renewed.  To improve access to the construction site, Bärfallenstrasse was upgraded in advance to accommodate construction traffic.  As part of the preparations for the full line closure, particular attention was paid to the extensive reptile protection measures. Details of these measures can be found here.

Rudenzer Berg is crossed by numerous steep, debris-flow-prone dry channels that become active during severe storms. In such events, flooding and debris flows occur, frequently causing damage.

As part of this project, the catchment area between Äschigraben and Finstergraben above the railway line will be systematically managed and consolidated. To achieve this, two debris retention basins will be created and the lateral channels will be upgraded. An overflow dam will provide additional safety. The undersized culverts at the Ächerli level crossing will be replaced by a new bridge as part of the bridge cluster project. Below the railway line, Bodengräbli and Schmittenbächli will be designed to be flood-safe up to the Aa Canal. A calibration structure with a secured relief corridor via Benzenmatt–Brünigstrasse–Zünli into the Aa Canal will complete the project. Implementation will take place in two phases and is expected to be completed in 2025.

Since March 2023, the following works have been carried out as part of the national road project by the Canton of Obwalden:

  • At the southern portal of the Kaiserstuhl tunnel, the Wichel retaining wall is being constructed for the Brünigstrasse, the Zentralbahn track is being relocated for the future southern cut-and-cover tunnel, and the bored pile wall and concrete roof slab of the southern cut-and-cover tunnel are being concreted.
  • At the northern portal of the Kaiserstuhl tunnel, in the OWi-Land area, both the Brünigstrasse and Bärfallenstrasse are being relocated, and the preliminary excavation for the northern cut-and-cover tunnel is being carried out.

In the area of the planned southern portal of the Kaiserstuhl tunnel, part of the national road project N8 / Lungern Nord–Lungern Süd, a section of the railway track has to be relocated. As part of this realignment, 1,380 metres of track including the overhead line will be refurbished, the Schiessgraben culvert will be renewed, and the bridge deck at Husengraben will be replaced.

In winter 2019/2020, the Canton of Obwalden widened the crossing of the Brünigstrasse and adapted it to be suitable for amphibians. This system will now be completed by extending the crossing beneath the railway track, creating a continuous passage.

The full line closure will be used to carry out rock scaling at the northern portal of the Tschorren tunnel and to renew the existing rockfall protection nets.

The single-track rack railway section from Lungern station is to be completely refurbished in the future, in the same way as the section between Giswil and Kaiserstuhl. However, the rack rails already show clear signs of wear and therefore need to be replaced in advance.

The full line closure will be used to replace the track superstructure (rails, rack rail and sleepers). In addition, a retaining wall will be renewed. Construction of the new retaining wall will require temporary closures of Chäppelistrasse to vehicle traffic. The road will remain passable for pedestrians and cyclists.

Resulting restrictions and inconvenience

Zentralbahn’s construction works generally take place from Monday to Saturday between 4.30 a.m. and 10.00 p.m. During this time, some noise-intensive activities are unavoidable. In order for rail operations to resume, certain works must be completed by the end of the full line closure. Depending on construction progress, work on Sundays may therefore be necessary, and occasional night-time works may also occur.

Until the start of the full line closure, night-time works will also be required, among other things for unloading the new rails between Giswil and Lungern. Zentralbahn makes every effort to keep noise emissions to a minimum.

Access to some sections is challenging. For this reason, helicopters will be used for certain works, such as flying in overhead line masts or carrying out rock scaling at Tschorren.

During the full line closure from 2 October to 9 December 2023, replacement bus services will operate between Giswil and Meiringen. Please allow for additional travel time. To ensure connections, there may be changes to departure times and departure locations.

Further details can be found in the timetable below and in the SBB online timetable at sbb.ch/fahrplan.

Construction traffic will lead to increased traffic volumes, which may result in short waiting times. We thank you for your understanding. The construction sites will be secured by the construction companies. For your own safety, we kindly ask you to respect the barriers in place.

Access

  • Access to adjacent properties will be maintained; however, occasional disruptions are to be expected. Where necessary, diversion routes will be signposted. Temporary closures may occur at level crossings. Affected residents will be informed in good time.

Brünigstrasse

  • As part of sustainability measures, a ballast washing facility will be installed at the OWi-Land site. This facility will reprocess excavated ballast from all local construction sites and make it available for reuse. This will result in increased traffic in the OWi-Land area and may lead to temporary longer waiting times.

Hiking trails

  • The construction works will affect hiking trails. Diversions will be signposted in coordination with Wanderwege Obwalden and published on the SchweizMobil website.

Insights into the works during the closure in autumn 2023

Giswil

To ensure access to the tracks and thus to the construction site, new access routes repeatedly have to be created. At Giswil station, a new access road was built behind the stabling area, allowing heavy lorries and excavators to reach the construction site.

Giswil

The image shows the process of constructing a mast foundation: on the far left, the foundation is marked out; in the centre, the excavation has been completed; on the right, the formwork is in place, ready to be filled with concrete.

Giswil

Alongside Zentralbahn’s construction site, the Municipality of Giswil is also carrying out the Schmittenbächli flood protection project. Close coordination is therefore required.

Giswil

In the Delti and Leitigraben areas, the two new bridges had to be prefabricated to the side in advance for scheduling reasons. These new bridges will be slid into their final position during the full line closure. 

Kaiserstuhl

The new overhead line masts have already been installed in the area where the track is being relocated.

Giswil

Here, the ballast coming from the construction sites is washed, the fine and coarse material is separated, and the cleaned ballast is prepared for reuse.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

After months of preparatory works, the full line closure can now begin. The first step is to cut and remove the old track, including sleepers and rack rail, section by section.

Giswil

Where a level crossing previously led to the Rei/Selibüel settlement above Giswil, there is now a large excavation in the ground. A new culvert for the Schmittenbächli will be constructed here.

Giswil

The image shows the removed track on the left and, to the right of it, the prepared anchoring for the upcoming retaining wall. Such measures make the reconstruction more complex, but they ensure long-term stabilisation of the slope and the railway line.

Kaiserstuhl

The overhead lines and overhead line masts were dismantled at night using a lifting platform and a rail-mounted lorry.

Kaiserstuhl

In the area of the Husengraben bridge, important utility lines cross the Zentralbahn track alignment. A crossing had to be prepared for these before the construction of the new bridge. After the cables and lines were carefully rerouted, the existing bridge deck was demolished.

Kaiserstuhl

During the closure, replacement bus services operate on the affected section. A wooden platform was built at Kaiserstuhl station to make boarding and alighting easier for passengers.

Kaiserstuhl

The A8 cut-and-cover tunnel will pass beneath the Zentralbahn track alignment, which requires the installation of bored piles. Due to time constraints, drilling is carried out in two shifts, including night-time work.

Kaiserstuhl

For the new Zentralbahn track alignment and the A8 tunnel, an old underpass in the Wichel area had to be demolished.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

The first bored piles are being installed at Leitigraben. Next to them, the prefabricated bridge deck is already waiting to be put into place.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

Hidden from the view of drivers, a logistical feat is being accomplished above Giswil behind the treetops. Access and space conditions are very limited.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

In addition to the track realignment and the various bridges, existing retaining structures are also being refurbished.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

New bridge foundations are being prepared on both sides of the existing bridge at Marchgraben. It is clear that the culvert will be significantly larger in the future.

Kaiserstuhl

At Schiessgraben, the old retaining wall is being demolished and excavation works for the upcoming construction are being carried out. Next week, the 15 precast concrete elements for the new retaining wall will be delivered over five nights and installed directly on site.

Kaiserstuhl

The Husengraben bridge is being partially replaced. After the bridge deck was demolished the previous week, the new bridge deck was formworked, reinforced and finally concreted during this week.

Kaiserstuhl

Here, the new track alignment is being stabilised to increase its load-bearing capacity. To do this, the subgrade is loosened and larger stones are broken up. A mixture of lime and cement is then worked into the soil, and the formation level is compacted by rolling.

Kaiserstuhl

This week, all piles for the A8 cut-and-cover tunnel were successfully drilled. The construction of the tunnel roof is now underway.

Kaiserstuhl

A single retaining wall element at Schiessgraben is over 5 metres high and weighs almost 30 tonnes. The elements, which were delivered in a horizontal position, had to be erected using an additional auxiliary crane.

Kaiserstuhl

The new Husengraben bridge is being waterproofed using an ultra-high-performance fibre-reinforced material (UHFB).

Kaiserstuhl

Here, the three construction stages of the southern cut-and-cover tunnel can be seen: the first stage is complete and sealed with a membrane; the second stage is currently being concreted; and in the third and final stage, the preliminary excavation has been carried out and the scaffolding for the roof formwork has been erected.

Kaiserstuhl

The first shoulder supports – the lateral mesh structures visible in the image – have been completed. These are installed along the railway line to provide stabilisation.

Giswil

In addition to all the construction works, logistics and material handling also play a crucial role. Accordingly, the installation areas are extensive.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

To achieve lateral stabilisation of the track alignment and the ballast in steep terrain, additional measures are required. In this case, a concrete ballast trough has been constructed.

Kaiserstuhl

The new Kaiserstuhl turnout – including the new sleepers – is already in the correct position and now needs to be connected to the existing track.

Giswil

As a joint project between the Giswil flood protection scheme and Zentralbahn, the new Schmittenbächli bridge is being built here. It is many times larger than the former small culvert visible in the background.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

Despite the softened ground and at times heavy rain, the workers are doing their best under challenging conditions.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

After just four weeks, the first sections of the line were filled with replacement material and provided with an asphalt separation layer. This stabilises the future track alignment from below and ensures controlled drainage of water.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

To provide long-term stabilisation of the slope, reinforcement meshes were fixed in place with shotcrete. These meshes are now being anchored back into the underlying terrain.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

The Deltigraben bridge will soon be slid into its final position. For this purpose, pneumatic cylinders will be installed on the left side of the image at the upper and lower ends of the bridge, which will then slowly push the bridge to the right along the steel girders.

Lungern–Käppeli

Work is also progressing at full speed between Lungern and Chäppeli. Here, the entire track superstructure (rails, sleepers, rack rails and ballast) is being replaced.

Kaiserstuhl

After all retaining wall elements and the Schiessgraben culvert were successfully installed in the previous week, work with natural stone began in week 43. The Schiessgraben retaining wall is approaching its final form.

Kaiserstuhl

In the area of the southern cut-and-cover tunnel, the third and final stage of the roof was concreted last week.

Kaiserstuhl

At the Husengraben bridge, the UHFB (ultra-high-performance fibre-reinforced concrete) has been installed and the temporary support structure has been removed.

Kaiserstuhl

Once the foundation layer was completed, the AC Rail layer could be installed. AC Rail is the separation layer and is laid as the top layer of the substructure directly beneath the ballast. Among other functions, it prevents water from penetrating the substructure and limits plant growth.

Giswil

The track bed has been prepared, and the installation of rack rail sections, sleepers and rails uphill has begun.

Kaiserstuhl

The natural stone works on the retaining wall at Schiessgraben are currently being completed.

Kaiserstuhl

After five weeks of closure, the tracks have been reinstalled in various sections.

Kaiserstuhl

Works in the cut-and-cover tunnel area are progressing well. The track alignment has been stabilised, the foundations have been installed, and track installation will begin shortly.

Kaiserstuhl

Trains cannot yet run here. However, from this week onwards, the newly built bridge over the Schmittenbächli will once again be accessible to lorries.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

The refurbished retaining structures are now being clad with natural stone to ensure a visual match with the surrounding structures.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

Not all structures could be prefabricated and assembled next to the existing structures. The Vorderer Schwendigraben is being concreted directly on site in its final position.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

This week, the remaining mast foundations were completed.

Kaiserstuhl

Track installation has been completed on the first sections.

Kaiserstuhl

The natural stone works on the retaining wall at Schiessgraben have now been completed.

Kaiserstuhl

Track installation in the area of the cut-and-cover tunnel has been completed, and works around the southern cut-and-cover tunnel are continuing.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

The logistical situation remains challenging. Careful coordination is required to ensure that the various small and large machines do not obstruct one another.

Giswil

Only minor details are still outstanding on this section, such as the installation of cables and the lifting and alignment of the tracks and new rack rails.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

The key structure, the bridge over the Marchgraben, is approaching the completion of its concrete works. Shortly, the Marchgraben itself will once again be fully visible.

Kaiserstuhl

Towards the end of the seventh week of the closure, the entire section from Kaiserstuhl to Lauenen was tamped and levelled. The tamping machine lifts the rails and compacts the ballast through vibration so that the track is set at the correct height.

Kaiserstuhl

A new A8 cut-and-cover tunnel will pass beneath the railway track alignment. Excavation has now progressed to the point where the opposite end is already clearly visible.

Kaiserstuhl

To complete the works on the Husengraben bridge, a splash guard was installed. In the event of large volumes of water or debris flowing down the channel, this splash guard will protect the track.

Kaiserstuhl

During week seven, several cable ducts were already installed. The remaining ones will be completed in the following week.

Giswil

In large sections of the construction site, ballast is already being laid and the sleepers, rails and rack rails are being installed. There is not much left to do before our trains can run on this section again.

Giswil

Heavy rainfall on Tuesday led to challenging conditions. Among other things, large amounts of soil were washed down the slope onto the road in the Giswil area. Thanks to the on-site staff and the Nidwalden cantonal police (Kapo OW), the situation was quickly brought under control.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

The line is not yet open to passenger trains, but it is already passable for construction trains and the maintenance locomotive. As shown in the image, it is being used for transport and installation works along the track.

Kaiserstuhl

In addition to the major track reconstruction works, the retaining wall at Kaiserstuhl was also refurbished. Its structural condition had reached the end of its service life and was at risk of collapsing into the track bed sooner or later.

Kaiserstuhl

The remaining cable ducts were successfully installed this week. The cables, which were laid in black protective conduits throughout the construction process, can now be rerouted into the new cable ducts.

Kaiserstuhl

In some areas, the slope next to the track alignment is being stabilised using block stones.

Kaiserstuhl

Further progress was made at the Kaiserstuhl tunnel this week. The soil nail wall along the right-hand side of the cut-and-cover tunnel is becoming increasingly extensive. At the same time, works inside the tunnel are progressing, with material being excavated and the hillside piles being anchored back.

Lungern

Done. The line between Lungern and Chäppeli is ready for operation and awaits the first train. Final minor works are still being carried out, such as thorough rock scaling, which would otherwise have had to take place at night.

Giswil

In some sections, the track bed has already been fully completed. On this section, a few structures next to the track still need to be finished before trains can run again.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

As the works progress, the use of conventional machinery becomes increasingly challenging. Wheel spacing and ground clearance are now crucial to ensure that neither the new rails nor the rack rail system are damaged or destroyed.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

Here, a concrete retaining structure has been clad with stone. This was done to enhance the external appearance and improve integration into the surrounding landscape.

Kaiserstuhl

The final two weeks of the closure are being used mainly for installing the new overhead line. The track construction crews were able to complete some final works during the night shift.

Kaiserstuhl

Towards the end of the week, a significant amount of snow also fell on the construction site. This will pose a major challenge for the workers in the coming week.

Giswil

The first runs have already been carried out on the new section of track between Giswil and Lungern. However, despite the weather conditions, the team still has to give its all before regular train services can resume.

Giswil–Kaiserstuhl

So far, we have been very fortunate – but now the weather is also showing its “cold side”. Under these conditions, only the most essential work is being carried out to ensure that the end of the full line closure is not put at risk.