Bern S-Bahn
The Bern S-Bahn is an S-Bahn commuter rail network focused on Bern, the capital city of Switzerland. The network is roughly coterminous with Bern's urban agglomeration. Its services connect with those of Lucerne S-Bahn, RER Fribourg, RER Vaud and transN.
With approximately 9 million train kilometres per year, the Bern S-Bahn is the second-largest S-Bahn in Switzerland. It handles around 100,000 passengers daily, and thus carries the majority of the agglomeration's regional public transport traffic.
Operations
The Bern S-Bahn Bern is operated, under a joint commission from the Canton of Bern, its neighbouring cantons and the Federal Government, by the following railway companies:Upon the timetable change on 12 December 2004, the Swiss Federal Railways withdrew from its previous involvement in the operation of the Bern S-Bahn, but also took over all of the long-distance services previously operated by the BLS.
Lines
, the network consists of the following lines. Unless otherwise stated, the lines are.| # | Route | Notes | Operator |
| ––– | BLS AG | ||
| Thun-Bern | Rush-hour service only in direction of Bern | BLS AG | |
| ––Bern–– | BLS AG | ||
| Thun-Konolfingen | BLS AG | ||
| Bern-Konolfingen-Langnau i.E. | Rush-hour service | BLS AG | |
| –Bern– | BLS AG | ||
| Belp–Bern– | Rush-hour service | BLS AG | |
| - | BLS AG | ||
| Lyss- | BLS AG | ||
| Thun–Belp–Bern–––Langnau i.E. | BLS AG | ||
| Thun–Hasle-Rüegsau–Burgdorf– | BLS AG | ||
| Konolfingen–Hasle-Rüegsau–Thun | BLS AG | ||
| Thun–Belp–Bern––Solothurn/Hasle-Rüegsau- | Operates as a single train between Thun and Burgdorf | BLS AG | |
| –Sumiswald-Grünen | BLS AG | ||
| Solothurn–Burgdorf–- | Rush-hour service only in direction of Ostermundigen | BLS AG | |
| –/––Kerzers––Bern | Operates as a single train between Bern and Kerzers | BLS AG | |
| Bern Brünnen Westside–Bern | BLS AG | ||
| /Murten/Morat−Kerzers–Bern Brünnen Westside–Bern | Operates between Ins and Kerzers only during rush hour | BLS AG | |
| –Bern | BLS AG | ||
| Bern– | Operates over the metre gauge Worb Dorf–Worblaufen line | RBS | |
| Bern–/ | Operates over the metre gauge Solothurn–Worblaufen line | RBS | |
| Bern– | Operates over the metre gauge Zollikofen–Bern line | RBS |
Network map
Rolling stock
The normal rolling stock rosters for the Bern S-Bahn are:- BLS RABe 515 : up to two units per train
- BLS RABe 515 :
- BLS RABe 528 :
- BLS RABe 535
- BLS RABe 535
- BLS RABe 515 : up to two units per train
- BLS RABe 515 : up to two units per train
- with two "" intermediate cars or
- BLS RABe 525
- BLS RABe 528
- BLS RABe 535
- BLS RABe 525
- BLS RABe 525 or BLS RABe 535 : 1-2 units per train
- BLS RABe 525 or BLS RABe 535
- BLS RABe 525
- BLS RABe 525 or : 1–3 units per train
- BLS RBDe 565 with two "B6 Jumbo" intermediate cars
- BLS RBDe 565 with two "B6 Jumbo" intermediate cars
- BLS RABe 515
- : in peak times 2 x Be 4/10,
- supplementary trains Bern–Bolligen RBS Be 4/10
- RBS Be 4/12 : 2 EMU per train in peak hours, 1 EMU outside of peak hours
- RBS Be 4/12 or RBS Be 4/10
History
The second line began operation on 28 May 1995, operating from to. At this time the "S"-style designations were introduced to differentiate the lines.
The next expansion occurred in 1998, with the commissioning of the S3 and the S4. The S33 and S44 supplemented service on the S3 and S4, while the S5 designation was applied to regional services between Bern and. Also introduced was the S55 for services from Bern to via.
2005
The December 2004 timetable change saw major expansions of the Bern S-Bahn concept. This was partly enabled by infrastructure improvements carried out under the Rail 2000 program. The three RBS lines were formally incorporated into the network, SBB transferred the operation of the S1 and S3 to the Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon-Bahn. The network now consisted of the following services:| Number | Route | Frequency | Operator |
| S1 | Fribourg/Laupen BE––Bern–Thun | Every 30 minutes | BLS |
| S11 | Bern–Fribourg | Rush-hour | BLS |
| S2 | Schwarzenburg–Bern– | Every 30 minutes | BLS |
| S22 | Schwarzenburg–Bern | Rush-hour | BLS |
| S3 | Biel/Bienne–Bern–Belp | Every 30 minutes | BLS |
| S33 | Bern–Belp–Thun | Every 30 minutes | BLS |
| S4 | –Bern–Burgdorf– | Every 60 minutes | RM |
| S44 | Rosshäusern–Bern–Burgdorf–Langnau i.E./ | Every 60 minutes | RM |
| S5 | Bern–Kerzers–Neuchâtel/Murten | Every 60 minutes | BLS |
| S51 | Bern– | Rush-hour | BLS |
| S7 | Bern–– | Every 15 minutes | RBS |
| S8 | Bern– | Every 15 minutes | RBS |
| S9 | Bern– | Every 15 minutes | RBS |
2009
The December 2008 timetable change saw several major alterations to the standard gauge part of the network. On the Lausanne–Bern line, the S11 was eliminated, and the S1 began operating half-hourly between Flamatt and Fribourg and skipping most local stops between Flamatt and. The S2's western terminus was changed from Schwarzenburg to Laupen BE. On the Bern–Schwarzenburg railway line, the new S6 replaced the S2 and S22, offering a half-hourly service between Schwarzenburg and Bern. On the Bern–Neuchâtel line, the new S52 replaced the S4 and S44 between Bern and Rosshäusern, and was extended to Kerzers, while the S51 was increased to half-hourly service and extended to the new station at. The S4 and S44 were re-routed over the Bern–Belp–Thun line to Thun via Belp, in place of the S33.| Number | Route | Frequency | Operator |
| S1 | Fribourg–Bern–Thun | Every 30 minutes | BLS |
| S2 | Laupen BE–Bern–Langnau i.E. | Every 30 minutes | BLS |
| S3 | Biel/Bienne–Bern–Belp | Every 30 minutes | BLS |
| S4 | Thun–Bern–Burgdorf–Affoltern-Weier | Every 60 minutes | BLS |
| S44 | Thun–Bern–Burgdorf–Langnau i.E./Wiler | Every 60 minutes | BLS |
| S5 | Bern–Kerzers–Neuchâtel/Murten | Every 60 minutes | BLS |
| S51 | Bern–Bern Brünnen Westside | Every 30 minutes | BLS |
| S52 | Bern–Kerzers | Every 30 minutes | BLS |
| S6 | Schwarzenburg–Bern | Every 30 minutes | BLS |
| S7 | Bern–Bolligen–Worb | Every 15 minutes | RBS |
| S8 | Bern–Jegenstorf | Every 15 minutes | RBS |
| S9 | Bern–Unterzollikofen | Every 15 minutes | RBS |