The canton of Lucerne, the VVL and the SBB today signed the “Overall Perspective for Lucerne” and named a regional double-decker train the “Luzern”. The christened vehicle is the RV-Dosto RABe 511 016. The train christening symbolizes an important measure from an overall perspective: From December 10, 2023, double-decker trains with significantly more seats will run on the RegioExpress connection between Olten and Lucerne (new RE24). as before.

The trains on the various corridors around Lucerne are very busy during peak hours and no additional trains can arrive and depart from Lucerne station. In order to be able to expand capacity despite the busy rail infrastructure, the RegioExpress trains between Olten and Lucerne will run double-decker on weekdays until 8 p.m. and occasionally on weekends from the timetable change on December 10, 2023. The double-decker train with 535 seats instead of the previous single-decker Flirt with 324 seats (in double traction) significantly increases the capacity on the line and offers passengers more space and comfort. There will also be more space on the S1 after the timetable change: more trains will run with double traction instead of single traction between Baar and Lucerne.

Together for strong public transport

The overall perspective is a work program by the SBB, the VVL and the canton of Lucerne with the aim of strengthening public transport and making it even more customer-friendly. It is the result of intensive cooperation between the three partners and is based on the overall perspective for Central Switzerland that was adopted in 2016.

The overall perspective includes measures up to the 2035 expansion horizon with short and medium-term effects and builds on offer concepts that have already been decided. With an overall perspective, the partners agree on measures for integrated mobility and area development, which in particular coordinate ongoing planning with one another. The three partners – SBB, VVL and Canton – do this in five fields of action: passenger transport, transport hubs, internal development, freight transport and logistics as well as railway infrastructure and railway operational facilities.

The Lucerne through station (DBL) is anchored as a long-term project as a target image. With its local, regional and national benefits, it offers a sustainable development perspective for the greater Lucerne area and central Switzerland. The short and medium-term measures of the overall perspective as well as the fields of action mentioned above are therefore geared towards this target image.