Léman Express


The Léman Express[2][3] is a commuter rail network for the transborder agglomeration of Grand Genève[4] (Greater Geneva) in west Switzerland and the French Alps (Haute-Savoie).

Léman Express
An RABe 522 train in Léman Express livery at Genève-Eaux-Vives station on opening day
Overview
OwnerCFF Infrastructure
SNCF Réseau
LocaleSwitzerland: cantons of Geneva and Vaud
France: départements of Haute-Savoie and Ain
Transit typeCommuter rail
Number of lines6
Number of stations45
Daily ridership45,000 in March 2020[1]
Websitelemanexpress.ch
Operation
Operator(s)CFF
SNCF
Technical
System length230 km (140 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
System map
Map of the network in once CEVA rail opens.

At the heart of the Léman Express system is the CEVA rail project linking Eaux Vives station with Cornavin station in Geneva. This new line, largely underground, was opened on 15 December 2019. The Léman Express marked the start of direct services from Genève-Cornavin railway station to the French cities of Evian, Thonon, Annemasse and Annecy as well as the population of the Arve valley up to Saint-Gervais-les-Bains.

Prior to the opening CEVA, local rail in Geneva consisted of two short services: the half-hourly Regio operating from Coppet to the main Genève-Cornavin railway station and (since 2002) on to Lancy-Pont-Rouge station (now sections of L1-L4), and the Rhône Express Régional (abbreviated to 'RER') line from La Plaine (in Dardagny) to Genève-Cornavin station (now L5 and L6). The RER line used tram-trains derived from those on Lausanne métro's line M1, required as it was electrified using 1,500 Volts direct current, unlike the 15,000 Volts alternating current rest of the Swiss Federal Railway network. Local trains to Bellegarde-sur-Valserine (in France) joined the network on 3 December 2001. The line was subsequently upgraded to the standard 25 kV AC electrification (as used on much of the French railways) in conjunction with the development of the Léman Express system.

Upon the full launch of the network in December 2019, it was hoped ridership would be around 50,000 travelers per day by the end of the next year; at the beginning of March 2020 it had already reached 45,000 per day before the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic and travel shutdowns reduced ridership. As of June 2020, ridership had recovered to around 50% of pre-pandemic ridership.[5]

References
  1. Léman Express : « La fréquentation augmente chaque semaine »
  2. Journal de Bâle et Genève, 2015 and rts.ch
  3. https://www.sbb.ch/en/group/sbb-as-business-partner/federal-government-cantons/regional-traffic/western-switzerland/region-geneva/news/fvg.html
  4. http://www.grand-geneve.org/actualites/le-reseau-express-ferroviaire-franco-valdo-genevois-sappelle-leman-express-0
  5. "Léman Express : « La fréquentation augmente chaque semaine »". le dauphiné. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  6. Chloe Dethurens (16 March 2010). "Les CFF Moderniseront Leurs Lignes Genevoises". Tribune de Genève. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
  7. "ACMV". Swiss historical dictionary (in French, German, and Italian).
  • Joint Press Release, CFF-SBB-FSS / SNCF.
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