Standardised Evaluation Hochrheinbahn
Introduction
In 2018, the state of Baden-Württemberg developed a statewide rail electrification concept. The goal is to have regional passenger rail transport fully electrified in the long term. The non-electrified railway lines of Baden-Württemberg were divided into three categories (steps). The Hochrhein line from Basel to Erzingen is included in step 1 of the state concept and therefore has great importance from the state’s perspective.
Strategic decisions on investments in transport infrastructure and the operation of transport facilities are often associated with high financial costs. We provide you with operational and economic success indicators along with transport and overall economic effects such as achievable modal shifts and impacts on greenhouse gas emissions.
Project Description
With the expansion and electrification of the Hochrhein Railway, the transport services on the Hochrhein line are to be improved and made more climate-friendly. The objectives of the measure are to shorten travel times, expand service offerings, and deploy electric multiple units. The planned expansion and conversion measures will also significantly improve the accessibility of the Hochrhein line.
People in the region will benefit in the future from more connections between South Baden, Lake Constance, and northern and eastern Switzerland. In addition, the project enables integration into the trinational Basel S-Bahn, with connections to Koblenz (CH) and links to the Zurich S-Bahn.
Furthermore, the measure is relevant for domestic transport in Switzerland, for example for fast connections between Basel, Schaffhausen, and St. Gallen. As a cross-border measure, the Hochrhein line is also part of the strategic development program for Swiss rail infrastructure (STEP 2030/35).
Project Details
Measure to be evaluated
The project involves the construction of approximately 130 km of overhead line systems. 17 transport stations will be rebuilt, and 3 stations will be newly constructed. At two stations, upgrades for crossings and overtaking will be carried out. In addition, replacement construction of road overpasses and extensive structural adaptations of the existing tunnel structures are required. Track lowering is necessary to pass under existing bridge structures.
Approach
The study is carried out according to the 2016 version of the Standardized Evaluation, including the presentation of the socio-economic cost-benefit indicator and a follow-up cost analysis.
As part of the project, a comprehensive database was prepared. Due to the large impact area of the measure, the database covers the Upper Rhine and Lake Constance region on both the German and Swiss sides. Using the transport planning software PTV Vision, a traffic model of supply and demand for public transport and private motorized transport was developed. Current traffic models from the German and Swiss sides were integrated into a single PTV Visum network for the entire study area.
Another special feature of the evaluation of the Upper Rhine line was the extensive coordination process with numerous stakeholders. In addition to the funding providers from the federal and state levels, the Federal Railway Authority, the Baden-Württemberg Local Transport Company, Deutsche Bahn, and the affected districts, several representatives from Switzerland were also involved in the study.
Results
The present Standardized Evaluation demonstrates that the expansion and electrification of the Upper Rhine Railway Basel – Erzingen is both operationally and economically sensible.
In addition, further improvements on the Upper Rhine Railway are planned in the future through the “Herzstück Basel” project and the intended recognition under the Swiss General Subscription.
Since the operating concepts have changed slightly in the meantime, the project will be additionally evaluated by PTV Transport Consult in 2023 according to version 2016+.