The Voralpen-Express (VAE) is a
named train connecting small to medium-sized cities and villages in
Central and
EasternSwitzerland, carrying this name since 1992. It is operated by
Südostbahn (SOB) and runs every hour as an
InterRegio (IR) between
St. Gallen and
Lucerne, bypassing
Zurich. Its name derives from the fact that it traverses the
Prealps (
German: Voralpen).
1982 brought the
clock-face timetable with a train Romanshorn–Lucerne every two hours, but also the end for buffet cars on this route. In 1991, BT and SOB bought inter-city coaches, model EW IV (Einheitswagen IV, Swiss standard coaches IV), to replace the push-pull sets. The name Voralpen-Express appeared for the first time in railway guides in 1992. In 1995, additional, unnamed trains every two hours operated between Romanshorn and Arth-Goldau, again with push-pull sets. After Revvivo coaches had been used for these trains from 1997 on, it was decided to sell the EW IV to Swiss Federal Railways and buy more Revvivos to allow an hourly push-pull trainset between Romanshorn and Lucerne. In 2001, BT and SOB merged into the new
SOB, which reduced the number of participating companies to two. VAE ran as an
InterRegio (IR)
express train until 2013.
The concept changed on 15 December 2013. SOB became the sole operator of Voralpen-Express, and the train service was limited to St. Gallen–Lucerne. VAE became a distinct
train category, indicated as such on
platform displays. To cope with the increasing number of passengers, trains at that time generally had seven coaches, which means that two
locomotives or motor coaches were needed. This is due to the 50‰ (1:20)
grades between
Pfäffikon and Arth-Goldau. Motive power was at each end, allowing a push-pull service without
driving trailers.
ABe 4/4 (formerly CFZe 4/4) motor coach with coaches at Biberbrugg station
Push-pull set with motor coach in green and cream livery on the Glatttal viaduct (Herisau)
SLM Re 456 locomotive of BT (in green and cream livery) with SOB EW IV coaches near Biberbrugg
Push-pull set composed of two motor coaches (head and tail) and Revvivo coaches arriving in Rapperswil
Vending machines inside of a now out of service
second class Revvivo coach
With the timetable change of 15 December 2019, the train category was updated to
Panorama Express (PE), but because it caused confusion among passengers it was later changed again to
IRVoralpen-Express.[3] The locomotive hauled trains (with white, green and blue
livery) were replaced by
RABe 526 EMUs. The
EMUs consist of an eight car RABe 526 100/200 set, type Traverso, with a
copper and red livery (with black window frames and grey doors), running the whole route. This set includes a "bistro" car fitted with vending machines in the second class coach bordering the first class coaches. During peak-hours, the copper-red sets are each combined with a silver-red four car RABe 526 000 set (FLIRT or FLIRT3 model) on the section between Rapperswil and St. Gallen. The two sets are
coupled and uncoupled, respectively, in Rapperswil (
portion working). The shorter set operates as
S40 of
Zurich S-Bahn between Rapperswil and
Einsiedeln. This allows passengers to travel between St. Gallen and Einsiedeln without changing trains.
Since 2019,
StadlerFLIRT3 trains ("Traverso") operate as
InterRegioVoralpen Express between Lucerne and St. Gallen
View of the
first class interior of Stadler FLIRT3 "Traverso"
View of the
second class (family compartment) interior of Stadler FLIRT3 "Traverso"
Stadler FLIRT3 "Traverso" eight car set (left) coupled with a four car set (FLIRT, right) at
Schmerikon railway station
Stadler FLIRT3 "Traverso" also operates as Treno Gottardo and Aare Linthnamed trains
Route
The Voralpen-Express runs along the Alpine foothills, stopping at stations in the
Cantons of
Lucerne,
Schwyz,
St. Gallen, and
Appenzell Ausserrhoden. The track also passes through
Samstagern in the
Canton of Zurich, but VAE does not stop at that station. In conjunction with
timetable changes, VAE services were suspended to some stations, including the cessation of services between St. Gallen and Romanshorn in 2013, while a few new stops en route were also added (e.g., Meggen Zentrum). The lowest altitude en route is at
Schmerikon (408 metres (1,339 ft)
a.s.l.) and the highest at
Biberegg (933 metres (3,061 ft) a.s.l.), near
Rothenthurm.[4] The route is mostly a
single-track railway, with intermittent
double-track railway present in sections where trains cross regularly.
Besides creating a tangential link on the southern edge of the
greater Zurich area, VAE is popular for the alpine and prealpine scenery.
Connections and tourism
Several stations en route of Voralpen-Express are important junctions, offering timely connections due to the
synchronized Swiss timetable. The trains are used by
commuters (especially during
rush hour) and
tourists alike. The most important stations with connecting trains/busses, regular boat lines on the lakes, and nearby tourist destinations are:
On its journey, the Voralpen-Express passes over a series of
viaducts and through several
tunnels. The mountainous route also parallels scenic lakes and
moors. Here are some noteworthy examples:
Ricken Tunnel, a 8.6 kilometres (5.3 mi) long tunnel with 15,75‰ grades (built between 1904 and 1910) that connects the
Linth plain with
Toggenburg
Wasserfluh Tunnel, a 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) long tunnel between the villages of
Lichtensteig and
Brunnadern with 10,4‰ grades (built between 1905 and 1910)
Sitter Viaduct (SOB), a 365 metres (1,198 ft) long and 99 metres (325 ft) high bridge (the highest railroad bridge in Switzerland) over the
Sitter river near St. Gallen (built between 1908 and 1910)
Travelling with the Voralpen-Express also offers scenic views on the
Alps and Prealps. Some notable peaks visible on the way are
Pilatus,
Rigi,
Mythen,
Speer,
Churfirsten, and
Säntis. The route also crosses several creeks and rivers, among others the
Reuss,
Biber,
Alp,
Sihl,
Jona,
Thur, and
Sitter.
Former rolling stock
Between 2013 and 2019, fourteen
locomotives and
motor coaches formed seven pairs of motive power for the Voralpen-Express.
NPZ motor coaches worked as pairs (head and tail) during peak-hours
The Re 446 locomotives were purchaised from
Swiss Federal Railways (Re 4/4IV) in 1994 and 1996. The Re 456 locomotives were acquired by
BT and named after towns along the former BT owend route. The different motive power vehicle types could not be combined. If less than five pairs were available,
SOB leased a
Re 420 (Re 4/4II) from Swiss Federal Railways (in February 2014 it was
Re 421 393), which could be used together with a Re 446.
Thirty-one
air-conditioned Revvivo coaches, 1997/99 rebuilts from EW I coaches (Einheitswagen I, Swiss standard coaches I), were the backbone of the VAE coaching stock. Ten NPZ vehicles (1991/95) were later added to the stock to allow for enough capacity. Four older coaches were kept as a reserve, but the Revvivo prototype of 1995 (BR 748) had been withdrawn. The sets included first class coaches (A), bistro coaches with vending machines (BR), second class coaches (B), and part first part second class
control trailers (ABt).
Numbers 741–744 were ex BT AB 251–254; 1 coach was kept as reserve
6
NPZ-B
50 85 29-35 781–786
Built in 1991; operated as pairs
4
NPZ-ABt
50 85 80-35 181–184
Built in 1995; control trailers used as intermediate trailers
3
B EW I
50 85 20-35 753–754, 767
Ex BT (1967–68); number 767 was kept as reserve
Five
trainsets were needed for the daily operation, and a sixth set was available in Herisau as a reserve. It allowed to exchange the sets in order to clean and maintain them. The six sets were either formed from two locomotives with seven coaches:
Re–ABt–B–B–BR–A–B–B–Re (4 sets)
or with two motor coaches and six coaches:
RBDe–A–B–B–BR–A–B–RBDe (2 sets)
The seventh pair of locomotives was kept as an additional reserve. Thus, if one motor coach RBDe needed maintenance, an additional set with locomotives could have been formed.
While the coaches and motor coaches had the typical white, green and blue
livery and sported the former Voralpen-Express logo, the locomotives were frequently used as mobile
advertising hoardings or showed the SOB livery.