Interlaken Ost railway station has developed in recent years into an important hub for international guests as well as locals. However, there was no direct entrance for guests coming from the centre of Interlaken. To improve the situation and increase quality for customers, the Interlaken Ost railway station community, consisting of the three railway companies Berner Oberland-Bahnen AG BOB, zb Zentralbahn AG and BLS Netz AG, decided to connect the station to the city centre with a new entrance.
After the start of construction in the summer of 2018, the new west entrance was inaugurated today, Monday 3 June 2019. This means guests coming from the centre via Höheweg (Englischer Garten) can directly access platforms 1 to 5 of the BOB and BLS. The detour via the underpass is no longer necessary.
More quality for guests
With the new west entrance, important goals have been achieved. The additional access to the platforms relieves the underpass and untangles passenger flows. At the west entrance, an information point with train departure monitor and ticket vending machine as well as bicycle parking spaces have been created to increase customer service. With gravel lawn, hedges and individual trees, an appealing environment has been created.
The adjustments to the tracks and platforms 1 and 2 ensure the required platform lengths for the longer trains of the Bernese Oberland Railway. The necessary platform extension was also implemented at platform 4 of the Central Railway for the 10-part train compositions. All adjustments to platforms were realised in accordance with the Disability Equality Act (BehiG). The total cost of the project amounts to CHF 1,600,000 and will be shared pro rata among the three railway companies.
Timeline for the realisation of the project
2012
Contract for the development of possible redesign variants granted to external civil engineers
2013
Bahnhofgemeinschaft Interlaken Ost (BOB, BLS, zb) opted for the implementation variant implemented today
Zb’s change to shuttle service meant it was unnecessary to change the locomotives on the restored tracks at the west entrance. The resulting partial dismantling of the dead-end tracks between Jugendherberge/Raiffeisen and the BLS level crossing meant that new space could be created for slow traffic (bicycle shelter, direct access) and optimisation options for platform access.
This cleared the way for the “New west entrance” project.
2014–2016
Regulation of funding by the Swiss government
2016
Inclusion in the individual service agreements 2017–2020 of the three railways BOB, BLS and zb
2018
Planning permission on 31 July 2018 (submitted in April 2018)
Start of construction in August 2018
Partial opening in December 2018
2019
Completion end of May 2019 with bicycle stands, ticket machine and monitor with departure display, covering and landscaping work
