Basel Regional S-Bahn

The Basel Regional S-Bahn (German: Regio S-Bahn Basel) has provided an S-Bahn-style rail service connecting the Basel metropolitan area since 1997 in Switzerland, Germany and France. It consists of five suburban train lines, including two that operate across borders. The S-Bahn is operated by the Swiss Federal Railways its German subsidiary SBB GmbH and the French TER Alsace. It is also run in partnership with Deutsche Bahn (German Railways, DB) and the Société nationale des chemins de fer français (French National Railways, SNCF) and its sponsors (the Swiss cantons of Basel, Basel-Country, Aargau, Solothurn, Jura; the German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg and the French region of Alsace).

Operations

Due to various factors, the cycle sequence of the five suburban train lines is not uniform. Lines S1 (between Basel SBB and Stein-Säckingen) and S3 (between Olten and Laufen) with a large patronage run every half hour. Lines with medium ridership (S5 and S6) operate partly at hourly intervals. Lines with low ridership (S3 between Laufen and Porrentruy and S9) operate at hourly intervals. Due to operating in three countries this pattern of operations is not only determined by demand but also by the various national and local governments involved.

Two S-Bahn services operate on both the stretch between Basel SBB and Pratteln and the stretch between Lörrach-Stetten and Steinen, with trains operating at quarter-hour intervals. During peak hours additional services operate.

Lines

The following lines currently operate:^[1]

• S 1: Mulhouse–Basel SBB–Rheinfelden–Stein-Säckingen–Frick / Laufenburg (Mulhouse–Basel Railway and Bözberg line)
• S 3: Porrentruy–Delémont–Laufen–Basel SBB–Liestal–Sissach–Olten (Delémont–Delle Railway, Jura Railway and Hauenstein line)
• S 5: Weil am Rhein–Lörrach–Steinen (Weil am Rhein–Lörrach Railway and Wiese Valley Railway)
• S 6: Basel SBB–Basel Bad Bf–Riehen–Lörrach–Steinen–Schopfheim–Zell im Wiesental (Wiese Valley Railway)
• S 9: Sissach–Läufelfingen–Olten (old Hauenstein line)

The lines S3 and S9 operate exclusively in Switzerland, line S1 between Switzerland and France, line S6 between Switzerland and Germany and line S5 in Germany only.

The 250 km long railway network currently includes 72 stations and stops, of which 47 are in Switzerland, 18 in Germany and 7 are in France. The shortest line is the S5 (13 km) and the longest line is S3 (105 km).

References