Rheintal Express

Rheintal-Express between Sevelen and Weite (2007).

The Rheintal-Express (REX for short) was a train connection in the St. Gallen Rhine Valley from 1995 to 2018 , operated by the Swiss Federal Railways .

It ran first as a separate type of train, then in 2004 as RegioExpress every hour from St. Gallen and Rorschach to Chur, and since 2013 from Wil SG; the course of the train was shown in the timetable field 850 or 881 ( Wil SG - St. Gallen ), timetable field 880 ( St. Gallen - Sargans ) and from Sargans in the timetable field 900 ( Zurich - Sargans - Chur ).

The stopping frequency on the Rheintal-Express corresponded to that of an express train ; the separate name came from the fact that the line from Chur to Rheineck runs parallel to the Rhine . In 2004, based on the model of the Rheintal Express, the new RegioExpress train type was introduced, which replaced the earlier express trains. The abbreviation RX used initially for the Rheintal Express was therefore changed to RE.

history

Starting position

The railway line shown in timetable field 880 (Sargans – St. Gallen) was opened by the United Swiss Railways in 1858 , electrified in 1934 and is mostly single-track over 80 kilometers.

Until 1995, express trains ran every two hours from Interlaken Ost and Zurich to St. Gallen and Chur, using the rolling stock of the BLS Group (BLS, SEZ , GBS , BN ).

Introduction 1995

Rheintal-Express in Chur (Feb. 2013)

An hourly service was planned for 1995. Since there was not enough air-conditioned rolling stock available, it was decided to introduce a new type of train that lies between an express train and an InterRegio . This new category was introduced in 1995 under the motto "I am Rex, the Rheintal Express".

Gradually, air-conditioned rolling stock was used; before the expansion in 2013, the Rheintal Express consisted of a Re 4/4 ^II electric locomotive with several standard IV and Bpm 51 cars .

Expansion in 2013

On June 9, 2013, the locomotive hauled trains were replaced by the low-floor Stadler Dosto ( RABe 511 ). The continuous air conditioning of the cars was thus guaranteed. Since the Stadler Dosto has an automatic door control, the train attendant previously required is no longer necessary. Since then, surveillance cameras and, if necessary, the transport police have been used to ensure security.

Rheintal-Express in St. Gallen (June 2013).

As part of the expansion of the St. Gallen S-Bahn to the end of 2013, the line between St. Margrethen and Sargans was expanded; this cost 70 million. By expanding the route, the journey time of the Rheintal Express between St. Gallen and Sargans could be reduced to 60 minutes, and the connection to Zurich and the Rhaetian Railway could be optimized. For this purpose, the Rheintal-Express was extended to Wil SG - the REX used to run from St. Gallen to Chur .

Dissolution 2018

On December 2018, the Rheintal-Express was operated by InterRegio 13 Zurich HB – St. Gallen – Chur replaced. The InterRegio line runs in the same direction as the InterRegio connection Basel – St. Gallen (IR 37), from Wil SG on the driving position of the Rheintal Express. The SBB RABe 502 (Bombardier Twindexx Swiss Express) is used as rolling stock .

Since then, one less connection has been offered between Wil and St. Gallen, which was previously used by both the IR and the Rheintal Express. As a result, Gossau and Wil SG have one less hourly connection to St. Gallen and the EuroCity, which will now operate in a different location, no longer stops at these stations. In return, the Rhine Valley was given a direct hourly connection, and Flawil and Uzwil a second hourly connection to Zurich, without having to change trains in Wil.

Web links

Commons : Rheintal-Express  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Description of the Rheintal-Express of the SBB
• The changes in the 2013/2014 timetable with the S-Bahn 2013
• Canton St. Gallen: The changes in the 2005 timetable in the Canton of St. Gallen (PDF file; 30 kB)
• Canton of St. Gallen: For a faster train in the Rhine Valley

Individual evidence

1. ↑ The Rhine Valley Express (REX). In: sbb.ch. Retrieved September 2, 2016 . 
2. ↑ The Rhine Valley Express (REX) | SBB. Retrieved July 9, 2017 . 
3. ↑ New Rheintal-Express (REX): More comfort between Chur and St.Gallen Press release by SBB
4. ↑ New trains from the summer timetable change: A leap in quality with the Regio-Dosto in the Rhine Valley. Bahnonline.ch, May 8, 2013, accessed on October 18, 2018 . 
5. ↑ Government response to request from Daniel Buhler (PDF; 18.9KB)
6. ↑ With cameras, but without conductors, St. Galler Tagblatt dated May 8, 2013.
7. ↑ New route network plan with S-Bahn 2013 (PDF; 1.6 MB)
8. ↑ Expansion of services in Thurgau and to St.Gallen: More trains, new direct connections and shorter travel times from the end of 2018. SBB AG, September 5, 2016, accessed on November 16, 2018 .