Between Neuchâtel and La Chaux-de-Fonds, a new direct railway line will be built as part of the strategic development program for railway infrastructure, development stage 2035 (PRODES EA 2035). The new infrastructure is also an important component of the cantonal “Mobility 2030” project, accepted by the population of Neuchâtel in 2016.
The project plans to combine steep slopes (up to 50%) with a high operating speed (up to 130 km/h. After its entry into service, the new line will reduce the travel time between Neuchâtel and La Chaux-de-Fonds from the currently 28 minutes to 15 minutes, introducing a quarter-hour frequency of trains between Neuchâtel , La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle.
SBB started planning for this major project in 2020, on behalf of the Federal Office of Transport (FOT).The preliminary study has now been completed and last September 7th, 2023 the partners (Canton of Neuchâtel, Federal Office of Transport and SBB) presented the chosen variant of the route of the new railway line.
About 90% of the new infrastructure will be in tunnels. The chosen route provides for the creation of an intermediate station at Cernier, where trains can cross. It will serve as a multimodal public transport hub for all of Val-de-Ruz. The 16 km line will be on the surface for approximately 1.4 km. This solution is the most efficient from an economic and security point of view; it complies with environmental and technical requirements.
In Neuchâtel, the tunnel entrance portal is planned near the Mail Bridge, in the Portes-Rouges district. In La Chaux-de-Fonds, the portal is planned to the northwest of the existing railway tunnel. The connection to the current railway line will be south of the Malakoff bridge. The implementation of the quarter-hour rate between La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle also requires the transformation of the Crêt-du-Locle stop into a crossing station.
This milestone allows the pre-project phase to begin in the fall of 2023. During this phase, which should last approximately two years, the infrastructure project for the new line will be studied in detail. All concepts necessary for its construction and operation will be developed. The commissioning schedule and costs will also be refined within this framework. The financing, estimated at this stage of the project, at approximately EUR1.46 bn (CHF1.38 bn) (amount including the transformation of the Crêt-du-Locle stop), is provided by the Confederation, with cantonal participation for the construction of the Cernier station.
The pre-project phase will be followed by the construction project and impact studies, followed by the public inquiry, planned for the end of the decade. Once conbstruction authorization has been obtained, the 7-10 years works can begin. The commissioning of the new line is therefore planned for the second half of the next decade.
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