SBB has announced that the Ligerz Tunnel is now scheduled to be commissioned at the end of 2029, three years later than originally planned.
This is due to objections and appeals in the tender process, as well as a required change in the construction plan due to additional environmental requirements.
The project will deliver a double-track expansion between Ligerz and Twann, requiring the construction of a double-lane, 2.1-kilometre tunnel in Ligerz.
The award of the construction contracts for this undertaking was delayed by almost two years due to unsuccessful companies filing a complaint. In June 2023, the Federal Administrative Court dismissed a final appeal, enabling SBB to resume planning for the project.
Meanwhile, in August 2021, SBB received the final building permit from the Federal Office of Transport (BAV). This permit included additional requirements for better environmental protection. To preserve fish farming and the spawning periods of the fish, limitations were placed on the construction work in the lake, which added an additional year’s delay to the project.
As a result, the construction of the Ligerz Tunnel has been delayed by a total of three years.
Excavation work for the new tunnel will begin shortly, while certain initial construction work has already been completed. This includes renewal work on the catenary between La Neuveville and Poudeille, as well as work on the curve geometry at Poudeille and Schafis and preparatory excavation work in the west portal zone.
