Chiasso railway station
Chiasso railway station (Italian: Stazione di Chiasso) is a station owned by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS). It serves the town of Chiasso, in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland, and is also a border station between Switzerland and Italy.[1][3]
Chiasso | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 The station entrance in 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Via Giuseppe Motta Chiasso Switzerland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 45°49′55.884″N 9°1′53.216″E | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 237 m (778 ft) AMSL[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | Swiss Federal Railways | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line(s) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance | 206.2 km (128.1 mi) from Immensee[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 6+ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Train operators | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Connections | Autopostale and local buses | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fare zone | 15/150 (Arcobaleno) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 6 December 1874 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrified |
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| Passengers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | 6,300 per working day[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | 100 of 1735 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Location | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The station is both the southern terminus of the Gotthard railway (owned and operated by SBB CFF FFS), and the northern terminus of the Milan–Chiasso railway (owned by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana and operated by Trenitalia). It is situated a few metres from the border, and is separated from the Italian city of Como by twin railway tunnels through the Monte Olimpino.[1]
Train movements
Given its location, Chiasso is an important station, not only for the connection between Italy and Switzerland, but also for that between northern and southern Europe. The station is served by the long-distance trains that cross the Gotthard, together with S10 and S40 of the Ticino regional network, and line S11 of the Milan suburban service.[4]
In 2009, there was a reduction in the numbers of train services to the station, which led to the reduction in the numbers of certain jobs.[5] Thanks to numerous complaints raised by various sectors of the political and institutional elements of Ticino, Swiss-Italian EuroCity services have returned to Chiasso since December 2009.[4] The opening of the Ceneri Base Tunnel in December 2020 reduced travel times from Chiasso to Bellinzona by 20 minutes and led to an increase in EuroCity services to Milano.[6]
As of the December 2020 timetable change, the following services stop at Chiasso:[7]
- EuroCity:
- ten trains per day between Zürich Hauptbahnhof and Milano Centrale.
- two trains per day between Basel SBB and Milano Centrale.
- RegioExpress:
- hourly service between Castione-Arbedo and Milano Centrale.
- two trains per day to Locarno
- S10: half-hourly service to Bellinzona and hourly service to Como San Giovanni.
- S11: hourly service to Milano Porta Garibaldi.
- S40: hourly service between Varese and Como San Giovanni.
Border procedures
As the international border station, Chiasso acts as a transmission facility between the two networks. The traction voltages, motors and signalling systems of the two networks are different, and therefore trains passing through the station must change locomotives. The yard tracks are also required to be divided into two parts, connected to the station's central platform by a corridor, where there are also customs offices. Thus, trains for the Italian network start at separate tracks compared to the Swiss network.
With the entry of Switzerland into the Schengen Agreement, border controls have officially been abolished. However, in practice, the Italian Guardia di Finanza and the Swiss Border Guard still perform border checks on selected trains, both at Chiasso station and while the trains are moving between Chiasso and adjacent stations.
References
- Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz. Cologne: Schweers + Wall. 2012. p. 60. ISBN 978-3-89494-130-7.
- "Passagierfrequenz (2016)". Berne, Switzerland: SBB CFF FFS. 15 March 2018. Retrieved 2019-10-02 – via data.sbb.ch – SBB DATA PORTAL.
- map.geo.admin.ch (Map). Swiss Confederation. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
- "Partenza Stazione di Chiasso" (PDF). Swiss Federal Railways. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
- "Le FFS tagliano 54 impieghi" [SBB-CFF-FFS cuts 54 jobs]. Corriere del Ticino (in Italian). 24 September 2009. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
- "Aperta ai treni la Galleria di base del Monte Ceneri". TVSvizzera (in Italian). 13 December 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- "Partenza: Stazione di Chiasso" (PDF). Swiss Federal Railways (in Italian). 13 December 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
Further reading
- Moser, Beat; Pfeiffer, Peter (2004). SBB Gotthardbahn (in German). Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany: Eisenbahn-Journal (Verlagsgruppe Bahn GmbH). ISBN 3-89610-121-8.
External links
Media related to Chiasso railway station at Wikimedia Commons- Chiasso railway station – SBB