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
Grand entrance with two-story windows
The station entrance in 2012
General information
LocationVia Giuseppe Motta
Chiasso
Switzerland
Coordinates45°49′55.9″N 9°1′53.0″E
Elevation237 m (778 ft)
Owned bySwiss Federal Railways
Line(s)
Distance206.2 km (128.1 mi) from Immensee[1]
Platforms5
Tracks9
Train operators
ConnectionsAutopostale and local buses
Other information
Fare zone15/150 (Arcobaleno)
History
Opened6 December 1874 (1874-12-06)
Electrified
  • 6 February 1922 (1922-02-06) (Swiss part)
  • 1939 (1939) (Italian part)
Passengers
20166,300 per working day[2]
Rank100 of 1735
Services
Preceding station Swiss Federal Railways Following station
Lugano EuroCity Como San Giovanni
Lugano Como San Giovanni
Preceding station TILO Following station
Mendrisio
towards Locarno
RE80 Como San Giovanni
Balerna
towards Airolo
S10 Como San Giovanni
Terminus
Balerna
towards Varese
S40
Preceding station Trenord Following station
Terminus S11 Como San Giovanni
Location

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, with the eastern section of Platform 1 being located on Italian territory, 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 returned to Chiasso.[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 2021 timetable change, the following services stop at Chiasso:[7]

Border procedures

As an international border station, Chiasso acts as a transmission facility between the Italian and Swiss 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, passport controls have officially been abolished. However, in practice, the Italian Guardia di Finanza and the Swiss Border Guard may still perform border checks on selected trains, both in Chiasso station and aboard trains.[8][9]

Customs

Chiasso remains, for customs purposes, a border station for passengers arriving from Italy. Customs checks may be performed in the station by Swiss officials.[10]

References

  1. Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz. Cologne: Schweers + Wall. 2012. p. 60. ISBN 978-3-89494-130-7.
  2. "Passagierfrequenz (2016)". Berne, Switzerland: SBB CFF FFS. 15 March 2018. Retrieved 2019-10-02 via data.sbb.ch – SBB DATA PORTAL.
  3. map.geo.admin.ch (Map). Swiss Confederation. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  4. "Partenza Stazione di Chiasso" (PDF). Swiss Federal Railways. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  5. "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.
  6. "Aperta ai treni la Galleria di base del Monte Ceneri". TVSvizzera (in Italian). 13 December 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  7. "Partenza: Stazione di Chiasso" (PDF). Swiss Federal Railways (in Italian). 12 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  8. "Switzerland's Schengen entry finally complete".
  9. "Land borders open as Switzerland enters Schengen zone". 12 December 2008.
  10. "Der Bahnhof ist auch ein Zoll".

Further reading

  • Moser, Beat; Pfeiffer, Peter (2004). SBB Gotthardbahn (in German). Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany: Eisenbahn-Journal (Verlagsgruppe Bahn GmbH). ISBN 3-89610-121-8.
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