Langenthal–Oensingen railway line

The Langenthal-Jura Railway (German: Langenthal-Jura-Bahn) opened a line between Langenthal and Oensingen Schulhaus, east of the present terminus at Oensingen, on 26 October 1907.[2][1] The line was electrified from opening at 1000 V DC, later rebuilt to 1200 V DC.[3] The company abandoned the section between Oensingen and Oensingen Schulhaus on 14 May 1928.[4] The line was further cut back from Oensingen to Niederbipp on 9 May 1943.[4]

The Langenthal-Jura Railway merged with the Langenthal–Melchnau-Bahn (lit. 'Langenthal–Melchnau Railway') in 1958 to form the Oberaargau-Jura Railways (German: Oberaargau–Jura-Bahnen) in 1958.[5] The company was renamed Regionalverkehr Oberaargau in 1990.[5] Regionalverkehr Oberaargau and two other companies merged in 1999 to form Aare Seeland mobil, who continues to own and operate the line.[6]

Between 2010 and 2012, Aare Seeland mobil built a 1.8-kilometre (1.1 mi) extension between Niederbipp and Oensingen, using a different alignment from the original routing. This extension opened for service in October 2012.[7][1]

The line begins at Langenthal, where Aare Seeland mobil (ASm) has an island platform on the north side of the station.[8] The Langenthal–Melchnau railway line diverges north of the Langenthal Gaswerk and the Mattstetten–Rothrist new line passes underneath in a tunnel. West of Niederbipp, the line passes under the Jura Foot Line and joins the Solothurn–Niederbipp railway line, which runs west to Solothurn. From Niederbipp, the 2012 extension follows the right-of-way of the Jura Foot Line to Oensingen. At Oensingen, ASm has an island platform at the north side of the station.[9]

As of the December 2021 timetable change, Aare Seeland mobil operates half-hourly service over the line. Trains originate in Solothurn, run via Niederbipp to Oensingen, then backtrack via Niederbipp to Langenthal.[10]

• Wägli, Hans G.; Jacobi, Sébastien (2010). Schienennetz Schweiz - Bahnprofil Schweiz CH+ [Swiss rail network] (in German) (3rd ed.). Zürich: AS Verlag. ISBN 978-3-909111-74-9.