Hat die Grimselbahn überhaupt einen Nutzen für irgendjemanden

Marco Diener / 12.01.2024

Tourism professionals continue to dream of a railway tunnel between Innertkirchen and Oberwald. Why? Everything speaks against it. „The goal is to put the Grimselbahn into operation in 2025.“ This was written by the cantons of Bern and Valais, the national power grid company Swissgrid, and the Grimselbahn AG in a joint press release in February 2016. A joke! The press release was completely out of touch with reality. It is completely impossible for a 22-kilometer-long tunnel in Switzerland to be planned, approved, financed, and realized within nine years. Even though the idea for the Grimsel tunnel itself is compelling. Electricity and railway The power line over the Grimsel Pass BE/VS is 60 years old. Swissgrid wants to replace it and at the same time bury it underground. For this purpose, the power grid company is planning a tunnel between Oberwald VS and Innertkirchen BE. And if drilling is already taking place – then do it right. That is why the IG Grimseltunnel and the Grimselbahn AG are advocating for a „Multifunctional Grimsel Railway Tunnel“. That means: a tunnel for the power line and at the same time for a narrow-gauge railway. The planned route: from Meiringen BE to Innertkirchen BE in the open air, then through the tunnel to Oberwald VS. Also planned: stops in Guttannen BE and Handeck BE. This is planned: cable tunnels and railway tunnels as well as regular cross-connections. Outrageous demand The promoters are putting a lot of pressure on. At the end of September 2022, Valais Senator Beat Rieder submitted a motion. The demand to the Federal Council: „To present a decision on the financing of the multifunctional Grimsel tunnel to Parliament by 2023 at the latest.“ This means that the Federal Council would not have had time to thoroughly examine the project. The Council of States and the National Council were a little more level-headed than Rieder. They instructed the Federal Council to examine the project in order to assess its feasibility and cost implications – but without time pressure. A thorough examination is certainly appropriate. In 2018, an analysis by the federal government revealed „an insufficient cost-benefit ratio,“ as the Federal Council writes. „With a cost estimate of 250 million Swiss francs“ for the railway part alone at that time. Today, the estimates are already at 450 million Swiss francs. Bad memories: „The Furka Hole“ In Oberwald, not only would the portal to the Grimsel tunnel be located – the portal to the Furka Base Tunnel is also located in Oberwald. Construction began in 1973 and the opening took place in 1982. The budget was 74 million Swiss francs. In fact, the tunnel cost 318.5 million Swiss francs – more than four times the budget. Valais Federal Councilor Roger Bonvin (CVP) had to endure severe criticism due to cost overruns and nepotism. The route with the turn to the south and the so-called Bedretto window to Ronco TI also caused criticism. The tunnel was excavated as a precautionary measure but was never used as a railway tunnel. Today, ETH Zurich is conducting geothermal research in it. As part of the Grimsel tunnel discussion, Ticino tourism professionals are flirting with expanding the tunnel and putting a railway line into operation. Why at all? The promoters of the Grimsel tunnel argue sentimentally. They say:

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Nützt die Grimselbahn eigentlich irgendwem?

Marco Diener / 12.01.2024  Touristiker träumen weiter von einem Bahntunnel zwischen Innertkirchen und Oberwald. Warum nur? Eigentlich spricht alles dagegen. «Ziel ist es, die Grimselbahn 2025 in Betrieb zu nehmen.» Das schrieben die Kantone Bern und Wallis, die nationale Stromnetz-Gesellschaft Swissgrid und die Grimselbahn-Aktiengesellschaft in einer gemeinsamen Medienmitteilung im Februar 2016. Ein Witz! Die Medienmitteilung war völlig weltfremd. Dass ein 22 Kilometer langer Tunnel in der Schweiz innerhalb von neun Jahren projektiert, bewilligt, finanziert und realisiert werden kann, ist völlig ausgeschlossen. Auch wenn die Idee für den Grimseltunnel an und für sich bestechend ist. Strom und Bahn Die Stromleitung über den Grimselpass BE/VS ist 60 Jahre alt. Swissgrid will sie ersetzen und gleichzeitig in den Boden verlegen. Dafür plant die

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