In a groundbreaking move, the Indian Railways is set to collaborate with the Swiss railway system, seeking to adopt and implement some of Switzerland’s best practices and cutting-edge technologies. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the intention to enter into a memorandum of understanding during an exclusive interview with PTI at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.
During his visit to Switzerland, Minister Vaishnaw engaged in fruitful discussions with senior officials and policy makers of the Swiss railways, gaining insights into the intricacies of their advanced systems. The minister expressed particular interest in Switzerland’s expertise in tunnelling technology, highlighting the world’s longest 57-km Gotthard tunnel as a testament to their prowess in this field.
One of the key takeaways from the Swiss railway system is its unique hub and spoke model, a departure from the traditional end-to-end planning approach. Vaishnaw marveled at the Swiss strategy, explaining, “Their entire network is based on a hub and spoke design. Trains arrive together at six major hubs, allowing passengers to easily change over to other trains. The departure times are synchronized, emphasizing a focus on changeovers rather than end-to-end connectivity.”
In contrast to the Indian Railways’ emphasis on connecting distant cities directly, Switzerland’s hub and spoke model concentrates on efficient connections between major hubs and their connecting spokes. Minister Vaishnaw sees great potential in learning from this model to enhance the effectiveness of the Indian railway network.
“There are some good things to learn, and we are pursuing a memorandum of understanding with the Swiss railway so that things improve further in our own system,” stated Minister Vaishnaw.
Apart from the hub and spoke model, the minister praised Switzerland’s track technology and its densely connected railway network, covering over 5,200 km of electrified tracks. Switzerland’s commitment to inter-connectivity between different modes of public transport, including trains, buses, cable cars, and metro, is another aspect that impressed the Indian delegation.
“Switzerland has a very good inter-connectivity between different modes of public transport. Passengers can seamlessly use any mode of transport with a common card or ticket,” the minister remarked.
The collaboration between Indian Railways and the Swiss railway system is poised to bring about transformative changes, integrating the best practices from both nations to create a more efficient and interconnected railway network in India.