The Altstetten–Zurich HB–Oerlikon Cross-City Link

Zurich Hauptbahnhof (main station or ‘HB’) is the central hub for rail traffic in Switzerland. Trains pull in and out of the station virtually every minute, and over 300,000 passengers depart, arrive or change trains here daily. Commuter traffic is forecast to grow in the coming years, and over half a million passengers and passers-by are expected to be using the station every day – exceeding its current capacity limits. Together with other infrastructure expansion projects, the new 9.6km cross-city link will soon ease the bottleneck, enabling new service patterns to be implemented for suburban (S-Bahn) rail traffic from the end of 2013 and for long-distance services as of 2015. The improved services and new connections will be of particular benefit to users of Zurich’s local S-Bahn network and to rail passengers travelling on the Geneva–Berne–Zurich Airport–St. Gallen route.

The Cross-City Link traverses the city of Zurich in a broad arc running from Altstetten via the main station to Oerlikon. Löwenstrasse station, the second underground station at Zurich HB, will form the heart of the link line. Westwards, the line leads over two new bridges to Altstetten, while to the north the Weinberg tunnel connects the main station with Oerlikon.

The cross-city link runs predominantly through flat but densely developed urban terrain. Construction of the double-track alignment thus involved passing either over or under various constriction points. As a result, the line features a number of steep inclines, which in places are engineered to gradients even stiffer than those of the transalpine Gotthard line.

Rail equipment for the Cross-City Link – procurement

Invitations to bid are expected to be issued in summer 2010 for the following three lots:

Lot 23.1, general contractor for rail equipment, with provision of the following:

• Permanent way with anti-vibration features, including tracks (including points), excluding supply of rails, sleepers and points
• Complete cable system (excluding cable ducts, cable risers in verges and sleeves/conduits)
• Installation of signalling systems (excluding supply of signals)
• Fire water line and hydrants
• Telecommunications equipment, excluding wireless radio equipment
• Transmission installations
• Complete low-voltage power supply system
• Self-rescue equipment
• Weinberg tunnel pump station (excluding pumps), pressure line outside of pump station
• Ventilation system for evacuation and rescue tunnels
• Ventilation system for technical rooms
• Doors and gates
• Track overpasses
• Surveying
• Logistics services for other contractors

The general rail equipment contractor also assumes the task of overall coordination of all other contractors involved in project implementation.

Lot 23.2, overhead power lines, with provision of the following:

• Overhead power line system, including conductor rail
• Power supply system
• Earthing systems
• Traction current (rail power) supply systems
• Coordination and agreement with the general rail equipment contractor (in particular regarding installation and shipments)

The following lot will not be openly issued in a call for bids but will be executed in accordance with an existing framework agreement:

Lot 23.3, Wireless radio equipment contractor (for installation of the following equipment):

• Tunnel radio system for transmission of the defined mobile communication services
• Leaky feeders and antenna equipment
• Coordination and agreement with the general rail equipment contractor (in particular regarding installation and shipment activities)

Publication of invitation for tenders:

Scheduled for end-August 2010.

Preliminary information and publication:

www.simap.ch

Information event:

23 June 2010, at 10:00, in the Cross-City Link exhibition room at Zurich HB (located underneath platform 18)

Further information:

www.durchmesserlinie.ch

Timeframe for execution:

2012 – 2013