Wallisellen–Uster–Rapperswil
Overview
Native nameGlatthalbahn
Service
Route number740
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrification15 kV  16.7 Hz AC
Maximum incline1.7 %
Route map
km
elev
SBB line from Zürich HB via Oerlikon S8 S14 S19
93.2
 Wallisellen
92.8
SBB to Winterthur S8 S19
Glatttal Viaduct of the Zürichberg line
91.7
SBB line from Zürich HB via Stettbach S5 S9 S15
90.4
 Dübendorf
90.5
to Dübendorf Air Base (until 2005)
87.1
 Schwerzenbach
84.5
 Nänikon-Greifensee
81.3
 Uster
↑S9
77.1
 Aathal
Aathal
265 m
(former route until 1990)
74.5
SBB from Effretikon S3
74.5
 Wetzikon
↑S3
74.5
SBB to Hinwil S14
68.6
Former UeBB from Hinwil
68.6
 Bubikon
68.6
Siding to Wolfhausen (former UeBB)
A15 bridge
66.4
SBB line from Winterthur S26
Jona bridge
 Joweid rack railway siding (disconnected)
65.9
 Rüti ZH
↑S26
Täusi
157 m
A15 bridge
Jona bridge
60.9
 Jona
59.4
from Ziegelbrücke
59.4
SBB Zurich via Meilen
59.3
 Rapperswil
↑S15
to Pfäffikon S5
Source: Swiss railway atlas[1]
The preserved roundhouse at Uster
A train on the southern end of the line, near Jona

The Wallisellen–Uster–Rapperswil railway line is a railway line in the Swiss canton of Zurich. It is also known as the Glatthalbahn, Glatttalbahn or Glattalbahn (Gl-TB), although the latter name is now more commonly used to refer to the Stadtbahn Glattal, a nearby light rail system.

The line runs from Wallisellen, where it diverges from the Zurich to Winterthur line, to Uster and Rapperswil. A second link from Zurich, via the Zürichberg Tunnel, joins the line just before Dübendorf, and both routes are used by through trains from Zurich. The line also has junctions with the Effretikon to Hinwil line, at Wetzikon, and the Tösstalbahn, at Rüti. At Rapperswil, it connects with the Lake Zurich right bank line, the Rapperswil to Ziegelbrücke line, and the Südostbahn over the Seedamm.[2]

The name Glattalbahn is German for Glattal railway, or Glatt valley railway. The river Glatt is a tributary of the river Rhine flowing from Greifensee lake to Glattfelden in Switzerland.

History

The original section of the railway line from Wallisellen to Uster was opened in 1856 by the Glatttalbahn company. That company was taken over by the Vereinigte Schweizerbahnen (VSB) one year later in 1857, and that company extended the line to Rapperswil. The VSB was in turn taken over by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) in 1902. The original roundhouse at Uster railway station is preserved.

At Bubikon, the Wallisellen to Rapperswil line was crossed by the former Uerikon to Bauma railway (UeBB). The section of this line from Bubikon in the direction of Bauma was closed in 1948 and little now remains. The line towards Uerikon was largely closed at the same time, but a short stretch is still in use as a siding.[2]

Operation

Today the line carries trains of the Zurich S-Bahn and freight traffic.

The line is double track from Wallisellen to Uster, and is then single track with shorter stretches of double track between Aathal and Wetzikon, Bubikon and Rüti, and Jona and Rapperswil.[2]

Whilst no single S-Bahn line traverses the full length of the line from Wallisellen to Rapperswil, no fewer than six lines traverse some part of the line, providing a high frequency of service to many stations.[3]

The following lines operate on sections of the line:[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz [Swiss railway atlas]. Schweers + Wall. 2012. p. 12, 13, 65. ISBN 978-3-89494-130-7.
  2. 1 2 3 Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz. Verlag Schweers + Wall GmbH. 2012. pp. 12–13, 64–65. ISBN 978-3-89494-130-7.
  3. 1 2 "S-Bahn trains, buses and boats" (PDF). ZVV. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
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