BLT plans fully driverless Waldenburg railway by 2030

Baselland Transport, or BLT, is already running its Waldenburg railway almost without input from the driver and plans to operate it fully automatically by 2030. The driver would then no longer be needed in the cab, although experts remain sceptical about how quickly autonomous rail travel can expand, SRF reports.

The railway currently operates at automation level GoA2 between Waldenburg and Liestal. Switzerland’s Federal Office of Transport granted BLT approval for the system at the beginning of this year for the first time in Switzerland.

Under GoA2, the technology drives the train while a person remains responsible for operations and intervenes when necessary. The person in the cab currently opens and closes the doors and gives the departure command. On the route, the train drives autonomously, but control is handed back to the person if, for example, a car is stopped on a level crossing.

BLT also plans to test the system on tram line 11, which runs through Basel. The trial will take place only on a rural section because city traffic is still considered too complex.

Other autonomous rail projects

The Lausanne metro already operates fully automatically without drivers. However, it is a closed system with no level crossings. The Mühleggbahn in St. Gallen also operates fully automatically.

Appenzell Railways plans to introduce fully autonomous operation from around 2028 on the Rheineck to Walzenhausen route. This would be the first fully driverless railway operating outside a closed system. BLT plans to begin driverless operation without passengers in 2027, when the Waldenburg railway is expected to run autonomously within its depot.

Experts warn of difficult final steps

Walter von Andrian, editor-in-chief of Schweizer Eisenbahn-Revue, said autonomous operation was a dream for many public transport managers but that the sector was further from achieving it than many people believed.

He said the technology was advancing, but that the final steps towards full automation were more difficult than often portrayed. False alarms were one problem. If systems were configured too sensitively, they could trigger too many unnecessary emergency stops.

Expected benefits for operators

Fully autonomous operation could reduce staffing pressure at a time when public transport companies are struggling to recruit drivers. It could also lower personnel costs by leaving the cab empty.

BLT says automation has improved punctuality on the Waldenburg railway because computers accelerate and brake consistently and maintain exact speeds.

Fully automated trains could also allow more frequent services, as they could run at shorter intervals. Operators could additionally schedule special services at short notice without having to provide driving staff.