A brief profile of BLS

BLS is one of Switzerland’s largest transport companies. In our core rail business, we operate the Bern S-Bahn, which is the second-largest suburban railway network in Switzerland. We also operate the western lines of the Central Switzerland S-Bahn. BLS provides tourist transport services as well. Our routes here include rail lines through the Emmental region, in the Jura mountains, in the Swiss Lakeland region, in Simmental and to Interlaken. We also operate the Lötschberg mountain rail line.

420 kilometres of track

In addition to operating its various rail lines, BLS also maintains a 420-kilometre-long rail network and 119 railway stations and stops. The centrepiece of BLS infrastructure is the Lötschberg axis with the 34.6-km Lötschberg Base Tunnel and the 60-km mountain line from Frutigen to Brig. The Lötschberg Base Tunnel opened in 2007 and is one of the world's most modern rail tunnels. The mountain line opened in 1913 and was considered an impressive pioneering feat of engineering at the time.

Buses, navigation, Car Transport service and freight transport

• In Emmental, we operate a bus network with 18 lines in cooperation with our subsidiary Busland AG.
• A cruise on Lakes Thun and Brienz with BLS Navigation is a good advertisement for the Bernese Oberland as a tourist destination.
• The BLS Lötschberg Car Transport service between Kandersteg and Goppenstein offers a quick connection from Bern to Valais the whole year round.
• Our subsidiary BLS Cargo Ltd plays a key role in rail freight transport through the Alps.

3,000 employees

BLS employs more than 3,000 people. These staff members work hard every day to ensure that BLS can offer its customers the best possible service and that the Swiss Federal Government and the cantons get the transport services they ordered.

The majority shareholder of BLS Ltd is the canton of Bern.