Chemin de fer Lausanne-Échallens-Bercher

Chemin de fer Lausanne-Échallens-Bercher, commonly abbreviated LEB, is a Swiss regional railway company associated with the Lausanne–Échallens–Bercher line in the canton of Vaud. Its railway connects Lausanne with the suburban and rural communities of Prilly, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Echallens and Bercher, providing an important public-transport link between the Lausanne urban area and the Gros-de-Vaud region. The company owns and operates the line, while operational management has been entrusted to Transports publics de la région lausannoise since 2013. The railway has an unusually long history for a regional metre-gauge service. The first section, between Lausanne and Cheseaux, opened in November 1873, making it the first metre-gauge railway built in Switzerland. The route to Échallens followed in 1874. Its original promoters had considered unconventional railway concepts, including a proposed monorail system, but the concession ultimately required a conventional two-rail line. Construction used equipment associated with the former Mont Cenis Pass Railway, and the early service was steam operated. The route was extended from Échallens to Bercher in 1889 by the legally separate Compagnie du Central Vaudois. The extension was partly intended to serve a Nestlé condensed-milk plant at Bercher, which was connected with the station by an aerial cableway. Financial difficulties led to the Central Vaudois being merged into the Lausanne–Échallens company in 1913, creating the LEB organization in its modern historical form. The line was progressively modernized during the twentieth century. A shared urban section with Lausanne tramway services was electrified in 1899, although LEB trains continued to use steam traction over their wider route for several decades. Full electrification at 1,500 volts direct current was introduced in 1935, allowing electric railcars to replace steam locomotives in regular service and supporting faster acceleration and additional stops. Later fleets included conventional electric railcars, articulated multiple units and low-floor Stadler trains. Urban integration became increasingly important. A long-discussed extension into central Lausanne eventually placed Chauderon station underground, and a tunnel to Lausanne-Flon opened in 2000. Flon provides connections with Lausanne Metro services and other urban transport. In 2022, a further tunnel between Chauderon and Union-Prilly replaced the former street-running section, improving reliability, capacity and separation from road traffic. The LEB route is 23.6 kilometres long, uses 1,000 mm gauge track and 1,500 V DC overhead electrification. In regular service, trains operate between Lausanne-Flon and Bercher, generally every 30 minutes throughout the day, with more frequent service between Lausanne-Flon and Échallens during much of the Monday-to-Saturday period. The railway serves both urban commuters and regional passengers, and its brand combines historic railway identity with integration into the modern Lausanne public-transport network. Future infrastructure plans include higher frequencies on the urban section and a new tunnel and station arrangement at Étagnières.

The LEB railway originated in nineteenth-century plans to connect Lausanne with communities in the Vaud countryside. An early 1860 proposal envisioned a standard-gauge route toward Payerne, passing through Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Échallens and Bercher, but that scheme did not proceed. In 1871, promoters instead sought a concession for a Lausanne–Échallens railway using a monorail concept developed by Jean Larmanjat. The concession was granted the following year on the condition that the railway use conventional two-rail construction. The first section, from Lausanne to Cheseaux, opened on 5 November 1873 after test running had begun in October. The line reached Échallens in June 1874. It was built to metre gauge, becoming the first railway of that gauge constructed in Switzerland. Early construction benefited from equipment associated with the temporary Mont Cenis Pass Railway, and initial operations relied on small steam tank locomotives. These first locomotives were not especially successful and were replaced or sold, while later locomotives were supplied by firms including Krauss, Schneider-Creusot, Société Alsacienne de Constructions Mécaniques and Schweizerische Lokomotiv- und Maschinenfabrik. A separate company, the Compagnie du Central Vaudois, received a concession in 1886 for an extension from Échallens to Bercher. The extension opened on 24 November 1889. One of its commercial purposes was to serve a Nestlé condensed-milk factory at Bercher; an aerial cableway linked the factory with Bercher station. The Central Vaudois did not operate independently for long, as the LEB company managed its trains and financial difficulties eventually led to a merger in 1913. The railway’s urban role expanded after the Lausanne Tramway Company introduced an electric tram route to Prilly in 1899. The tram and LEB shared tracks between Chauderon and Montétan, and the common section was electrified at 550/600 volts direct current. The LEB retained steam operation across its route despite this partial electrification. A 1908 realignment between Assens and Échallens changed the approach to Échallens station and removed the need for through trains to reverse there. Full electrification was planned during the early 1930s and completed in 1935. The LEB adopted 1,500-volt direct current overhead electrification, with equipment able to function on the lower-voltage shared urban section. Electric railcars replaced steam locomotives in regular service by the end of 1935. Their improved acceleration made it practical to introduce additional stations. The company subsequently acquired new electric railcars, trailers and driving trailers, followed by articulated multiple units in the 1980s and 1990s. The railway’s central Lausanne terminus was also transformed. Proposals to extend beyond Chauderon had existed since 1957, but construction did not begin until the 1990s. Chauderon station was moved underground in 1995, and trains continued to terminate there until the tunnel extension to Flon opened in 2000. The new terminus connected the LEB with Lausanne’s metro and wider urban transport network. A further modernization project began in the late 2010s. After approximately five years of construction, the Chauderon–Union-Prilly tunnel opened in May 2022. It replaced the former street-running alignment, including the old Montétan station, and provided a double-track urban corridor from Lausanne-Flon to beyond Union-Prilly. The project was designed to improve operating reliability, reduce conflicts with road traffic and create room for future frequency increases. Rolling-stock renewal has accompanied the infrastructure work. Stadler supplied six two-car low-floor RBe 4/8 units in 2010 and four more in 2017. Six three-section low-floor Be 4/8 units followed in 2019 and 2020, with four additional units ordered in 2024. These Stadler trains replaced older classes in ordinary service, while historic locomotives remain associated with special operations and preservation. Today, the 23.6-kilometre railway runs from Lausanne-Flon through the built-up western and northern outskirts of Lausanne to Cheseaux, Échallens and Bercher. The route is metre gauge, electrified at 1,500 volts DC and largely single track outside the Lausanne urban section. Trains generally operate every 30 minutes between Lausanne-Flon and Bercher, with more frequent service to Échallens on much of the weekday and Saturday daytime timetable. Planned works include a tunnel under Étagnières, a relocated station and additional double track, while the urban timetable is intended to support trains every 10 minutes by 2035.

• 2022

  Chauderon–Union-Prilly tunnel opens

  [1]Lausanne–Échallens–Bercher lineen.wikipedia.org

  The new urban tunnel replaced the former street-running alignment and improved capacity and reliability.

• 2013

  Operational management transferred to TL

  [1]Lausanne–Échallens–Bercher lineen.wikipedia.org

  Transports publics de la région lausannoise took over operational management of the LEB.

• 2000

  Extension to Lausanne-Flon opens

  [1]Lausanne–Échallens–Bercher lineen.wikipedia.org

  A tunnel extension brought LEB trains into Lausanne-Flon, enabling interchange with the Lausanne Metro.

• 1935

  Full electric operation begins

  [1]Lausanne–Échallens–Bercher lineen.wikipedia.org

  The line was electrified at 1,500 volts DC and steam locomotives left regular service.

• 1913

  Central Vaudois merged into LEB

  [1]Lausanne–Échallens–Bercher lineen.wikipedia.org

  Financial difficulties at the Central Vaudois led to its merger with the Lausanne–Échallens company.

• 1899

  Shared urban section electrified

  [1]Lausanne–Échallens–Bercher lineen.wikipedia.org

  Lausanne tram services began sharing and electrifying the Chauderon–Montétan section.

• 1889

  Bercher extension opens

  [1]Lausanne–Échallens–Bercher lineen.wikipedia.org

  The Compagnie du Central Vaudois opened the Échallens–Bercher extension, which was operated by the LEB company.

• 1874

  Railway reaches Échallens

  [1]Lausanne–Échallens–Bercher lineen.wikipedia.org

  The original railway was extended from Cheseaux to Échallens.

• 1873

  First section enters service

  [1]Lausanne–Échallens–Bercher lineen.wikipedia.org

  The Lausanne–Cheseaux section opened, becoming the first metre-gauge railway built in Switzerland.

• 1871

  Concession sought for the Lausanne–Échallens railway

  [1]Lausanne–Échallens–Bercher lineen.wikipedia.org

  Promoters applied for a concession, initially proposing a monorail concept before the approved project was required to use a conventional two-rail railway.

A historic Swiss regional railway positioned as a reliable, electrified commuter and regional transport link between Lausanne and the Gros-de-Vaud countryside.

• Regional rail service · 1889

  Lausanne-Flon–Bercher passenger service

  The principal LEB service runs from the central Lausanne-Flon interchange through the Lausanne urban area, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne and Échallens to Bercher. It serves commuters, students and regional passengers, combining urban metro connections with access to the rural Gros-de-Vaud area. The full journey generally takes approximately 41–42 minutes, and trains normally operate at roughly 30-minute intervals from early morning to late evening.

• Commuter rail service · 1874

  Lausanne-Flon–Échallens service

  The shorter Lausanne–Échallens corridor receives additional daytime service on most Mondays through Saturdays. It is the railway’s most urban and commuter-oriented segment, with a typical journey time of about 27–28 minutes. The service benefits from the tunnelled approach to Flon and the double-track urban section through Chauderon and Union-Prilly.

• Rolling stock · 2010

  Stadler low-floor multiple-unit fleet

  The modern LEB fleet includes Stadler two-car RBe 4/8 units delivered from 2010 onward and three-section Be 4/8 articulated units delivered in 2019–2020. These low-floor trains improve accessibility and have progressively replaced older electric railcars and articulated stock in normal operation. Four additional three-section units were ordered in 2024.

• Special railway operation

  Heritage and special trains

  The company’s historical identity is preserved through surviving steam-era equipment and special services. Locomotive G 3/3 8 remains associated with the LEB for special trains, while another former LEB locomotive, number 5, is preserved at the Blonay–Chamby museum railway.

• 2024

  Order additional Stadler low-floor unitsProduct launch

  Background

  The LEB was continuing fleet renewal with low-floor articulated trains already delivered in 2019–2020.

  Action taken

  Four further three-section Be 4/8 units were ordered from Stadler Rail.

  Aftermath

  The order supports continued replacement of older rolling stock and expansion of accessible modern train capacity.

  Source

• 2022

  Replace the Lausanne street-running section with a tunnelGeneration change

  Background

  The former alignment between Chauderon and Union-Prilly shared urban streets and was exposed to road-traffic conflicts and reliability constraints.

  Action taken

  The company and regional authorities opened a new tunnel between Chauderon and Union-Prilly, with a double-track urban alignment.

  Aftermath

  The project improved separation from road traffic and created infrastructure for higher future frequencies; Montétan station on the former alignment closed.

  Project cost. CHF 136 million (Project completed in 2022)

  Source

• 2000

  Extend the railway to Lausanne-FlonStrategy

  Background

  The historic terminus at Chauderon limited direct integration with central Lausanne and the city’s metro network.

  Action taken

  A tunnel extension was opened from Chauderon to Lausanne-Flon.

  Aftermath

  LEB gained a central interchange with Lausanne Metro services and strengthened its role in the regional transport system.

  Source

• 1933

  Adopt full-route electrificationStrategy

  Background

  Steam traction remained central to LEB operations despite the earlier electrification of a shared urban section.

  Action taken

  The company submitted plans for 1,500-volt DC electrification and introduced electric trains in 1935.

  Aftermath

  Electric operation improved acceleration, enabled additional stations and ended regular steam service.

  Source

1. 1Lausanne–Échallens–Bercher lineen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official LEB websiteleb.ch