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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 10, Issue 11 (February 1, 1936)

New Passenger Station at Geneva

New Passenger Station at Geneva.

Serious interference to railway operation naturally resulted from the action of Italy in making war on Abyssinia. The Italian railways at once were operated as part and parcel of the war machine, and through services with other lands were curtailed. While Italy poured her armed forces into Africa, the Swiss railways were charged with a very different responsibility—that of providing transport for the large numbers of delegates and others associated with the activities of the League of Nations at Geneva.

Geneva is one of the principal centres on the Swiss Federal Railways, coming, of course, under the jurisdiction of the Berne headquarters. It is some 673 miles distant from London, and through trains and through cars connect the city with all the leading European capitals. The newly-constructed Cornavin passenger station at Geneva is an especially handsome structure, and is one of a number of commodious new stations erected by the Swiss railways in recent times.

Altogether, the Swiss Federal Railways operate about 2,000 miles of track. There are 750 passenger stations on the system, and passenger coaches number 3,500. Tunnels are a feature, these numbering 229, with a total length of 100 miles. The principal tunnels are the Simplon (65,000 feet long); the St. Gothard (49,000 feet); and the Ricken (28,200 feet).