The S-Tram 17 project in Basel aims to upgrade the current tram line 17 to a so-called ‘S-Tram’ and offer it as an accelerated service throughout the day from 2030 onwards. The main aim is to provide more efficient connections between the Leimental region, including towns such as Rodersdorf and Ettingen, and Basel SBB railway station as well as key employment areas around Wettsteinplatz and Badischer Bahnhof. The term ‘S-Tram’ is derived from ‘S-Bahn’, which stands for fast connections between the surrounding area and larger centres.

At the heart of the project is the new Margarethen connection, a 300-metre-long route that provides a direct link. Together with other adjustments, this shortcut will save up to twelve minutes of travel time. Around four minutes will be saved because the S-Tram will no longer stop at all stations. A further five minutes can be saved thanks to the more direct route via the Margarethen connection, and three minutes are added thanks to a new platform access at Margarethenbrücke.

In addition to the pure travel time savings, the project brings further advantages. The alternative route relieves tram traffic in Basel’s city centre and makes the entire network more robust and resistant to disruptions. Additional turning options in Bottmingen also increase operational flexibility and stability.

In future, line 17 will run all day from Badischer Bahnhof via SBB station, Margarthenbrücke and Ettingen to Rodersdorf, while line 10 will be shortened to Ettingen Dorf. Like an S-Bahn, the new ‘S-Tram’ 17 will only stop once per locality in the front Leimen Valley. Line 10 will continue to stop at the stations that are omitted, i.e. not served, on the route to Ettingen.

The BLT describes the future operational procedure: “The interval between two trams on line 10 is 7.5 minutes. The S-Tram 17 can therefore depart from Ettingen shortly before a tram on line 10 and, despite the shorter journey time, will not catch up with the tram on line 10 before Basel (Dorenbach). This means that the slow line 10 and the fast line 17 can operate on the same route without the trams having to overtake each other.”

In order to implement these improvements and ensure smooth timetable operation, a number of infrastructure adjustments are necessary: These include, in addition to the Margarethen connection, a new platform access at Margarethenbrücke, the building of a public transport hub with a turning facility in Bottmingen, the extension of the double track layout at Spiesshöfli, the redesign of the section between Zoo and Heuwaage, and the modernisation of the existing line from Ettingen to Zoo.

The project is scheduled for implementation in 2030. The cost of the Margarethen connection alone is currently estimated at between eight and fifteen million Swiss francs. Further construction phases, for example in the Klybeck area, could require up to sixty million Swiss francs. A large part of the financing is to be covered by federal funds. However, the success of the project depends on its orderly progress. For this reason, the aim is to have a project proposal ready by the end of 2025 so that there are no delays or additional costs.

In summary, S-Tram 17 is a comparatively small but very effective infrastructure project. With minimal construction work and a clever route design, public transport can be made noticeably more efficient and reliable. For people in the Leimental region, this means faster, more direct and more comfortable connections in the future, while at the same time strengthening the performance of the entire Basel tram network.