Basel–Pratteln railway line
# Basel–Pratteln railway line

The Basel–Pratteln railway line is a 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) railway line in Switzerland. It runs 6.2 kilometres (3.9 mi) from Pratteln to the border of Basel-Stadt, across the river Birs from St. Jakob-Park, where it connects with the Basel tram network. The line was built by the Basellandschaftliche Ueberlandbahn [de] in 1921 and is now owned by Baselland Transport. Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe operates line 14 of the Basel tram network over the line.

## History

The Basellandschaftliche Ueberlandbahn [de] opened a line from the existing tram network at Schänzli, on the river Birs, to Muttenz, on 22 January 1921. Trains continued over the Basel tram network and terminated at Aeschenplatz [de]. The line was further extended to its present terminus in Pratteln, near the Swiss Federal Railways station there, on 20 October 1922. The line was electrified from opening at 550 V DC, later increased to 600 V DC. A planned extension from Pratteln to Liestal was never built. In 1974, the Basellandschaftliche Ueberlandbahn merged with three other companies to form Baselland Transport. A 3.2-kilometre (2.0 mi) proposed extension northeast to the Salina Raurica [de] area was rejected by voters in 2021.

## Route

The line begins from a turning loop 160 metres (520 ft) south of the Swiss Federal Railways station at Pratteln. It runs east-west, roughly parallel to the standard gauge Hauenstein Railway, and runs through the municipalities of Pratteln and Muttenz. The line is double-tracked, running at-grade on dedicated right-of-way. It crosses the river Birs near St. Jakob-Park, where it connects with the Basel tram network.

## Operation

Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe operates line 14 of the Basel tram network over the line. Trams operate at frequent intervals from Pratteln via Aeschenplatz to Dreirosenbrücke [de], on the north side of Basel.

