Zurich is planning to expand its Light-Rail Transit (LRT) network in order to increase passenger numbers by 40% by 2040 and reduce traffic congestion in the city centre. The transport operator VBZ has presented a three-stage strategy, which includes the construction of orbital tunnels. The first phase envisages a 4 km extension of the Affoltern LRT line, with construction scheduled to begin in 2026 and be completed by the end of 2029. The first phase also includes the LRT tangent north. The second phase focuses on the development of partially underground inner orbital connections. The third phase, planned for the 2050s, involves the development of an outer ring with a proposed Hönggerberg tunnel to connect the growing districts of Oerlikon and Altstetten as well as the Stettbach and Enge railway stations. The estimated costs for all three phases amount to between €2.0 and 2.7 billion (CHF 1.9 to 2.5 billion), with the tunnels alone costing between €1.5 and 1.9 billion. The financing is to be spread over 25 to 30 years, with the costs being shared by the canton, city and federal government and amounting to less than €107 million per year.
