Geneva - Annemasse link (CEVA)
 History |
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 General map with CEVA |
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Major historic events related to CEVA.
By Gilbert Ploujoux
April 15 2004.
The story of the link between Geneva and Annemasse is an old one and peppered with many incidents.
Coming from Lyon and Lausanne, railways reach Geneva in 1858. Since then, Geneva encounters difficulties, in spite of several plans, to connect to other long-distance destinations to France or, regionally, to Savoie. The only achievement is in 1888, the opening of a line coming from Annemasse and dead-ending at the Eaux-Vives station.
In 1912, a convention signed between the Swiss Confederation, the CFF et the Geneva canton arranges shares to be paid by each one and the operating rules of a connecting link between Cornavin, La Praille and Eaux-Vives.
In order to improve regional connections, the canton starts plans, from 1993, to suppress the Annemasse line and to have it replaced, in re-using its substructure and TPG (Geneva local transport) lines, by a tramway that would link Annemasse to the city centre of Geneva and further to Meyrin ("Light Underground", later called TCSP). ALP-Rail was born the same year, in order to dispute these plans. The State of Geneva then decides not to change plans.
In 1999, ALP-Rail releases the results of an official study that was kept confidential, which shows the relevance of the railway connection Cornavin - Eaux-Vives - Annemasse (CEVA). In December the same year, thanks to ALP-Rail, the Federal Councillor in charge of transport acknowledged the 1912 convention was valid.
From 2000, the State withdraws the TCSP plans, starts financing CEVA studies and eventually votes in 2002, except for a few abstentions, its share to the construction of the line.
On the Confederation side now, it acknowledges CEVA and its financing in 2001. The same year, it grants funds for studies, but cuts out all financing in 2003. In spring 2004 the Confederation goes back on its agreements and announces it will reconsider the whole CEVA project no earlier than 2008.
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