Arbalète (train)
European passenger train (1957–1997)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Arbalète (alternatively written L'Arbalète)[1] was an express train that linked Paris-Est in Paris, France, with Zürich HB in Zurich, Switzerland. Introduced in 1957, it was operated by the SNCF and the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB-CFF-FFS).
(1957–1979)
InterCity (IC)
(1979–1987)
EuroCity (EC)
(1987–1997)
Switzerland
| Overview | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service type | Trans Europ Express (TEE) (1957–1979) InterCity (IC) (1979–1987) EuroCity (EC) (1987–1997) | ||||
| Status | Replaced by a TGV | ||||
| Locale | France Switzerland | ||||
| First service | 2 June 1957 | ||||
| Last service | 28 September 1997 | ||||
| Former operators | SNCF SBB-CFF-FFS | ||||
| Route | |||||
| Termini | Paris-Est Zürich HB | ||||
| Service frequency | Daily | ||||
| Technical | |||||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | ||||
| Electrification | 15 kV AC, 16.7 Hz (Basel SBB–Zürich HB) | ||||
| |||||
The train was named after the crossbow used by William Tell to hit the apple on his son's head.
Originally, and for 22 years, the Arbalète was a first-class-only Trans Europ Express (TEE). On 27 May 1979, it became a two-class InterCity (IC) train,[2] and on 31 May 1987, it was included in the then-new EuroCity (EC) network.[3] It was discontinued in September 1997, replaced by a TGV service that was routed via Pontarlier and Bern instead of Mulhouse and Basel.