From December 2027, the entire railway route from Basel through Waldshut and Schaffhausen to Konstanz will be fully electrified and upgraded. On December 18, 2023, the state of Baden-Württemberg, along with the districts of Lörrach and Waldshut, signed an implementation and financing agreement with Deutsche Bahn for the electrification and expansion of the Hochrhein Railway between Basel and Erzingen.

The Hochrhein-Bodensee Express (BHE) will extend the existing line from Konstanz to St. Gallen, starting already in Basel, and will supplement the current hourly connections to Schaffhausen and Singen. This additional service will be jointly financed by the cantons of Schaffhausen, Basel-Stadt, Thurgau, St. Gallen, and Appenzell Ausserrhoden, the districts of Lörrach, Waldshut, and Konstanz, as well as the Swiss Federal Office of Transport (BAV) and the state of Baden-Württemberg. After the upgrade, the service will be operated by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and integrated into the Swiss fare system. Additionally, the current hourly service will be expanded with faster trains.

The new direct connection will enhance Schaffhausen’s access to the economic centers of Basel, South Baden, Lake Constance, and Eastern Switzerland. Improved connectivity will support networking and exchange within this cross-border economic region at the heart of Europe, fostering growth potential in Schaffhausen, the Area for Makers.