The Bernese Jura Railway (French: Chemin de fer du Jura bernois, abbreviation JB) was a Swiss railway company that operated a network of standard‑gauge lines in the Bernese Jura region and adjacent areas of the cantons of Bern, Neuchâtel, and Jura.
History
- The company was founded in 1874 to construct and operate railway connections in the Jura‑Bernese region.
- Its first line, the Biel/Bienne–La Chaux‑de‑Fonds route, opened in 1875, linking the bilingual city of Biel/Bienne with the industrial town of La Chaux‑de‑Fonds.
- Subsequent extensions included branches to Sonce, Court, and other localities, as well as the connection to Moutier and the integration with lines of neighboring railway companies.
- Throughout its existence the Bernese Jura Railway maintained its own rolling stock and infrastructure, operating both passenger and freight services.
Technical characteristics
- Track gauge: standard gauge (1,435 mm).
- Electrification: the network was converted to the Swiss standard of 15 kV 16.7 Hz AC overhead catenary during the mid‑20th century.
- Length of line (at peak operation): approximately 140 km of route.
Corporate developments
- In the latter half of the 20th century, the Bernese Jura Railway entered into cooperative agreements with other private and federal rail operators.
- In 2006, the company merged with several other regional railway firms to form BLS AG, one of Switzerland’s largest railway operators. The former JB lines are now administered as part of the BLS network and are integrated into regional passenger services, including the Bern S‑Bahn lines S5 and S6.
Current status
- The former Bernese Jura Railway routes remain active, providing regional passenger traffic, commuter connections, and freight services.
- Infrastructure ownership and operation are now under BLS AG, while the historic JB brand is retained in certain heritage and promotional contexts.
References
- Official publications of BLS AG.
- Historical records of Swiss railway development, Swiss Federal Archives.
- Swiss Federal Office of Transport statistical reports.
