Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) has confirmed that a deliberately-set cable-trench fire near Éclépens at 03:00 on 9 October crippled signalling on the key Yverdon-les-Bains–Lausanne corridor, one of western Switzerland’s main business-travel arteries. An updated bulletin at 17:00 on Saturday, 10 October, states that full service will not resume before 05:40 on Sunday, 11 October 2026. Until then, inter-city IC5 and IC51 services are being replaced by 20 chartered coaches between Yverdon and Cossonay-Penthalaz, while RER Vaud lines R1 and R2 run shuttle buses between Chavornay and Cossonay. Around 40 customer-service agents have been deployed to affected stations, and SBB is advising passengers travelling between Geneva and German-speaking Switzerland to route via Bern, adding up to an hour to journey times. The incident, which police believe was an act of sabotage, comes at the start of the autumn-holiday getaway, with SBB forecasting over 110,000 leisure travellers through Lausanne this weekend. Airlines operating out of Geneva Airport have been warned of possible mis-connects as passengers miss rail-to-air transfers. Businesses reliant on just-in-time deliveries from the watch-making hubs of Neuchâtel and the Jura Arc face overnight trucking surcharges, while corporate mobility managers are rebooking Monday-morning commuters on earlier trains. SBB says it will file a criminal complaint against unknown persons once forensic teams complete their investigation. The operator is also reviewing the resilience of cable ducts and considering accelerated rollout of fire-resistant sheathing on other high-density stretches. Travellers should consult the online timetable or call the 0848 44 66 88 hotline for updates; tickets remain valid on rerouted services and replacement buses.
