Bahnhof Bern: Alte Aufnahmen und Eröffnung Neubau (1974)

On May 25, 1974, after 17 years of construction, the new Bern railway station was officially inaugurated. The Swiss Newsreel of June 7, 1974 impressively documents the transformation of Switzerland’s major railway stations: from Zurich and Lucerne to Basel, culminating in Bern’s new transport hub. The film shows the challenges during the long years of construction, the modernization of the facilities, the fight against overcrowding and outdated structures – as well as the ceremonial opening of a building that resembles more an airport than a traditional railway station. A historical document on the progress of the Swiss railway system in the 1970s, full of insights into architecture, technology, and everyday culture. Source: Swiss Federal Archives, deposit 1996/00386 – Association for the Preservation of Switzerland’s Audiovisual Heritage Memoriav