Noise barriers and sound-insulating windows

Glass noise barriers at Villeneuve station
As part of the railway noise abatement programme, around 276 km of noise barriers were constructed.
© SBB

As part of the railway noise abatement programme, around 276 km of noise barriers were constructed, and more than 70,000 sound-insulating windows installed. Noise barriers were constructed primarily along routes with high volumes of rail traffic, particularly where large numbers of goods trains also travel at night. The priority routes for this remediation were the north-south transit axes via the Gotthard and Lötschberg.

Where the remediation of rolling stock and noise barriers do not offer sufficient protection from excessive railway noise, the law provides for noise protection measures on buildings in the form of sound-insulating windows. The cantons implement these measures on behalf of the Confederation. Where the requirements were met, the Confederation took on 50% of the installation costs and the costs of project planning; deciding whether to install them was still left up to the building owners. Where noise pollution was above alarm value, the building owner was obliged to install windows, and the Confederation took on the whole costs.

Measures on buildings in noise-sensitive areas that were newly built, converted or renovated after the noise abatement programme finished do not qualify for funding from this programme.

https://www.bav.admin.ch/content/bav/en/home/modes-of-transport/railways/rail-infrastructure/expansion-programmes/further-expansion-programmes/noise-abatement/noise-barriers-sound-insulating-windows.html