Montreux–Oberland-Bernois (MOB)/MVR has begun a full track closure of the narrow-gauge Vevey–Blonay route from 05:00 on 26 June until the morning of 17 August to carry out major maintenance and platform-height adjustments ahead of new rolling-stock delivery. Buses replace all trains, adding 15–20 minutes to journeys between Vevey’s mainline SBB hub and the Lavaux UNESCO vineyards. The disruption coincides with the peak expatriate-relocation season and the Montreux Jazz Festival (3–18 July). Mobility providers advising assignees headed for corporate hubs in Lausanne or Nestlé’s Vevey HQ should pre-book bus seats or reroute via Lausanne–Puidoux–Chamby. Tour operators running GoldenPass connections from Interlaken to Montreux warn that missed links in Montbovon could cascade along the tourist-heavy chain if travellers rely on the Vevey branch to reach lakeside hotels. Corporate event planners should factor the closure into ground-transport tenders for summer conferences in the Riviera area. The works form part of a CHF 180 million modernisation programme intended to raise line-speed and make stations fully step-free by 2028, supporting Switzerland’s federal goal of 100 % accessible public transport. For daily commuters, the bus substitution counts towards SwissPass usage days and does not require a separate ticket.
Source: MOB Traffic Information
