Basel cross-border region: Major boost for EU Borders through opening of first trinational tramway worldwide
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The public transportation system BVB (Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe) in Basel, Switzerland, is the first transport company worldwide, which connects three different countries by tram. In December 2017, the inauguration and extension of tram line no. 3 enables passengers to reach the frontier towns of Weil am Rhein, Germany and St Louis, France from Basel, Switzerland. The infrastructure measure to extent tram line no. 3 from Basel to St Louis is a formidable example of successful trinational cross-border cooperation in the border triangle of Switzerland, France and Germany. By dismantling borders, the project strengthens not only regional ties but also the relationship between the three countries. The project was realized with the financial support of the EU program Interreg Upper Rhine. The Basel-based association Regio Basiliensis is representing the five north-western cantons of Switzerland (Aargau, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Jura and Solothurn) in this program. As one of the major Swiss partner for the cooperation in the Upper Rhine region the Regio Basiliensis supported the project tram no. 3 and contributed to its realization.
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![Inauguration Ceremony Tram 3 Inauguration Ceremony Tram 3](../../sites/futurium/files/bahnbilder_markus_wagner2_0.jpg)
The program Interreg V Upper Rhine operates in the border region of France, Germany and Switzerland. The neighbourly cooperation in the Upper Rhine region helps boosting the cooperation between the three countries and to reduce disparities. The program is provided with 109.7 Mio. Euros from the European Regional Development Funds. Within the framework of Interreg, the Swiss Confederation and the cantons of Northwestern Switzerland support projects with 20.2 Mio. Swiss francs. The inter-cantonal coordination office at Regio Basiliensis (IKRB) is the Swiss partner for the Upper Rhine cooperation concerning Interreg.