A journey through time at Bahnhofbuffet Olten
Where paths cross, encounters take shape.
Where encounters endure, history begins.
Welcome to the meetingpoint of Switzerland.
Between platforms 4 and 7 stands a house that has, for generations, been a place to have a coffee, miss a train, develop ideas, hold meetings – and sometimes stay longer than planned. Those who arrive here find themselves at the heart of Switzerland – geographically, and in human terms.
A brief journey through almost 170 years of history.
How Olten became Switzerland’s railway hub
Until the mid-19th century, Olten was a small market town with around 1,600 inhabitants. Well located – along key north–south and east–west routes – yet without national significance. Then came the railway.
As early as 1843, Olten advocated for the planned railway line between Basel and Aarau to pass through the town – a far-sighted decision. With the expansion of the Swiss rail network, Olten gradually became the place where routes converge.
In 1856, Olten railway station was inaugurated. The building, then as now, forms part of the network of Swiss Federal Railways. With it began a new era – for the town and for the country as a whole.
1856: The emergence of the station restaurant
Where travellers arrive, there must also be a place to pause. In 1856, the original “station inn” opened – today’s Bahnhofbuffet Olten. From the outset, it was an integral part of the station.
What was served was not only food and drink. From early on, the Bahnhofbuffet was a place of waiting, of reunions, and of conversation.
A lease agreement from 1876 shows how seriously hospitality was already taken: service was expected to be “prompt, proper and courteous”, prices fair, and fresh water available to all. Principles, as it turns out, do not age.
Where Switzerland came together
Over time, the Bahnhofbuffet became far more than a restaurant. Thanks to its central location, people gathered here from Zurich, Bern, Basel, Lucerne, Romandy and Ticino – fair for all, accessible to all.
In this way, Bahnhofbuffet Olten became Switzerland’s neutral ground. Associations were founded here, parties discussed, projects launched and meetings held. Not loudly – but with clarity, directness, and often over coffee and croissants.
As Neue Zürcher Zeitung once wrote: “Politics were debated, drinks were shared, love was found – and Switzerland was invented.” (Source: Neue Zürcher Zeitung, article dated 06.07.2024)
Among the best-known names connected to this place are the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC), the Swiss Trade Union Federation (SGB), the Swiss Brewers Association (SBV), the Free Democratic Party of Switzerland (FDP), the Swiss Football Association (SFV) or the Swiss Book Centre (Buchzentrum).
It is no coincidence that the Bahnhofbuffet later came to be known as the “thinking chamber of Switzerland”.
Hosts through the decades
A house with history lives through the people who shape it.
Among the first known hosts were Johannes Biehly, followed by Hermann and Hans Biehly. Later came, among others, Hans-Richard Dietiker (from 1918), Josef Wilhelm Hofmann (from 1947) and Eugen Pauli (from 1965).
From 1973 onwards, the Swiss Dining Car Company and its successor companies Passaggio and later Autogrill continued to run the Bahnhofbuffet for many decades.
Each generation has left its mark. And each understood: this house belongs not only to its operator – but to many memories.
2026: History meets the present
Today, a new chapter begins.
With its reopening, Bahnhofbuffet Olten continues within the SBB building as a restaurant, lounge and seminar venue – respectful of its history and clearly oriented towards the present.
What remains:
A place for encounters
A fair meeting point for people from all directions
Spaces for conversations, ideas and decisions
Hospitality without noise
Quality without affectation
What is added:
Contemporary spaces
A warm atmosphere
Good food
And a house that once again becomes a natural part of everyday life
A place that endures
Those who come to Bahnhofbuffet Olten today are not visiting a museum, but a living place with both past and future.
Since 1856, paths, opinions and people have met here.
And, quite simply, we believe it should remain that way.
The meetingpoint of Switzerland.