Pauline
Forums Admin
Switzerland is famous for the tunnels they have built through the Alps to handle traffic from northern Europe to southern Europe. We have driven, or gone by train, through many of them.
The one we have used most is the Gotthard Tunnel which takes you from central Switzerland south of Zurich to the Ticino in southern Switzerland, and then into Italy near Lake Como. The tunnel is 16.9km/10.5miles long and opened in 1980. There is a separate tunnel for trains (Gotthard Rail Tunnel built in 1881). To get to the Gotthard Tunnel you drive up quite a bit from Altdorf, then through the tunnel. It was quite intense driving over 10 miles in a tunnel.
17 years ago the Swiss started a new Gotthard Tunnel, just for trains, lower down the mountain and longer. The Gotthard Base Tunnel opens a year from today. It will be 57 km/35.4 miles long and will shorten the train ride from Zurich to Lugano by 45 minutes. It will be used for passenger and freight trains, with the ability to load freight on and off trains at each end of the tunnel.
"On 1 June 2016, 17 years after the first blast in the main shaft, the world’s longest railway tunnel will officially open."
More information: Gotthard Base Tunnel (scroll down the page for more info)
Wikipedia - Gotthard Base Tunnel
It doesn't look like they will take cars on trains through the tunnel, only freight from trucks. So we won't have to drive the 35+ miles!
They have two more base tunnels in the works. The 15-kilometre Ceneri Base Tunnel (CBT) is on the same route but closer to Lugano to make this route even better. The Lötschberg Base Tunnel from Fruitigen to Brig in the Bernese Oberland replaces the tunnel that now starts higher up in Kandersteg (we have done this one a few times - you drive your car onto the train). See the map.
The one we have used most is the Gotthard Tunnel which takes you from central Switzerland south of Zurich to the Ticino in southern Switzerland, and then into Italy near Lake Como. The tunnel is 16.9km/10.5miles long and opened in 1980. There is a separate tunnel for trains (Gotthard Rail Tunnel built in 1881). To get to the Gotthard Tunnel you drive up quite a bit from Altdorf, then through the tunnel. It was quite intense driving over 10 miles in a tunnel.
17 years ago the Swiss started a new Gotthard Tunnel, just for trains, lower down the mountain and longer. The Gotthard Base Tunnel opens a year from today. It will be 57 km/35.4 miles long and will shorten the train ride from Zurich to Lugano by 45 minutes. It will be used for passenger and freight trains, with the ability to load freight on and off trains at each end of the tunnel.
"On 1 June 2016, 17 years after the first blast in the main shaft, the world’s longest railway tunnel will officially open."
More information: Gotthard Base Tunnel (scroll down the page for more info)
Wikipedia - Gotthard Base Tunnel
It doesn't look like they will take cars on trains through the tunnel, only freight from trucks. So we won't have to drive the 35+ miles!
They have two more base tunnels in the works. The 15-kilometre Ceneri Base Tunnel (CBT) is on the same route but closer to Lugano to make this route even better. The Lötschberg Base Tunnel from Fruitigen to Brig in the Bernese Oberland replaces the tunnel that now starts higher up in Kandersteg (we have done this one a few times - you drive your car onto the train). See the map.