Considered to be the railway project of the century, thee Gotthard Tunnel was dug in the heart of the Swiss Alps. With a length of 57.1 kmSince its opening in 2016, it has been the longest tunnel in the world. For travellers, the tunnel means considerably shorter journey times. In just 2h40 Zurich-Milan route.
But on 10 August, a goods train derailed in the Gotthard base tunnel. Part of the tunnel was damaged, forcing the authorities to close it. This has had a major impact on rail traffic.
While in the hours following the accident, SBB estimated that it would be able to reopen the tunnel to freight and passenger traffic within a few days, the extent of the damage has turned out to be much greater than the initial estimates. In all, around 8 kilometres of track and 20,000 concrete sleepers will have to be replaced..
Freight trains will resume from 23 August, but only to a limited extent. The same is not true for passenger traffic, as trains can be accommodated on a single track.
The refurbishment work is expected to last until the end of 2023.. SBB is working on the assumption that the two tubes in the tunnel that allow traffic to pass under the Alps are likely to be reopened in the near future. open to rail traffic to a limited extent at the beginning of 2024.
Passenger trains run on the scenic route until further notice
Since the closure of the Gotthard base tunnel, passenger trains have been running on the so-called panoramic ridge line. Travel time is extended by 60 minutes for national traffic and by 60 to 120 minutes for international traffic.. But a number of restrictions remain. Duplex trains, which are normally deployed on this line, cannot run on the ridge line. This reduces transport capacity.
At weekends, the number of seats is down by 30%. But the drop in capacity is smaller during the week. What's more, the international passengers now have to change trains at Chiasso on the border with Italy. Only trains to and from Genoa and Venice are direct.
SBB and the Federal Office of Transport (FOT) are currently examining the possibility of running some passenger trainsIn the single-track east tube, as for freight traffic. In the event of an emergency, passengers would be evacuated through the other tube of the tunnel.. However, this solution has its limits because of safety constraints.
SBB is therefore working with the FOT to find solutions to ensure that passenger trains can also use the east tube as quickly and safely as possible. However, it is not possible to give a deadline for the moment. Lhe Suisse Romande-Italy routes, on the other hand, will not be affected by the closure of the Gotthard tunnel.. Trains on the Geneva-Lausanne-Milan axis are therefore circulating normally.
