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Through and over the Gotthard

Today you can drive through the Gotthard tunnel at around 80km/h, but going south – or north – before the tunnel was built was a real test of patience. That said, travelling by train wasn’t always without problems.

Since the Gotthard tunnel opened in 1882, roads and railways have competed against each other at the Gotthard. In 1980, the Gotthard road tunnel was opened, giving people direct access to the “other side”. While a new rail tunnel is currently being built, a fierce debate has erupted over the construction of a second road tunnel. (Images: Keystone)

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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR