Long queues have been reported at the Gotthard tunnel in central Switzerland as holidaymakers head south for the Easter break.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/SRF/ilj
Queues at the northern end of the tunnel had stretched back 15 kilometres, with an almost three-hour wait at crunch points in the early afternoon. By Friday evening at just after 7pm, it had reduced to 2km, with a wait of around 20 minutes, the Touring Club of SwitzerlandExternal link (TCS) said.
The closure of the Gotthard, San Bernadino and Great St Bernhard passes due to wintry conditions means that these alternative routes are not available, but various other routes, like the Simplon tunnel are possible, officials have said.
Easter queues are traditional at the tunnel. Last Saturday, there were up to 14km of tailbacks at the Gotthard because some cantons had already started the spring holidays.
Main axis
The 17-kilometre Gotthard tunnel, which runs from Göschenen to Airolo under the famous Gotthard pass, is one of the main thoroughfares through central Switzerland, linking the German-speaking north with the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino in the south. A separate, 57-kilometre train line – unveiled in 2016 as the longest in the world – also cuts through the mountain.
In February 2016, Swiss voters gave the go-ahead to build a second road tunnel, to allow for renovations of the existing infrastructure and ensure better connections between north and south. Opponents had argued that the project was a threat to plans to cap transalpine road traffic and force heavy-weight trucks onto rail.
The new tunnel, which is estimated to cost around CHF2.7 billion ($2.8 billion), will open in 2030 at the earliest.
More
More
Has Alpine rail transport come far enough?
This content was published on
The Alpine Initiative aimed to shift the transport of goods through the Alps from road to rail. Where do things stand, 25 years on?
First large-scale alpine solar plant approved in Switzerland
This content was published on
The approval was met with satisfaction by the project's organisers, but it also brings with it a certain amount of pressure.
Medieval squirrels may have ‘helped spread leprosy’
This content was published on
An examination of squirrel remains in the United Kingdom has opened up interesting questions and possibilities in terms of the history of the disease.
Swiss money laundering office registers record number of reports
This content was published on
The Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) registered a record number of reports of suspicious activity last year.
Two teens accused of planning terror attack released from custody
This content was published on
The Schaffhausen judiciary has released the two teenagers from custody who allegedly planned bomb attacks in Switzerland.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Gotthard Tunnel gives Ticino tourism a boost
This content was published on
Between January and October, the number of overnights increased by 7.7% compared with the same period for 2016. This is the best result for seven years, according to Ticino TourismExternal link. June even saw growth of 13.6%, while the number of overnight stays in October was 16.3% higher than October 2016. The 57km (35-mile) Gotthard,…
Switzerland’s Gotthard Base Tunnel wins European Railway Award
This content was published on
The 2018 European Railway Award has been awarded to the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the longest rail tunnel in the world that runs under the Swiss Alps.
Gotthard rail tunnel boosts north-south traffic by a third
This content was published on
About 2.3 million passengers have travelled through the new transalpine tunnel in Switzerland over the past eight months.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.