Switzerland: Seelisberg Tunnel (A2) fully closed at night multiple times in autumn 2026
On the central Gotthard route A2 between Lucerne and Altdorf, travelers must expect nightly full closures of the Seelisberg Tunnel in the coming weeks. The closures apply from Monday evening to Friday morning, between 8 pm and 5 am, and are expected to last until the beginning of October 2026.
The reason is advance repair work by the Federal Roads Office ASTRA, which has become necessary ahead of the second, larger renovation phase of the tunnel. At around 9.2 kilometers, the Seelisberg Tunnel is one of the most important tunnels on the Gotthard route and is used by a great many travelers from Germany heading toward Ticino and Italy.
What does this mean for trip planning?
During the day, the Seelisberg Tunnel is not affected by the work, and traffic there runs normally. However, anyone traveling on the A2 between Lucerne and Altdorf in the evening or at night during the week should expect detours and additional travel time. An official detour route via the cantonal road will be signposted on site. Anyone crossing the border toward the Gotthard and Ticino in the evening hours is best advised to plan their journey so that the tunnel section is passed before 8 pm.
Further construction sites on the Gotthard route
The Seelisberg Tunnel is not the only construction site on the way south this autumn: there have also already been several nighttime closures at the Gotthard Tunnel itself, and staggered nighttime closures are also underway at Sargans on the connection between Zurich, Chur and Liechtenstein. Anyone driving through Switzerland toward the south in the coming weeks should therefore generally expect several construction site sections and plan for sufficient time buffers.
Switzerland toll at a glance
For cars, motorcycles and motorhomes up to 3.5 t GVW, the digital vignette requirement applies on motorways and expressways. Only an annual vignette is available, as Switzerland does not offer shorter validity periods.
For vehicles over 3.5 t GVW, the heavy vehicle charge (PSVA/LSVA) applies instead. In addition, individual tunnels (Great St. Bernard, Munt la Schera) charge a separate special toll, regardless of any other toll product. Switzerland has no distance-based kilometre toll.
All details on tolls in SwitzerlandThe vignette flat rate explained
With our vignette flat rate, you save yourself the hassle of buying individually for each trip: for just 12,80 €* per month, it covers the included vignettes in 8 European countries. For each trip, simply select the appropriate vignette, and the toll fee is then already covered by your flat rate. You are not tied to any single country.
*Official Swiss vignette fee (annual vignette, the only validity period available, as of 09/2026): 40 CHF (approx. 42.54 €), full coverage of the vignette fee by DMC, flat price (per calendar month): 12,80 €, notice period 0 days.
- One flat rate, 8 countries
- Travel flexibly
- Termination directly in the administration
The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant journey!
You can find all the essential information on the vignette requirement in Switzerland on our guide page for Switzerland. We have summarised further current construction sites on the Gotthard route in a separate article.
Frequently asked questions about the Seelisberg Tunnel
The most important answers regarding the night closures.
When is the Seelisberg Tunnel closed at night?
From Monday evening to Friday morning, between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., expected to last until early October 2026. During the day and on weekends, the tunnel is open to traffic as usual.
Is there a detour during the night closures?
Yes, during the closure periods a detour route via the cantonal road is signposted on site. Travelers should plan for additional travel time.
Do the closures also affect daytime traffic?
No, during the day traffic on the A2 through the Seelisberg tunnel runs normally. Full closures only occur during the aforementioned night hours on weekdays.
