The Gotthard Tunnel is a road tunnel located in the southern center of Switzerland, connecting the Swiss cantons of Uri and Ticino. With its length of 16.9 kilometers, the Gotthard Tunnel (which is part of the Gotthard Base Tunnel) is the fourth-longest tunnel in the world and the longest road tunnel in the Alps.
The Gotthard Tunnel is an important part of the A2 route from Basel (located in the far north of Switzerland) through Lucerne to Chiasso (located in the far south of Switzerland) and is therefore used by around 17,000 vehicles daily.
In addition to the highway tunnel, the Gotthard Base Tunnel also accommodates railway traffic through the Gotthard Massif. Construction of the railway tunnel began in 1993 and was completed in 2016, officially opening for service on June 1, 2016. Since 2016, the Gotthard Tunnel has been used not only for cars, motorcycles, and trucks but also for freight and passenger transport, which has eased the overall traffic. The capacity of the rail traffic is approximately 260 freight trains and 65 passenger trains per day.
The journey through the Gotthard Tunnel is included in the Swiss vignette. If you possess the Swiss vignette, you can travel through the Gotthard Tunnel without any additional fee.
Since the train journey at 200 km/h takes about 20 minutes, the car journey through the Gotthard Tunnel takes approximately 30 to 35 minutes (depending on speed).
The Gotthard Tunnel is closed for special transports every Wednesday evening from 11:00 PM to Thursday morning at 1:00 AM. Apart from that, the Gotthard Tunnel is available continuously for all cars, motorcycles, and trucks.
The Gotthard Tunnel is regularly closed for 2 hours during the night from Wednesday to Thursday for special transports.
The Gotthard Tunnel is closed for special transports every Wednesday evening from 11:00 PM to Thursday morning at 1:00 AM. After that, the Gotthard Tunnel is available as usual.
The toll for the Gotthard Tunnel is included in the price of the Swiss vignette.
The Gotthard Tunnel is paid for through the Swiss vignette.
The car journey through the Gotthard Tunnel takes approximately 30 to 35 minutes.
The Gotthard Tunnel is free because the usage fee is already included in the price of the Swiss vignette.
The toll for the Gotthard Tunnel is included in the price of the Swiss vignette.
The Gotthard Road Tunnel has a length of 16.9 km.
We cannot provide general statements, but based on experience, there is the highest traffic during the day, on holidays, and at the beginning of vacations. If you must travel through the Gotthard Road Tunnel, it is advisable to do so in the early morning or late evening hours.