Complete Restoration of Traffic in the Gotthard Base Tunnel After Year-Long Repairs

On September 3, 2024, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) announced the complete restoration of traffic in the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world’s longest tunnel at 57 km in length, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The western part of the tunnel had been closed for over a year following an incident, when 16 cars of a freight train heading from Italy derailed.

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A major repair operation was carried out to address the aftermath of the accident.

The repairs included updating 8 km of track on a solid foundation, restoring the junction between the western and eastern tubes of the tunnel, and replacing the fire-resistant gates separating the two tubes.

After test runs in mid-August 2024, freight train services in the western tube were reopened on a trial basis.

Passenger trains are now operating in both directions through the tunnel at half-hour intervals.

The number of freight trains has also increased, although about 20% of them continue to use alternative routes.

The Gotthard Base Tunnel, opened in 2016, remains a key element of transalpine transport through Switzerland.

Photo: SBB

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