No entry: a tunnel guard at the north entrance in Göschenen, 1937.
Keystone
The famous hairpin bends, built in 1830, winding through the Tremola gorge on the Ticino side, 1947.
RDB
Stretching their legs at the top of the Gotthard Pass, 1969.
Keystone
Miners working on the Gotthard road tunnel, 1970.
Keystone
A railworker cleaning up after an avalanche, 1944.
RDB
The Tremola section of the Gotthard Pass at night, 1964.
RDB
Holidaymakers trying to get home, heading north, at the Schöllenen gorge, 1969.
Keystone
A tunnel inspection carriage belonging to the Swiss Federal Railways, 1942.
Keystone
Building the N2 Gotthard-Chiasso motorway at Melide in southern Ticino, 1963.
RDB
Blessing the new Gotthard train "Schwyz", 1955.
RDB
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.
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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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Shifting freight traffic to rail proves daunting
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Rail transport absorbs two-thirds of the freight traffic crossing the Alps every year. Despite the government’s efforts, its market share is not increasing, nor is likely to in the foreseeable future. Swiss voters accepted the Alpine Initiative in 1994, sending a clear signal as to what future policy on transportation was to be. The resulting…
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Whoever wants to cross the Swiss Alps by train or road has two alternatives: the Gotthard (rail or road tunnel) in central Switzerland or the Lötschberg-Simplon axis (rail or Simplon pass) in cantons Bern and Valais. The Gotthard is the faster and more direct connection. However, it’s been closed since June 5 due to the…
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