Gotthard Base Tunnel Not Fully Usable Until September 2024

The SBB expects that the Gotthard Base Tunnel will not be fully available for passenger and freight trains until September 2024. The derailment of a freight train on August 10, 2023, has caused significantly more severe damage than initially assumed: the track needs to be completely renewed over a distance of more than 7 kilometers. Therefore, the repair work is taking much longer than originally expected.

(Bern/Airolo/Göschenen) The estimated cost for the renovation of the Gotthard Base Tunnel is currently around 100 to 130 million Swiss francs. The SBB is exploring options to accelerate the construction work in order to put the world’s longest railway tunnel back into full operation sooner. The SBB intends to have significantly more and faster passenger trains running through the tunnel from the timetable change on the weekend than today.

Since the derailment of a freight train on August 10, 2023, the SBB has been pushing forward the work in the Gotthard Base Tunnel with great urgency. Up to 80 employees from the SBB and third-party companies are working daily in the tunnel with great commitment and under challenging climatic conditions. This has made it possible to resume freight traffic through the undamaged east tube after a short time. Since the end of September, some passenger trains have also been running through the world’s longest railway tunnel on weekends.

After extensive clearance and recovery operations, the SBB has assessed the damage caused by the derailment of the freight train in the Gotthard Base Tunnel in recent weeks. Based on current findings, it estimates the damage, including loss of revenue, to be around 100 to 130 million Swiss francs. The SBB has insurance for such events.

More Severe Damage Than Assumed Leads to Longer Repair Work

The damage in the tunnel is much more severe than it initially appeared. The track must be completely renewed over 7 kilometers. Repairing only the numerous damaged spots would be akin to patchwork. Therefore, the rails must be replaced along the entire stretch, as well as over 20,000 sleepers and the concrete layer into which they are embedded. Additionally, the replacement of the damaged switch point, two high-speed switches, and many other safety and operationally relevant components is required.

The repair work will therefore take much longer than originally assumed. According to current knowledge, the SBB expects that both tubes of the Gotthard Base Tunnel will not be fully usable until September 2024.

The Gotthard Base Tunnel, as the longest railway tunnel in the world and an important north-south connection for Switzerland and Europe, holds great significance. The SBB is aware that the situation until full resumption of operations is a significant limitation for travelers and freight transport companies, and thanks them for their understanding and patience. It is exploring all options to accelerate the repair work with the aim of putting the base tunnel back into full operation sooner.

Paths Distributed After Careful Consideration of All Needs

For the distribution of paths through the Gotthard Base Tunnel during the repair work, the SBB has conducted a careful assessment in collaboration with industry representatives from freight transport and passenger railway companies, as well as the independent path allocation office. It takes into account, as far as possible, the various needs of construction work, passenger and freight transport, and also considers the tense situation and the complex processes in international transit freight logistics and the associated terminals.

The SBB’s intention is to increase capacities for freight transport during the week and for passenger transport on weekends from the timetable change on December 10, 2023. From Monday to Thursday, all paths through the Gotthard Base Tunnel will still be available for freight transport, while from Friday to Sunday evening, it is planned that freight and passenger trains will run mixed through the tunnel. This aims to create the best possible benefit for customers in freight and passenger transport: in freight transport, the necessary capacities for transit and domestic traffic can be ensured, while at the same time significantly more and faster passenger trains can run through the Gotthard Base Tunnel on weekends than today. The exact concept is currently in progress and requires the safety approval of the Federal Office of Transport (BAV). The SBB will communicate the exact connections at the end of November 2023, at which point they will be visible in the online timetable.

New Information in the First Quarter of 2024

The new offer will be valid from the timetable change until just before Easter 2024. The SBB is examining how it can be adjusted for the period thereafter, especially for the extended holiday weekends at Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost for passenger and freight transport. It is expected to provide further information in the first quarter of 2024.

Photo: © SBB