Gotthard Base Tunnel: on June the official inauguration

In a few months, after twenty years of hard work, there will be an important and awaited moment in the field of engineering and mobility: the Gottard Base Tunnel will be officially opened on 1st June 2016.

A very important international event, because the tunnel, with its 57 kilometers and 2,300 meters of deep, is the longest and deepest railway tunnel in the world.

The building, which first projects date back to 68 years ago has taken, for its realization, a TBM (Tunnel boring machine) long 410 meters (as four football fields) that can perform all necessary operations, from drilling to transportation of the material removed. All it managed by a big team of 2400 people including a large number of Swiss and Italian miners.

The Gottard Base Tunnel will be served daily from 260 commercial trains and 65 high-speed passenger trains. The important reducion of travel time, due to the opening of the tunnel, it will begin to perceive from the fist half of this year. Upon the end of work on all the Gotthard route, between Zurich and Lugano, travelers can save up to 45 minutes while, the Milan-Zurich route, will take only 2 hours and 40 minutes. Saving valuable time for business travelers who need round trip on the same day.

During te opening ceremony of the 1st June, Switzerland’s residents, will be awarded of 1,000 seats on the first train that will cross the tunnel through a special competition. For all fans and curious however is possible to partecipate at the public event organized for 4-5 June at Esrtfels and Pollegio.

On the program, with the aim of showing the impressive tunnel, there will be many activities including the opportunity to travel on the shuttle in the Gotthard tunnel, the visiting at  CMI (Center of maintenance and intervention) and observe a performance of search and rescue train.