Nighttime closures in the Swiss Gotthard tunnel have ended

The Gotthard tunnel in Switzerland is now open again for people traveling by car. The regular nighttime closures have come to an end and the next maintenance work will not take place until spring 2024.

• No nighttime closures before March or April
• Higher traffic volumes due to nighttime closures in the San Bernardino tunnel

The cleaning and maintenance work should have been completed by the beginning of October. However, the fall cleaning was pushed back due to the demolition of ceiling sections in the tunnel in mid-September.

Nighttime closures in spring

History shows that the next regular nighttime closures in the Gotthard tunnel will not take place until spring. The exact dates have not yet been set but should be announced in the next few weeks. In recent years, spring cleaning has never started before March or April. Autumn cleaning usually takes place after the main travel season in mid or late September.

Alternative routes for the Gotthard tunnel

If the Gotthard tunnel is closed, motorists can generally use the San Bernardino route A13 Chur - Bellinzona as an alternative. The Simplon pass may also be an alternative under certain circumstances, especially if the other alternative routes are congested.

As a rule, the nearby Gotthard pass is closed for the winter from November to May and is not available as an alternative route in spring. The pass is generally not recommended as a detour route for vehicles with camping trailers. Please remember that most main roads and tunnels in Switzerland charge a toll fee.

Nighttime closures for special transports

Independent of maintenance work, the Gotthard tunnel is closed once a week at night (usually from Wednesday to Thursday) between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. Special transports can pass through freely during this time.

Gotthard tunnel: Important link to Italy

The Swiss Gotthard tunnel is mainly used by people traveling by car from southwestern Germany on their way to Italy or southern France. It was built in 1980, is 16.9 kilometres long, and is used by around six million vehicles a year. The tunnel is one of the main places in Switzerland where traffic jams often occur. If it is congested, block clearance is carried out.