Rail conquers the Alps

GOTTHARD BASE TUNNEL Celebration
May 2016 | Railway Gazette International
National festival will mark
Base Tunnel opening
Night falls on the Gotthard main line at
Göschenen; from December most
north-south through traffic will
be routed via the Base Tunnel.
Photo: Lorenz Degen
No fewer than 17 years have
passed since the first rock
blast marked the start of
work on the main bores of
the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Surpassing
Japan’s 53·9 km Seikan tunnel by
more than 3 km, the GBT ranks as the
world’s longest railway tunnel, and the
Swiss are determined to celebrate this
achievement in grand style. The opening
ceremonies will take place on June
1, and the organisers have promised an
‘unforgettable national festival’ geared
around a ceremony that will highlight
‘the Swiss values of innovation, precision
and reliability’.
Events will be staged at several locations.
Special trains and shuttle buses
will convey guests to ceremonies near
the northern portal at Rynächt and
the southern portal at Pollegio. After a
media event in Castione-Arbedo near
Bellinzona, the official programme begins
at 12.00 with speeches by Federal
President Johann Schneider-Ammann
at Rynächt and Federal Transport Minister
Doris Leuthard at Pollegio. These
will be followed by the GBT receiving
an official blessing before the opening
trains run through.
A draw for 500 tickets to ride on the
opening trains was arranged at the end
of December 2015, and by the time applications
closed at the end of January
more than 160000 requests had been
received. Only Swiss nationals were
qualified to apply, but each ticket was
valid for two people. The lucky winners
will be joined by two school classes chosen
from those who had recently visited
SBB’s school experience train. The first
opening train is scheduled to depart
from Arth-Goldau at 11.30 for Bellinzona,
with the northbound special leaving
Bellinzona at 11.45 for Luzern.
Guests invited to the opening will
be able to take part in a series of activities
that include watching a GBT rescue
train in operation and visits to the
maintenance and emergency control
centres in Erstfeld and Biasca. Several
cultural and musical events are planned,
together with an exhibition by Swiss
artists.
Perhaps the most important event of
the day will be the formal handover of
the Base Tunnel. Contractor AlpTransit
Gotthard AG will present the structure
to the Swiss government, which will
then hand it to the operator, Swiss Federal
Railways. SBB will have six months
to carry out its own tests and to train
and familiarise staff with procedures
before regular commercial services start
with the December timetable change.
Before that, however, the public will
have an opportunity to ride through the
GBT over the weekend of June 4-5. A
shuttle service is planned, with trains
running at up to 200 km/h. Four sites
have been prepared to host parties in
Erstfeld and Pollegio/Biasca — up to
100 000 visitors are expected.
After that SBB will run a special
Gottardino service from August 2 until
November 27 on Tuesdays to Sundays
between Flüelen and Biasca with a special
stop at the Sedrun multifunction
station. Tickets priced at SFr119 in second
class or SFr139 in first class are valid
for a return trip via the old Gotthard
route with its famous spiral curves. n
Murray Hughes previews the opening
events and celebrations commemorating
completion of the Gotthard Base Tunnel.
Looking back
The Gotthard Base Tunnel in
Railway Gazette International
World’s longest rail tunnel will take
traffic from road
RG 12.01 p841
57 km breakthrough RG 11.10 p14
Banishing the Alpine barrier
RG 7.11 p31
The Gotthard Base Tunnel has a European
dimension
RG 7.11 p32
How Switzerland has financed the
Gotthard Base Tunnel
RG 7.11 p34
Eleven years to pierce the Alps
RG 7.11 p36
Speed and capacity define tunnel fit-out RG 7.11 p40
Precision laying of low-maintenance track RG 7.11 p44
Safety takes centre stage
RG 7.11 p46
Ceneri Base Tunnel completes high-capacity
corridor
RG 7.11 p48
Railway works start at the north portal RG 10.11 p75
Is Switzerland’s transit freight policy working? RG 6.13 p56
Ceneri Base Tunnel railway systems
contract awarded
RG 9.13 p18
First test train in the GBT
RG 1.14 p16
220 km/h in the Gotthard Base Tunnel RG 5.14 p26
Stadler wins high speed train contract RG 6.14 p12
Golden sleeper
RG 12.14 p7
Gotthard Base Tunnel completes
LVT installation
RG 1.15 p40
SBB’s Tunnel preparations
RG 6.15 p29
Longest tunnel will transform traffic flows RG 8.15 p46
Coping with the maintenance challenge RG 8.15 p48
Freight targets may not be met
RG 8.15 p49
Level 2 on the Gotthard corridor
RG 9.15 p30
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