Gotthard Road Tunnel: Main Drive for the Second Tube Underway Since February 2025
On 14 February 2025, the two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) for driving the second tube of the Gotthard Road Tunnel were started in Göschenen and Airolo. Numerous guests and employees of the construction companies as well as client representatives from the Federal Roads Office FEDRO took part in the celebrations at both tunnel portals.
Simultaneous TBM Tunnelling From Two Sides
The two TBMs, each with a diameter of around 12.3 m and a weight of approx. 2000 t, will start from the north and south.
Gotthard Road Tunnel, 2nd tube: TBM cutterhead in Göschenen
Credit/Quelle: Bundesamt für Strassen ASTRA
On the north side, the “ARGE secondo tubo” consortium, consisting of Implenia Schweiz AG and Frutiger AG, has been commissioned to carry out the work to the budgeted value of around 467 million Swiss francs. On the south side, the work will be carried out by the “Consorzio Gottardo Sud”, which consists of the companies Marti Tunnel AG, Mancini & Marti SA and Ennio Ferrari SA. The contract is worth around 499 million Swiss francs.
Preliminary Work
The preparatory work, which took several years, included the relocation of the service and infrastructure tunnel, the excavation of the access tunnels to the two fault zones and the construction of the complex infrastructure for managing the excavated material. The last few months have been characterised by the delivery and assembly of the two tunnel boring machines from German manufacturer Herrenknecht.
Breakthrough Planned for 2027
The two TBMs will each cover a distance of 7–8 km up to the end of the lot, passing through geological fault zones of around 350 m in length, which will be conventionally driven by excavators. The machines will advance an average of 18 m per day and are scheduled to reach their destination in the approximate centre of the tunnel in spring 2027. The ceremonial breakthrough is planned for autumn 2027. The second tube of the Gotthard Road Tunnel is due to be opened to traffic in 2030, at which point the renovation of the existing tube will begin.
Another Pioneering Achievement at the Gotthard
Ceremony in Airolo to mark the start of the two tunnel boring machines for the second tube of the Gotthard Road Tunnel
Credit/Quelle: Bundesamt für Strassen ASTRA
At the ceremony to mark the start of the two tunnel boring machines, Albert Rösti, member of the Swiss Federal Council and Head of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC), focussed on yet another pioneering achievement at the Gotthard. The second tunnel would serve to complete the vision of connecting the Swiss regions, and Ticino in particular, all year round. Together with the presidents of the cantons of Uri and Ticino, the municipal presidents of Airolo and Göschenen, the overall project manager and representatives of the construction companies, he started the tunnel boring machines.
