Ceneri Base Tunnel: Current Construction Status and Prospects

Northern tunnel-heading operations in the east bore of the Ceneri Base Tunnel Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Northern tunnel-heading operations in the east bore of the Ceneri Base Tunnel
Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Routing of the NRLA and the Ceneri Base Tunnel (1) Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Routing of the NRLA and the Ceneri Base Tunnel (1)
Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Routing of the NRLA and the Ceneri Base Tunnel (2) Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Routing of the NRLA and the Ceneri Base Tunnel (2)
Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
The Camorino Node, surface lines at the north portal of the Ceneri Base Tunnel1) Ceneri Base Tunnel, north portal; 2) Bellinzona to Locarno/Luino rail line; 3) four-track bridge over the A2 autobahn; 4 + 5) single-track rail viaducts; 6) four-lane regional-road underpass; 7) rail line to Locarno Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
The Camorino Node, surface lines at the north portal of the Ceneri Base Tunnel
1) Ceneri Base Tunnel, north portal; 2) Bellinzona to Locarno/Luino rail line; 3) four-track bridge over the A2 autobahn; 4 + 5) single-track rail viaducts; 6) four-lane regional-road underpass; 7) rail line to Locarno
Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Viaducts at Camorino Node, work status in October 2014 Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Viaducts at Camorino Node, work status in October 2014
Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
The Ceneri Base Tunnel: longitudinal profile Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
The Ceneri Base Tunnel: longitudinal profile
Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Schematic view of the Ceneri Base Tunnel project Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Schematic view of the Ceneri Base Tunnel project
Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Various cross-sections in the Ceneri Base Tunnel Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Various cross-sections in the Ceneri Base Tunnel
Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
The Ceneri Base Tunnel: work status at 1 June 2015 Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
The Ceneri Base Tunnel: work status at 1 June 2015
Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Excerpt from the longitudinal profile of geological findings for the northern and central Ceneri Zone Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Excerpt from the longitudinal profile of geological findings for the northern and central Ceneri Zone
Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Excavation in technically demanding geology Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Excavation in technically demanding geology
Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
The Sarè bifurcation Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
The Sarè bifurcation
Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Overall time schedule, status: February 2015 (currently the programme is being adjusted to the new predicted opening date in December 2020. The adjusted schedule was not yet available at the time of going to press) Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG
Overall time schedule, status: February 2015 (currently the programme is being adjusted to the new predicted opening date in December 2020. The adjusted schedule was not yet available at the time of going to press)
Quelle/credit: AlpTransit Gotthard AG

The NRLA Gotthard Axis consists, in addition to the Gotthard Base Tunnel, of the 15 km long Ceneri Base Tunnel, the two single-track bores of which are to be augmented by bifurcation structures which will permit additional traffic links. Construction is well advanced; lining installation is already proceeding in parallel to tunnel-heading work, in order that, despite the difficult geological conditions, the still ambitious time-schedule can be met. The following article was part of the 2015 Swiss Tunnel Congress lecture programme.

1 Description of the Project

By creating the first virtually level rail route through the Alps, the NRLA opens up exciting new perspectives for rail transport. Freight can then be transported efficiently and with low environmental impact by rail; passenger travelling times will be drastically shortened. The core engineering works comprising the NRLA axis at the Gotthard consist of two base tunnels, the 57 km long Gotthard and the 15 km long Ceneri rail tunnels. The Gotthard Base Tunnel is to open to traffic in 2016, while excavation work on the Ceneri Base Tunnel is now well advanced, and work...

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tunnel 04/2015

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tunnel 04/2015

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