After the derailment on August 10, 2023, i Alpine passes towards Switzerland they finally see a light at the bottom of the tunnel. The Swiss Federal Railways has accelerated the restoration work of the base tunnel Gotthard, a crucial structure not only for Switzerland, but also for Italy, thanks to which freight trains travel towards Europe. Today, August 19, 2024, marks an important milestone in the recovery process: i first trains they started walking again west barrel of the gallery, starting a crucial phase towards the complete reopening scheduled for 2 September 2024. This step marks the conclusion of the testing phase and the beginning of the trial phase, with the authorization of the Federal Office of Transport.
The Gotthard Tunnel reopens: here's what happened
Last year's derailment highlighted the need for new security measures. Although the final crash report is still being prepared, a preliminary investigation has identified a broken freight car wheel disc as the cause of the crash. Since Swiss railways do not use vehicles with this type of wheel in their fleet, the accident highlighted the need for preventive measures at European level. The Federal Office of Transport has urged European railway authorities to implement stricter controls and safety measures for freight wagons with similar wheels, in order to prevent future accidents and ensure the safety of railway infrastructure.
The return of the trains
The first commercial train to travel through the tunnel left Chiasso at 5 am, headed for Basel. Next, a freight train from SBB Cargo International passed through the tunnel from Ludwigshafen (Germany) to Gallarate (Italy).
From 2 September 2024, the Gotthard Tunnel will return to full operation. The trains Intercity, Eurocity e please they will resume traveling through the tunnel every half hour throughout the day. This return to normal operation will allow travelers to save up to an hour of travel compared to alternative routes. Furthermore, with the reopening, trains will be able to travel at maximum speed of 230 km / h, as in the past. The resumption of train services through the tunnel will not only improve travel efficiency, but will also offer fast and frequent connections between Switzerland and Ticino.
Difficulty at the Alpine passes
The Gotthard Tunnel is not the only Alpine crossing in difficulty. Maintenance, accidents and extreme weather conditions have complicated the transit of Italian goods to foreign markets over the last year. In addition to the scheduled closure of Mont Blanc tunnel, limitations at Brenner imposed by Austria and the recent closures and the alternating one-way system of Fréjus tunnel they aggravated the situation.
Current situation:
- Mont Blanc tunnel: total closure to traffic from 17pm on Monday 00 September until 2pm on Monday 17 December 00.
- Limitations at Brenner: starting from 2025, Austria will reduce the lanes on the A13 Innsbruck-Brennero, introducing new restrictions on freight transit between Italy and Germany.
- Fréjus Tunnel: circulation of goods transport vehicles with a full load mass exceeding 3,5 tonnes and Euro 0 to Euro 4 approval is always prohibited, except for special authorisations. Gas-powered vehicles must display a distinctive sticker on the windshield.
