Traffic
Crack in the ceiling: Swiss Gotthard road tunnel closed
A car leaves the south portal of the Gotthard road tunnel – it is currently closed. photo
© Alessandro Crinari/KEYSTONE/TI-PRESS/dpa
Holidaymakers who are only traveling to Switzerland after the peak travel season need to plan more time. The reason is a crack in the false ceiling over a length of 25 meters.
In the Gotthard road tunnel in the A crack has been discovered in the tunnel ceiling in Switzerland. The Federal Roads Office (Astra) announced that the connection between central Switzerland and the southern canton of Ticino will remain closed to traffic until further notice.
Near the northern tunnel portal, concrete parts came loose and fell onto the road. But no one was harmed. The cause initially remained unknown.
The tunnel is one of the main transport connections through the Alps, including for traffic from Germany to Italy. The closure began on Sunday afternoon. Motorists reported hours of traffic jams.
Plan an extra hour
A 25-meter-long crack was discovered in a false ceiling. “The duration of the closure is not yet known,” the office said. Traffic will be rerouted via the Gotthard Pass or the San Bernardino route. This will probably extend the journey by around an hour.
The Gotthard railway tunnel is also currently closed to passenger traffic following the derailment of a freight train in August. Trains are rerouted via a pass route. This also extends this journey by about an hour.