The damage in the Gotthard Base train tunnel is greater than previously assumed and it will not reopen until September 2024, reported SRF.
Swiss Rail boss Vincent Ducrot announced the news at a media conference this week where he presented the extent of damage and repair work in Switzerland’s most important rail tunnel. We knew from the start that we were dealing with a very big event, said Ducrot.
Seven kilometres of rails have to be completely replaced. This means that the repair work will take much longer than expected. Renovating the entire stretch is the only way to guarantee safety in the tunnel over the long term, said Ducrot.
As many as 80 employees are working every day to repair the tunnel. The work is being done in three shifts under very demanding conditions, with temperatures above 40 degrees. Around 300 metres are being replaced every week, said Peter Kummer, head of Swiss Rail Infrastructure.
According to current estimates, repairing the damage is likely to cost between CHF 100 to 130 million, a sum covered by insurance.
Since the accident, most passenger traffic between German-speaking Switzerland and Ticino has been rerouted via the panoramic route.
More on this:
SRF article (in German)
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