Buzza di Biasca being watered to stop the spoil blowing away, 2005 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The first exploratory bores and preliminary examinations at the Lötschberg, 1991 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The Val Naps ventilation structure in winter, 2002 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The NRLA supervisory delegation inspecting the tunnel near Sedrun, 2004 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Federal Councillor Adolf Ogi opening the construction site in Faido, 1993 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Assembling the conveyor belts in the access tunnel near Sigirino, 2005 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The west bore breakthrough near Bodio, 2002 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Water seeping into the exploratory system in Polmengo, 1996 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The info centre in Pollegio, 2003 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Niche for the track crossover point near Faido, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Biasca: monitoring safety at the rail infrastructure control centre, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Sedrun: the first Porta Alpina blasting in the east bore, close-up of a decorated drilling jumbo, 2006 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Renzo Simoni presents the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Biasca, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

CBT north portal Vigana, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Aerial photograph of the Buzza di Biasca, 2009 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The first exploratory bores at the Lötschberg, 1991 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Model of the south portal of the GBT, 2002 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Andreas Hämmerle, Chairman of the supervisory delegation, in the tunnel near Sedrun, 2004 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Driving the first access tunnels for the Lötschberg tunnel in Ferden, 1999 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Ceneri Base Tunnel, 2006 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The Amsteg-Erstfeld breakthrough with Federal Councillor Leuenberger, 2006 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Damage caused by water seeping into the exploratory system, 1996 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Conveyor belt at the foot of the shaft in Sedrun, 2005 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Measuring equipment for the radio test run in the Base Tunnel, 2011 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Gotthard Base Tunnel rail infrastructure systems at the multifunctional site in Faido: electrical engineer with fibre-optic cables, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Sedrun: external structures at the Sedrun portal with the Anterior Rhine bridge, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

CBT north portal Vigana, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Project meeting in Sedrun attended by Federal Councillor Moritz Leuenberger, 2011 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

CBT Sigirino crossover, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Renaturation of the Walen stream in Uri, 2009 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The Ferden staging area being prepared, 1997 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Rock from the tunnel creates a local recreation area by Lake Urnen, 2002 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Goods traffic through the Alps in 2008, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The NRLA supervisory delegation gathered in Sedrun, 2004 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Visit by EU transport ministers: on the left Federal Councillor Moritz Leuenberger, on the right Peter Zbinden, CEO of ATG in Amsteg, 2000 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The first blasting for the access tunnel near Sigirino, 2007 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Tunnel workers celebrate the southern breakthrough of the east bore in Faido, 2006 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Dismantling a tunnel-boring machine in the exploratory system for the Piora Basin near Faido, 1996 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Group of visitors viewing the tunnel-lining machine in Sedrun, 2005 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The start of the single-track phase in the north, 2011 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Technician at the northern emergency stop, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The little church at Wassen, before 1920 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Tunnel boring machine making the preliminary rock cut, 2005 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

CBT Sigirino crossover, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Public transport infrastructure fund, 2012 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The Buzza di Biasca disposal site being landscaped, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Securing the rock face at Amsteg, 1999 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The south portal of the base tunnel during construction, 2004 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The tunnel system , 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Welding the tunnel-boring machine in Bodio, 2002 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

All set for drilling and blasting in the «caverna operativa», 2007 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The east bore breakthrough in Amsteg, 2009 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Open day at the construction site in Sedrun, 2005 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Decommissioning the construction site infrastructure in Sedrun, 2012 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Gotthard Base Tunnel multifunctional site, technical systems for the western side tunnel, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Surveying the shaft base in Sedrun, 2008 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Nodo di Camorino, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

An engineer tests the escape doors specially developed for the Gotthard Base Tunnel, undated (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Ducks swim once again in the Walen stream near Rynächt, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The exploratory bores at the Piora Basin, 2008 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The reservoir in Stägwald, 2006 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Aerial view of the construction site in Sedrun, 2003 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Photo montage of the transport node in Camorino, 2009 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The eastern tunnel front falling between Amsteg and Erstfeld, 2009 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The famous dolomite-anhydrite mixture of the Piora Basin, 2002 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Open day at the construction site in Erstfeld, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Fitting the track near Erstfeld, 2012 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

CEP south operations centre in Pollegio, Ticino, with the new line in the foreground, 2013 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Sedrun west bore south, driving at the tunnel face in the transition from Triassic to Permo-Carboniferous rock, 2008 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Overhead conductors, 2006 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

CBT aerial photographs of Camorino, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The Buzza di Biasca disposal site, 2012 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The borehole of the exploratory bore, 2008 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The Erstfeld model seen from above, 2006 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Current and future journey times, 2012 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The north portal of the Base Tunnel in Camorino, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Tunnel workers celebrating the main breakthrough of the east bore, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Making good progress thanks to easier rock anchoring, 2005 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Celebrating the completion of work with a visit to the tunnel at the shaft head, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The northern crossover, 2012 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Rock fall in the Faido western bore, 2004 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

CBT aerial photographs of Camorino, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The Buzza di Biasca disposal site, 2014 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The geological longitudinal profile of the Gotthard Base Tunnel, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The Erstfeld model, 2006 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Growth in goods traffic through the Alps, 2012 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The traces left by the boring machine can be seen on the tunnel front in the east bore near Bodio, 2004 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Tunnel construction site in Vezia, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The main breakthrough celebration in Sedrun, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Exploratory boring, 2008 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Fitting the rails in the west bore near Erstfeld, 2012 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Sedrun east bore south: drill cores from the exploratory boring, 2008 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

CBT north portal Vigana, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Temperatures inside the Gotthard Base Tunnel, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Photomontage of the substation in Faido, 2007 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The route between Zurich and Lugano, 2012 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Longitudinal profile of the Gotthard and Ceneri Base Tunnels, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The main breakthrough celebration in Sedrun, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Exploratory bore hole, 2008 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Cleaning the tunnel between Erstfeld and Sedrun, 2013 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Sedrun east bore south: drill cores from the exploratory boring, 2009 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

A number of partners are involved in the design and execution of this ambitious project, 2012 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Installing an electrical equipment cabinet, 2011 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

CBT Sigirino base CAOP construction site, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The exploratory bore system for the Piora Basin, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Photo of a model of the portal construction in Faido, 2008 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Preparations under way for the cut-and-cover tunnel in Erstfeld, 2005 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Longitudinal geological profile of the Ceneri, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The main breakthrough celebration in Sedrun, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Longitudinal profile with the Piora Basin, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Cleaning the tunnel between Erstfeld and Sedrun, 2013 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The European high-speed network, undated (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Erstfeld gneiss, 2012 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The basic report outlines the objectives and planning models for the NRLA project, 2002 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The completed Faido-Bodio tunnel, 2012 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Inauguration of the Lugano-Bellinzona viaduct in Camorino, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Sketch of the portal construction in Faido, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Looking north through the east bore in Amsteg, 2005 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The route of the Ceneri Base Tunnel, undatet (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The main breakthrough in Sedrun, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Diagram of the exploratory system for the Piora Basin, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The first test run with guests from the media, 2013 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The fastest way through the Alps, 2012 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Radio and telephone network in the Gotthard Base Tunnel, 2011 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Piora dolomite anhydrite, 2012 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Renzo Simoni, CEO of AlpTransit Gotthard Ltd, is responsible for construction of the NRLA tunnels, 2016 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Central electrical plant in Faido, 2014 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

CBT north west main breakthrough, 2016 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Photomontage of the portal area at Erstfeld, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Flexible steel fitting machine in Sedrun, 2005 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The main breakthrough celebration in Sedrun, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Construction site infrastructure in Sedrun, 2014 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Diagram of the Ceneri tunnel system, undated (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Leventina gneiss, 2012 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The key requirements for a project of this kind are analysed and planned out in minute detail, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Installing the overhead conductor in Faido, 2014 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

CBT north west main breakthrough, 2016 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Tunnel worker using a surveying instrument, 2005 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The west bore breakthrough on the south side, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The Buzza di Biasca near Bodio, 2014 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Knowledge of the nature of the rocks is very important when excavating a tunnel; here the Faido-Leventina section, consisting of gneiss, 2005 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Test operation of the traction current, 2014 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

CBT north west main breakthrough, 2016 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

A parade of giants to celebrate the main breakthrough, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The rail systems building in Faido, 2014 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Transporting the tunnel-boring machine through the west bore near Faido, 2007 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Lötschberg Base Tunnel: exploratory bores, 1991 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Tunnel workers before blasting, 2009 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Electrical engineer with fibre-optic cables, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

CBT north east breakthrough, 2016 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Staging area with conveyor belts in Erstfeld, 2006 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The west bore breakthrough on the south side, 2011 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Fitting the overhead conductor near Faido, 2014 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The Trans Europ Express dining car, 1960s (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Electrical engineers in Faido, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Bench construction in the Sigirino east bore, 2016 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Dismantling the tunnel-boring machine in the eastern installation cavern in Amsteg, 2006 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Waste air extraction at the tunnel head in Sedrun, 2014 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Sedrun: tunnel construction working group, 2007 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Base tunnel open section north – overhead conductor, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

CBT Sigirino east bore crossover construction site, 2016 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The starting-up ceremony in Erstfeld, 2007 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Fitting the overhead conductor near Faido, 2014 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Tunnel portal underpass types, 2012 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Sedrun: discussion between engineers in the train, 2014 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Base tunnel open section north – overhead conductor, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Staging area in Amsteg, 2008 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The northern portal in Erstfeld, 2014 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Sedrun: discussion in the office, 2014 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Technicians at the electrical equipment cabinet in the Sedrun emergency stop, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Surveying in the tunnel, 2009 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Passing the ventilator through the shaft head in Sedrun, 2014 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Tunnel workers celebrate the Sigirino Vezia breakthrough, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The completed tunnel in Amsteg, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Decommissioning the construction site infrastructure, complete with funicular, in Sedrun, 2014 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Preparing the tunnel front for blasting, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The completed tunnel in Amsteg, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Setting up the ICE-S high-speed test run, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

It is not uncommon for workers in the tunnel to face knee-deep water, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Dismantling the tunnel-boring machine in the east bore near Faido, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The bridge to the access tunnel in Sedrun, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Buzza di Biasca disposal site, 2002 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The Nodo della Giustizia cut-and-cover tunnel under construction in Biasca, 2013 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Setting up the ICE-S high-speed test run, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Conveyor belts in the Bugnei Valley near Sedrun, 2004 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

St Barbara at the north portal in Erstfeld, 2014 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Diagram of the European Train Control System (ETCS), 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Steep access road in the Bugnei Valley near Sedrun, 2007 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Diagram of the line, 2002 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Diagram of the rail system, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Buzza di Biasca disposal site, 2009 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The tunnel system with cross-passages, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

The Reuss delta on Lake Urnen remodelled using excavated material, 2015 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Diagram of the tunnel complete with rail infrastructure systems, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Timetable for Gotthard works, 2010 (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)

Plan of the southern above-ground section , undated (Alptransit Gotthard Ltd)