Results for Goods traffic
Inauguration of the Gotthard Tunnel
When it opens, the first tunnel through the Gotthard is the longest rail tunnel in the world. It is mostly financed by foreign capital.
View eventCar vs rail
Rail has held onto its lead for a long time, but with the opening of the Gotthard road tunnel in 1980 road transport through the Alps mounts a strong challenge.
View eventTraffic forecasts
Forecasts often turn out to be incorrect, but in 1990 the Federal Council gets it spot on.
View eventThe overall transport strategy
The coordination of transport policy, with funding from the Confederation, forms an important basis for the NRLA.
View eventA dissertation revives a railway
Rarely has an academic dissertation caused such a political stir. Hans-Jörg Bertschi’s work lends new momentum to the NRLA.
View eventThe problem with slots
Planning rail traffic is a complex business: trains travelling on the same tracks can only overtake at a small number of places. The principal planning unit is known as a slot.
View eventAgreement with Europe
Even before the Swiss people vote on the NRLA, politicians are discussing the project in their negotiations with the EEC.
View eventLinks to other countries
The success of the NRLA hinges on countries other than Switzerland. The amount of freight carried by rail will only increase if the Rotterdam-Genoa axis is modernised.
View eventRotterdam–Genoa
Expansion of the Rotterdam–Genoa freight axis makes slow progress. Italy lags behind on sea-port links.
View eventThe SBB becomes a limited company
Rail Reform 1 aims at a gradual liberalisation of rail transport.
View eventThe big shift
With the expansion of the NRLA, goods traffic through the Alps is progressively transferred from road to rail, though more slowly than planned.
View eventThe end of the 28-tonne limit
For the first time, goods vehicles weighing forty tonnes are permitted to travel on Swiss roads. In return, the EU accepts the heavy vehicle fee.
View eventThe four-metre corridor
In order to transport the heavier loads, not only the tunnels but also other parts of the rail infrastructure need to be adapted.
View event43,152 trains
In the opening months, traffic in the new Gotthard Base Tunnel occasionally grinds to a halt. The SBB lay on extra trains to cope.
View eventThe train feels the strain
The Lötschberg Base Tunnel becomes a victim of its own success. Planning for an expansion is already under way.
View eventWhither the mountain routes?
Not everyone is a winner from the NRLA. The future of the world-famous Gotthard mountain route through the Urseren Valley and the Leventina is still undecided.
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