The new Gotthard Tunnel – Switzerland through and through. The centrepiece of the new north-south Gotthard corridor. 2 With 57 kilometres, the new Gotthard Tunnel is the longest railway tunnel in the world and forms the centrepiece of the New Rail Link through the Alps (NRLA). It ­embodies­Swiss­values­such­as­innovation,­precision­and­reliability­and­connects­ people­and­goods­in­the­north­and­south­more­quickly­and­more­reliably.­ AlpTransit­Gotthard­AG­(ATG),­a­subsidiary­of­SBB,­built­the­Gotthard­Base­Tunnel­on behalf­of­the­Federal­Government.­ATG­is­also­responsible­for­the­construction­of­ the 15-kilometre-long­Ceneri­Base­Tunnel,­which­is­due­to­go­into­operation­in­late­ 2020.­The­Gotthard­Base­Tunnel­will­be­put­into­operation­on­schedule­on­ 11 ­December­2016­after­17­years­of­construction.­Further­information­is­available­at­ www.gottardo2016.ch. The­Ceneri­Base­Tunnel­will­create­a­continuous­flat­rail­route­through­the­Alps­and­ customers­will­be­able­to­benefit­fully­from­the­new­north-south­Gotthard­corridor­ from­late­2020­with­the­opening­of­the­4-metre­corridor­for­freight­traffic.­Goods­will­ be­transported­more­efficiently­and­in­a­more­environment-friendly­manner and­ passengers­will­have­a­faster­and­more­comfortable­journey.­ Freight­traffic­is­becoming­more­efficient­and­more­ ­environment-friendly. When­it­comes­to­freight­traffic,­the­new­Gotthard­Tunnel­will­bring­increased­ 3 ­capacity,­faster­connections­and­greater­reliability.­SBB­Cargo­customers­will­receive­ efficient,­congestion-free­and­environment-friendly­solutions­for­their­logistics­ ­requirements.­With­up­to­750-metre-long­trains,­SBB­Cargo­will­be­able­to­operate­ even­more­efficiently.­As­of­the­2016/2017­timetable­change,­four­freight­trains­ will be­able­to­travel­in­each­direction­every­hour­during­the­day.­Up­to­three­deliveries­ and­collections­will­thus­be­made­every­day­at­busy­operating­points­in­Ticino. For­international­transit­traffic,­the­new­Gotthard­Base­Tunnel­marks­a­first­major­step­ towards­the­flat­rail­route­through­the­Alps.­With­the­Ceneri­Base­Tunnel­and­the­ 4-metre­corridor­(for­transporting­4-metre-high­semi-trailers­by­train),­rail­will­become­ significantly­more­competitive­on­the­north-south­corridor.­From­the­end­of­2020,­ freight­trains­will­be­able­to­transport­up­to­2,000­tonnes­instead­of­the­1,600­or­so­ tonnes that they do today. Passengers­will­have­a­faster­and­more­comfortable­ journey. 4 Faster,­more­frequent­and­more­convenient­connections­as­well­as­new­and­modern- ised­rolling­stock­will­considerably­increase­the­transport­quality­on­the­north- south corridor.­Customers­will­also­benefit­from­more­seats.­The­improvements­will­ take­effect­gradually­from­2016­onwards­and­provide­their­full­benefit­from­late­2020. From­late­2016,­for­example,­the­journey­from­Zurich­to­Lugano­will­take­up­to­ 30 minutes­less­than­it­does­today.­When­the­Ceneri­Base­Tunnel­is­in­operation­too, you­will­be­able­to­reach­Lugano­from­Zurich­in­less­than­two­hours.­From­late­ 2020,­the­journeys­between­German-speaking­Switzerland­and­Ticino­will­be­around 45­minutes­shorter.­In­addition­to­long-distance­traffic,­regional­traffic­in­Ticino­ will also­be­significantly­increased,­the­connections­between­Lugano,­Bellinzona­and­ Locarno­will­be­upgraded­from­late­2020­and­travel­times­will­be­considerably­ shorter. SBB­will­continue­to­operate­the­historic­mountain­route,­which­is­popular­with­ ­tourists,­and­help­to­boost­and­develop­the­tourism­industry­in­the­Gotthard­region. Late 2016 Faster through the Gotthard region Start of operations for the Gotthard Base Tunnel (SOO GBT) Basel Zurich–Milan: 3,5 hours, service every two hours Olten Zurich New EC service: Zurich–Venice Zug Zurich–Lugano in 2 hours 10 minutes Lucerne New kind of services on the mountain line Arth-Goldau Integration in TILO New stops in Ambri-Piotta and Lavorgo Erstfeld Late 2019 More comfortable journeys with Late 2016 SOO GBT new rolling stock Giruno-trains for EC Zurich–Milan Late 2020 Faster and more frequently through the Ceneri Bellinzona Start of operations for the Late 2020 Ceneri Base Tunnel (SOO CBT) Lugano SOO CBT Zurich–Milan: 3 hours, hourly service 2021 target between Zurich and Milan in peak hours half-hourly Half-hourly service between hourly German-speaking Switzerland and Ticino some services Milan to Venice Giruno trains for IC services too Double-deck trains possible; more seats at peak times New line Locarno–Lugano and more relations in the regional traffic Development­of­the­access­routes­for­customers­to­ ­benefit­fully. In­order­for­customers­to­benefit­fully­from­the­Gotthard­corridor,­SBB­is­improving­ 5 access­routes­to­the­base­tunnels­and,­by­2020,­will­complete­a­continuous­ ­4-metre­corridor­from­Basel­to­the­Italian­border.­Therefore,­once­the­Gotthard­Base­ Tunnel­comes­into­operation,­construction­activity­will­intensify­on­the­Gotthard­ ­corridor.­To­the­north,­the­priorities­are­at­Lake­Zug­and­Axen,­while­in­the­south,­they lie­in­the­Bellinzona­area.­A­number­of­tunnels­will­also­be­renovated­or­con- structed. This concentration of construction sites in terms of time and space repre- sents­a­major­challenge­for­timetable­stability­and­carries­the­risk­of­delays­and­ connection­problems.­The­timetable­is­operating­despite­these­construction­sites,­but it­is­more­­vulnerable.­With­a­range­of­measures­relating­to­rolling­stock,­construc- tion and­operations,­SBB­will­limit­the­impact­on­customers­as­much­as­possible­until­ the­25 construction­projects­are­completed. New Bözberg tunnel 1 1 2 2 3 1 1 Immensee–Steinen, 1 Lake Zug: maintenance and 1 Axensee track renovation various upgrades double tracking 2 Bellinzona tracks 750 m 2 Arth-Goldau station 2 Arth-Goldau station 3 Dragonato tunnel 3 Crocetto/Giustizia tunnel 3 Axensee track renovation 4 Giubiasco track 36 4 Bellinzona station, northern 4 Bellinzona tracks 750 m 5 Locarno line approach and platforms 5 Svitto tunnel and Bellinzona, 6 Paradiso and San Martino 5 southern approach Giubiasco track 36 tunnel 6 Luino line 6 Coldrerio tunnel 7 Chiasso tracks 750 m 7 Giubiasco signal box, 8 southern approach, track 36 Chiasso signal box 3 8 Lugano-Paradiso, various upgrades 9 Maroggia tunnel 4 4 2 5 5 3 6 7 5 4 8 6 9 6 7 8 2016 2017/2018 2019/2020 Start of operations Start of operations Gotthard Base Tunnel Ceneri Base Tunnel and 4-metre corridor New standards, including in terms of safety. 6 The­Gotthard­Base­Tunnel­(GBT)­has­cutting-edge­safety­equipment: • Various­systems­on­the­access­routes­detect­any­defects­on­the­trains­before­ they enter the tunnel. • The sophisticated operating concept and cutting-edge automatic train safety ensure that the trains run safely at high speeds, three minutes apart from each other. • The­two­emergency­stop­stations­at­Sedrun­and­Faido­form­the­basis­for­rapid­ evacuations. • Every­325­metres,­passages­to­the­parallel­tube­provide­quick­access­to­a­safe­ space. • Emergency lighting, handrails and signs help train passengers to get out of ­danger­themselves.­ Biasca­and­Erstfeld­have­maintenance­and­intervention­centres,­from­where fire-fighting­and­rescue­trains­can­enter­the­tunnel. 57 kilometres – two entrances. Maintaining­the­longest­railway­tunnel­in­the­world­is­a­major­challenge.­The­ 7 ­57-kilometre-long­tunnel­tubes­are­only­accessible­via­two­entrances.­A­tunnel­tube­ is­closed­for­three­nights­each­time­maintenance­work­is­carried­out.­During­this­ time,­up­to­eleven­workplaces­are­transferred­from­the­new­maintenance­and­inter- vention­centres­(MIC)­in­Biasca­and­Erstfeld­to­the­GBT,­where­they­are­set­up,­ put into­operation­and­then­vacated­and­transferred­back­again.­SBB­has­prepared­ around­3,900­people­for­the­particular­challenges­in­the­Gotthard­Base­Tunnel­–­ and not­just­those­in­maintenance­work:­locomotive­drivers,­train­staff­and­employees­ involved­in­the­train­services­and­tunnel­management­have­also­been­prepared­ for these­challenges. A “control tower” for the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Since­mid-2014,­SBB­has­controlled­and­monitored­the­entire­rail­operations­in­Ticino as­well­as­to­and­from­Arth-Goldau­from­the­south­operations­centre­(OC­south)­ in Pollegio.­OC­south­also­provides­the­passenger­information­in­the­event­of­disrup- tions.­The­160­or­so­employees­in­Pollegio­also­control­and­monitor­the­operation­ of passenger­and­freight­traffic­as­well­as­the­safety­systems­and­the­traction­power supply in the longest railway tunnel in the world. www.sbb.ch 3000 Bern 65,Switzerland 1 Hilfikerstrasse Communications SBB AG June­2016­en­I-PJ-PONS.