The tunnel boring machines have started: the main excavation for the second Gotthard tunnel is now underway.
Last Friday, February 14, 2025, the two tunnel boring machines were put into operation in Göschenen and Airolo. Numerous people, including guests and construction company personnel, took part in the celebrations organized at both portals of the tunnel. Albert Rösti, Federal Councilor and Head of the Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC), emphasized the symbolic value of the project and wished all those involved every success on their journey to the heart of the tunnel.
After five years of preparation, the main phase of construction of the second tube of the Gotthard tunnel has begun. The Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) has officially started the excavation with two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) with a diameter of 12.3 meters and weighing 2000 tons, starting from Göschenen and Airolo. The tunnel boring machines will advance about 18 meters per day, with the meeting scheduled for the spring of 2027 and the final ceremony in the fall of 2027. The new tunnel will be operational in 2030, allowing for the renovation of the existing tunnel.
Vision, connections and trust
At the ceremony to launch the tunnel boring machines for the second Gotthard tunnel, Federal Councilor Albert Rösti emphasized the importance of this new infrastructure project to improve connections between the Swiss regions, in particular Ticino, guaranteeing safety and good road conditions in every season. Together with the representatives of the cantons of Ticino and Uri, he praised the technical skills involved and thanked the local population for their support. With the start of the mechanical cutters, the project has officially entered its operational phase.
Key project for the Swiss construction industry
After years of preparation, excavation of the second Gotthard tunnel has begun using two tunnel boring machines manufactured by Herrenknecht. The work has been entrusted to two consortium: ARGE Secondo tubo (Implenia Svizzera SA and Frutiger AG) for the north side, with a budget of 467 million francs, and Consorzio Gottardo Sud (Marti Tunnel SA, Mancini & Marti SA and Ennio Ferrari SA) for the south side, with a budget of 499 million francs. With almost a billion francs invested, the project represents one of the most important infrastructure works for the cantons of Ticino and Uri.
