Every 250 metres, an interconnection links the new main tunnel to the safety tunnel and the first Gotthard road tunnel. There will also be several caverns in which the ventilation systems are housed. These will be created at a later time using conventional excavation methods. This will involve drilling a series of holes, which will then be filled with explosives and detonated. The material will then be removed using excavators. This is also the tunnelling method being applied for geological fault zones, where the use of TBM technology isn't suitable. The service tunnel is likewise being created via blasting.

As the tunnel wastewater contains high concentrations of nitrate owing to the use of explosives, it is treated near the portals before subsequently being channelled into natural watercourses.