Gotthard Tunnel closed until 16 August due to freight train derailment

Published on 11-08-2023 at 15:00

A Swiss high speed train entering the Gotthard base tunnel. This is an archival photo for illustration. SCK_Photo / Shutterstock

The Gotthard Base Tunnel is still closed to traffic until 16 August at 23:59, according to the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB). This is because a freight wagon derailed in the tunnel on the afternoon of Thursday 10 August.

“The incident in the Gotthard Base Tunnel happened early Thursday afternoon near the Faido multifunction station. The affected freight train was heading north”, said SBB. The cause of the accident is still being investigated by both SBB and the Swiss Safety Investigation Board. More information is expected to be provided by SBB throughout the day.

No injury and no hazmat leakage, but damages are significant

According to the Ticino cantonal police, the accident occurred around 12:45. The accident did not cause any injury, but led to significant damage to the infrastructure and the rolling stock involved. The cantonal police also noted that, despite the convoy was carrying hazardous goods, nothing leaked. This is quite a significant line on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor, as it links Milan, in Italy, with Zurich, in Switzerland.