The Swiss New Rail Link through the Alps (NRLA) is a groundbreaking railway project that involves the construction of three base tunnels beneath the Alps in Switzerland. While two of the tunnels have been completed, one tunnel is currently undergoing significant expansion work and is expected to be finished by 2035.
The NRLA comprises the Gotthard Base Tunnel, which is the world’s longest railway tunnel, along with the Ceneri Base Tunnel and the Lötschberg Base Tunnel. The overall cost of the project is around 12.2 billion Swiss francs (£11.3 billion, seeking to reduce road traffic and minimize environmental impact.
The Swiss New Rail Link connects eight cities across two countries, including Zurich, Basel, Lugano, Bellinzona, Lucerne, and Bern in Switzerland, as well as Milan and Genoa in Italy.
Switzerland has constructed over 1,400 tunnels spanning 2,000 kilometers beneath its terrain over the years. The NRLA is considered the largest construction endeavor in Swiss railway history. The Gotthard Base Tunnel, which became operational in 2016 and spans 57 kilometers, took 17 years to build.
The Ceneri Base Tunnel, measuring 15.4 kilometers, is the third-largest project within the NRLA. Plans are in place to expand the Lötschberg Base Tunnel to accommodate two tracks by 2034 to enhance capacity and operational efficiency, enabling a continuous half-hourly service for passenger transport.
Another significant ongoing project is the Brenner Base Tunnel (BBT), which will connect Austria and Italy.