The Swiss New Rail Link through the Alps (NRLA) is an innovative railway system consisting of three major tunnels carved through the Alps in Switzerland. While two tunnels have been completed, one is still undergoing significant expansion work. The NRLA includes the Gotthard Base Tunnel, which holds the title of the world’s longest railway tunnel, along with the Ceneri Base Tunnel and the Lötschberg Base Tunnel. Despite the NRLA being finalized in 2020, the expansion of the Lötschberg Base Tunnel is currently in progress and is expected to be finished by 2035.
This ambitious project, with an estimated cost of around 12.2 billion Swiss francs (£11.3 billion), aims to reduce road traffic and minimize environmental impact. The Swiss New Rail Link connects eight cities across two countries, encompassing Zurich, Basel, Lugano, Bellinzona, Lucerne, and Bern in Switzerland, as well as Milan and Genoa in Italy.
Switzerland has excavated more than 1,400 tunnels beneath its terrain over the years, spanning a total length of 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) underground. According to reports from the Express, the NRLA is considered the largest construction venture in the history of Swiss railways. The Gotthard Base Tunnel, which became operational in 2016 and stretches 57 kilometers, holds the record as the longest railway tunnel globally, taking 17 years to complete.
The Ceneri Base Tunnel, measuring 15.4 kilometers in length, is the third largest NRLA project. The Federal Council aims to upgrade the Lötschberg Base Tunnel to double tracks by approximately 2034, enhancing capacity and operational efficiency to enable a continuous half-hourly service for passenger transportation.
Another significant ongoing project is the Brenner Base Tunnel (BBT), designed to connect Austria and Italy.