We take immense pride in our contribution to the groundbreaking Gotthard Tunnel project, a vital link bridging European corridors from Rotterdam to Genoa. Despite the project's complexity, we successfully delivered the entire railway system, including our cutting-edge signalling system, one year ahead of schedule.
Kurt Sauerwein - Hitachi Rail, Switzerland
Shifting freight from road to rail
Challenge
Switzerland is committed to shifting freight from road to rail. The Gotthard Base Tunnel is tangible evidence of that commitment: stretching for 57km beneath the Alps, it is the longest rail tunnel in the world and it plays a vital role in reducing the impact of road traffic in the fragile Alpine environment.
ETCS Level 2 Signalling
Solution
Hitachi Rail's ETCS Level 2 signalling ensures this landmark asset is used to its full potential.
Speeds of 250km/h
Impact
The new tunnel opened in December 2016, a year ahead of schedule. Trains can now operate at up to 250km/h. The system uses continuous track-to-train radio communications to link trains to the signalling system, shaving an hour off the previous best Zurich-Milan journey time.