DON’T MISS
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingIamExpat Webinars
Newsletters
EXPAT INFO
CAREER
HOUSING
EDUCATION
LIFESTYLE
EXPAT SERVICES
NEWS & ARTICLES
Home
Expat Info
Swiss news & articles
Gotthard tunnel on track for record amount of traffic jams in 2023
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy

Gotthard tunnel on track for record amount of traffic jams in 2023

Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy
or
follow us for regular updates:



Related Stories

7 things expats in Switzerland need to know about in November 20227 things expats in Switzerland need to know about in November 2022
The Grand Tour of Switzerland: What you need to knowThe Grand Tour of Switzerland: What you need to know
Petrol and diesel prices in Switzerland fall to 4-year lowPetrol and diesel prices in Switzerland fall to 4-year low
Pentecost weekend in Switzerland: What traffic and weather can we expect?Pentecost weekend in Switzerland: What traffic and weather can we expect?
Why are traffic jams in Geneva so bad at the moment?Why are traffic jams in Geneva so bad at the moment?
Switzerland debates ban on overcharging expats for car insuranceSwitzerland debates ban on overcharging expats for car insurance
Time spent in Swiss traffic jams more than doubles in 3 yearsTime spent in Swiss traffic jams more than doubles in 3 years
What drivers in Switzerland need to know about Italy's new diesel car banWhat drivers in Switzerland need to know about Italy's new diesel car ban
For expats of all colours, shapes and sizes

Explore
Expat infoCareerHousingEducationLifestyleExpat servicesNews & articles
About us
IamExpat MediaAdvertisePost a jobContact usSitemap
More IamExpat
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingWebinarsNewsletters
Privacy
Terms of usePrivacy policyCookiesAvoiding scams

Never miss a thing!Sign up for expat events, news & offers, delivered once a week.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy


© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Dec 5, 2023
Jan de Boer

Editor at IamExpat Media

Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016. While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more

A new analysis by traffic monitor Viasuisse has revealed that the Gotthard Road Tunnel is on track for a record-breaking year when it comes to traffic jams. In 2023 so far, drivers in Switzerland have collectively spent nearly 3.000 hours waiting in jams on either side of the main axis through the mountains, double the amount recorded in 2012.

Nearly 3.000 hours of traffic jams at the Gotthard Road Tunnel 

According to the data, by the end of October 2023, there had been 1.463 hours when the motorway leading up to the southern end of the Gotthard had been jammed up. The northern end saw even more log jams, coming in at 1.513 hours. Viasuisse predicted that by the end of the year, between 1.500 and 1.700 hours of traffic jams will be recorded on either side of the tunnel - a new record.

The organisation noted that the number of jams north, south and in the tunnel has doubled since 2012. Speaking to Blick, a spokesperson for the Federal Roads Office (Astra) explained that this is mainly due to the high levels of traffic during public and school holidays. They added that the days off at Easter, Ascension and the months of July and August saw the highest frequency of jams, but conceded that traffic increased on “all weekends from mid-March to mid-October.”

Experts explained that the Gotthard is particularly vulnerable due to its limited capacity, as the road can only handle 1.000 vehicles per hour. With over 800.000 vehicles looking to use the tunnel each year, any poor or miss-timed manoeuvre can lead to kilometre-long traffic jams. “It only takes a little in heavy traffic - changing lanes at the wrong moment, which triggers a braking wave - and the traffic comes to a standstill”, noted Astra spokesperson Thomas Rohrbach.

Swiss cities beset by traffic issues

However, the Gotthard is not the only road in Switzerland with low capacity and high demand, with Astra noting that the motorway from the Gubrist Tunnel near Zurich to Winterthur has slow or stationary traffic around 33 percent of the time. Motorway sections around Zurich, Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lucerne, St. Gallen, Lugano and Bellinzona are all major hotspots for jams. 

The problems at the Gotthard have led local authorities to institute a number of measures and proposals to try and reduce traffic at the tunnel. Some on the cantonal level have even called for a toll to be implemented on either side of the tunnel, although this has been rejected by federal lawmakers thus far.

Thumb image credit: UJ Alexander / Shutterstock.com

By Jan de Boer