Brand-new cycling tunnel under Zurich HB to open on May 22

Over 13 years after the plans were first proposed, Zurich finally has its own, brand-new cycling tunnel. The opening of the tunnel beneath the city’s main station is expected to reduce accidents and boost cycling numbers across the region.

Cycling tunnel underneath Zurich HB to be officially opened

At 6pm on May 22, the brand new City Tunnel will be officially opened to the public, coinciding with the beginning of the Cycle Week festival on Europaallee. The new connection, hailed as “historic” and a “milestone” for transport in the city by councillors Simone Brander, Karin Rykart and Michael Baumer, will allow cyclists to pass between the north and south of Zurich HB without interacting with cars.

The new 192-metre tunnel is more than a decade in the making, having first been proposed by Pro Velo Zurich back in 2011. As any Tsüri cycling enthusiast will tell you, the series of unprotected painted cycle lanes which weave around the cars and trams of Switzerland’s busiest station, Central, Sihlpost and Silhquai, are at best confusing and at worst a serious safety hazard.

Therefore, Pro Velo proposed that a new cycling tunnel be built in a disused section of motorway, which was constructed underneath the station between 1955 and the 1980s. Originally envisioned as the location where the A1 and A3 motorways meet, the passage has been disused since the plans were shelved, and the local council had even planned to demolish it before Pro Velo submitted their plan.

In 2021, the people of Zurich finally gave their approval to the project, with Pro Velo winning 74 percent of the vote at referendum. Construction began in earnest in 2022, at a cost of 38,6 million francs.

Video: Stadt Zürich / YouTube

Cyclists will be able to pass through Zurich HB without interacting with cars

The new tunnel will begin at the northern side of Zurich HB at Sihlquai, passing underneath the platforms before emerging at Kasernenstrasse, opposite the headquarters of Swiss Post. It’s hoped the new tunnel will help reduce road accidents in the area and promote greener journeys. 1.300 bike parking places will also be available within the tunnel itself.

Speaking to 20 Minuten, Pro Velo managing director Yvonne Ehrensberger called the new tunnel a “symbol” as it is the first construction project in Zurich designed solely for cyclists. She added that the number of cyclists in the city has nearly doubled since 2011, and that "with the city tunnel, the numbers are guaranteed to continue to rise".

What’s more, this won’t be the last cycling project to be inaugurated in the Swiss metropolis. Among other projects, plans are afoot to redesign Kasernenstrasse to make more room for cyclists, while a new double-lane cycle track is set to be built from the tunnel’s exit at Sihlquai all the way to Dammsteg.