Furka Tunnel
Encyclopedia
The Furka Base Tunnel is a 15.4 km long Swiss rail tunnel
that connects Oberwald (at 1369 metres above sea level
) in the Canton of Valais with Realp
(at 1538 m) in the Canton of Uri
. The base tunnel replaced the previous overland track that climbed to an apex of 2160 metres above sea level at the Furka stop below Furka Pass
(2431 m). The old line has partly been reopened by the Furka Heritage Railway for touristic trains which pass the Furka Pass via the 1,8 km Furka Summit Tunnel
.
The base tunnel allows the Matterhorn-Gotthard train to provide year-round service to its entire network. Previously, the overland route closed during the winter months because of heavy snowfall and large sections of the overhead electrical lines had to be dismantled. In 1976, the Parliament of Switzerland passed a bill for its construction, sponsored by Roger Bonvin
, following an initial cost estimate of 76 million francs
.
The construction costs quickly escalated due to the difficult geological conditions and, in the end, exceeded 300 million Francs. The political fighting surrounding the cost overruns are said to have contributed to Roger Bonvin's ill health toward the end of the project and he died just before its opening in 1982.
In its initial year of operation, the base tunnel was used to transport more than 75,000 passenger cars, trucks and buses. Currently, it also serves both an hourly regional train and 10 daily Glacier Express
trains between Zermatt
and the ski resort town of St. Moritz
. During the winter skiing season, traffic in the tunnel consistently approaches maximum capacity.
A plaque commemorating Roger Bonvin is installed as the base tunnel's entrance in Oberwald.
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
that connects Oberwald (at 1369 metres above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
) in the Canton of Valais with Realp
Realp
Realp is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.-Geography:Realp has an area, , of . Of this area, 41.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 2.3% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.6% is settled and the remainder is non-productive...
(at 1538 m) in the Canton of Uri
Canton of Uri
Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss River between Lake Lucerne and the St. Gotthard Pass. German is the primary language spoken in Uri...
. The base tunnel replaced the previous overland track that climbed to an apex of 2160 metres above sea level at the Furka stop below Furka Pass
Furka Pass
Furka Pass is a high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps connecting Gletsch, Valais with Realp, Uri. The Furka-Oberalp-Bahn line through the Furka Tunnel bypasses the pass...
(2431 m). The old line has partly been reopened by the Furka Heritage Railway for touristic trains which pass the Furka Pass via the 1,8 km Furka Summit Tunnel
Furka Summit Tunnel
The Furka Summit Tunnel is a long railway tunnel in southern Switzerland. It lies at an altitude of . The summit tunnel was completed in 1925, and first opened on 3 July 1926...
.
The base tunnel allows the Matterhorn-Gotthard train to provide year-round service to its entire network. Previously, the overland route closed during the winter months because of heavy snowfall and large sections of the overhead electrical lines had to be dismantled. In 1976, the Parliament of Switzerland passed a bill for its construction, sponsored by Roger Bonvin
Roger Bonvin
Roger Bonvin was a Swiss politician and member of the Swiss Federal Council for the Canton of Valais ....
, following an initial cost estimate of 76 million francs
Swiss franc
The franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
.
The construction costs quickly escalated due to the difficult geological conditions and, in the end, exceeded 300 million Francs. The political fighting surrounding the cost overruns are said to have contributed to Roger Bonvin's ill health toward the end of the project and he died just before its opening in 1982.
In its initial year of operation, the base tunnel was used to transport more than 75,000 passenger cars, trucks and buses. Currently, it also serves both an hourly regional train and 10 daily Glacier Express
Glacier Express
The Glacier Express is an express train connecting railway stations of the two major mountain resorts of St. Moritz and Zermatt in the Swiss Alps. The train is operated jointly by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn and Rhaetian Railway...
trains between Zermatt
Zermatt
Zermatt is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a population of about 5,800 inhabitants....
and the ski resort town of St. Moritz
St. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
. During the winter skiing season, traffic in the tunnel consistently approaches maximum capacity.
A plaque commemorating Roger Bonvin is installed as the base tunnel's entrance in Oberwald.