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The construction: Basic concept & key figures
Basic concept
The Lötschberg base tunnel is currently the most modern, secure and technically complex rail tunnel in the world.
It was designed with twin single-track tubes to ensure optimum reliability, but for financial reasons, only one of the tubes was fully equipped, while the second was left largely as a shell (see page 46 for possible expansion phases). The two tubes are connected by transverse tunnels at 333-metre intervals, meaning that each main tunnel serves as the evacuation tunnel of the other. All systems are duplicated in the tunnel. This “twin installation” means that operations can continue in the event of any technical problems.Construction key figures
| Base tunnel length | 34.6 km |
| Total of tunnelled tubes and galleries with cross-passages: |
88.1 km 91.8 km |
| Axial distance between tunnel tubes | 40 m |
| Number of cross-passages between tubes | 104 |
| Elevation at Frutigen north portal | 776.5 m.ü.M. |
| Elevation at highest point | 828.2 m.ü.M. |
| Elevation at Raron south portal | 654.2 m.ü.M. |
| Min. gradient | 3 ‰ |
| Max. gradient | 13 ‰ |
| Total of excavated material Entspricht Anzahl Lastwagen |
16.6 Mio. tonnes (= approx. 830,000 lorry loads) |
| Investment volume | CHF 4'300 Mio. |
Further information:
» Basic concept & key figures
Tunnel sections:
