Saint Gotthard << GOT uhrd >> tunnels are three tunnels—one a highway tunnel and the other two railroad tunnels—that run through the Alps in south-central Switzerland. The highway tunnel, called the St. Gotthard Road Tunnel, is one of the world’s longest automobile tunnels. It is 10.5 miles (16.9 kilometers) long. The first railroad tunnel, called the Gotthard Tunnel, is 9.3 miles (15 kilometers) long. The second railroad tunnel, called the Gotthard Base Tunnel, is 35 miles (57 kilometers) long and is the world’s longest railroad tunnel.
The St. Gotthard Road Tunnel and the Gotthard Tunnel run nearly parallel to each other about 3,600 feet (1,100 meters) above sea level. They provide an easy crossing of the central Alps on the route between Switzerland and northern Italy. The railroad tunnel was built between 1872 and 1882. The automobile tunnel was completed in 1980. The Gotthard Base Tunnel cuts through the Alps at a much lower altitude than the other two tunnels. Construction began in 1998 and was completed in 2016.
