The first passenger train to travel through the longest rail tunnel in the world departed Zurich Sunday morning, after 17 years of construction.

The 57-kilometer (35-mile) Gotthard Base Tunnel officially opened six months ago in a colorful ceremony attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

At 6:09 a.m. the EC11 express train to Lugano was the first regular passenger train to depart for the tunnel after thousands of test runs.

Some passengers shared their excitement ahead of the journey on social media.

The journey through the tunnel takes about 20 minutes, shaving 30 minutes off the route from the north of Switzerland to the south. When the 15-kilometer-long Ceneri Base Tunnel opens in late 2020 it will shave up to an hour off the trip.

Trains will initially travel at 200 kilometers per hour (124 mph) for safety reasons before increasing to 250 kph.

Saint-Gotthard: man and machine vs. rock Exposed to the moods of nature Since ancient times, humans struggled to cross the Saint-Gotthard Massif in the Alps. The mountain range blocks the path from Luzern in the north to Lugano and Milan in the south. Even though it's an inhospitable path, and impossible to use in winter, it remains one of the most direct ways across the central Alps. Travelers need only to cross one single mountain pass.

Saint-Gotthard: man and machine vs. rock A busy route In the Middle Ages, the Gotthard Pass was an important trading route. But it wasn't until the first half of the 19th century that a proper road was built on what used to be not much more than a cow path. Today the road is less relevant for trade, because there are several tunnels below. The road has become a mere tourist attraction.

Saint-Gotthard: man and machine vs. rock Through the rock by rail in the 1880s Long before cars could drive through the mountain in a tunnel, there was a railway line. The first Gotthard railway tunnel is 1150 meters (3773 feet) above the sea. When it was built it was a record construction of 15 kilometers in length. After eight years of work, the breakthrough came in 1880. But 177 workers died during its construction.

Saint-Gotthard: man and machine vs. rock A century later - the first road tunnel One hundred years after the breakthrough of the railway tunnel, a road tunnel was opened. From 1980, cars and trucks were spared the moods of the weather. At 17 kilometers in length, the tunnel is only marginally longer than its railroad counterpart. Within months of opening, it became Europe's main trucking route across the Alps.

Saint-Gotthard: man and machine vs. rock A catastrophe For more than 20 years there were only minor accidents. Then in 2001 there was a catastrophe: two trucks crashed into each other, triggering a massive fire. Eleven people died in the inferno. The tunnel was then upgraded with modern security technology and a separate rescue tunnel. Since then, the number of even minor accidents has gone down considerably.

Saint-Gotthard: man and machine vs. rock Goods back on the railroad The catastrophe brought other change as well. Now, goods are to be transported as much as possible by rail. Switzerland wants to fulfill its obligations as an important European trade route. But it also wants to protect the sensitive mountains from a steadily increasing flow of truck traffic.

Saint-Gotthard: man and machine vs. rock A new base tunnel for cargo and people It's hoped the new Gotthard Base Tunnel, which opens on June 1, 2016, will get about 600,000 trucks off the road annually. Every day 260 cargo trains will go through the tunnel at speeds of up to 160 kilometers (99 miles) per hour. And there will be an additional 65 passenger trains. They will be even faster - up to 250 kilometers per hour.

Saint-Gotthard: man and machine vs. rock Nine years of construction Engineers started construction of the two new 57 kilometer long tunnels in 2007. They include all kinds of security features. A new ventilation system is geared to remove poisonous smoke in the event of a fire, is unique in size and power. Spacious escape routes and rescue rooms are located along the tracks. During the construction 13 workers died, mostly in traffic accidents.

Saint-Gotthard: man and machine vs. rock The breakthrough: 2000 meters deep In 2010 and 2011 building crews achieved a breakthrough. Four huge drilling machines did the job. "Gabi 1," "Gabi 2," "Sissi," and "Heidi." Despite initial fears among engineers that the pressure deep down in the mountain could block the machines, everything went well - and they were a year ahead of schedule. The amount of debris from drilling equals five times the volume of the Pyramid of Cheops.

Saint-Gotthard: man and machine vs. rock Through the mountain in no time A second 15 kilometer tunnel - between Lugano and Bellinzona - is scheduled to be finished by 2020. It will cut travel time between Zurich and Lugano by 45 minutes, down to just two hours. Timing the trains will be a challenge, however. Every four minutes a train will enter one of the tunnels - that's 325 trains per day.

Saint-Gotthard: man and machine vs. rock Beautifull views for locals and tourists The old railroad track will remain in service. It will be used in case of emergencies and to serve local passenger traffic. This baroque church in Wassen is famous - not least because passengers can see it from three different perspectives on a train ride as it winds up the slopes. From now on it will be much quieter here.

Saint-Gotthard: man and machine vs. rock The Gotthard Pass is still worthwile a visit It may be a painstaking ride by car, up the old mountain road, but it is still worthwhile. And without all those trucks, it should make for a much more relaxing trip - enjoy! Author: Fabian Schmidt



Each day about 50 passenger trains and up to 260 freight trains will use the tunnel. The first flat, low-level route through the Alps bypasses a winding mountain track that was opened in 1882.

The 11 billion-euro ($11.6 billion) tunnel has a maximum depth of more than 2,300 meters (7,590 feet), making it the world's deepest tunnel, as well as its longest. Nine people died during its 17-year construction, which was completed a year ahead of schedule.

It pushed Japan's 53.9-kilometer Seikan Tunnel into second place and the 50.5-kilometer Channel Tunnel, which links England to France, into third place.

The official Swiss Tourism account celebrated its opening on Twitter.

The main purpose of the new tunnel was to increase the freight capacity of Switzerland's rail network and reduce the fatal crashes and environmental damage caused by truck freight. Now 260 freight trains can pass through the Gotthard mountain range each day, compared to 180 on the current route.

The monumental project received financial and engineering support from around the European Union.

At the opening ceremony, Merkel said the tunnel was a symbol of the connectedness of people in Europe.

"We have a lot of discussion in the Schengen zone, also because of the refugees, on how we can preserve the freedom of movement within Europe," the chancellor said.

The tunnel "would connect people and cultures and strengthen connections. I think that is wonderful," she added.

aw/jlw (dpa, AFP)