MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial Safety in road tunnels in Switzerland
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Another thread on this forum was dealing with the things one should do and should not do while traveling in Switzerland, including etiquette. This thread was branching off in many directions and so I decided to start another thread tied to safety while driving an automobile in Switzerland. There is already a page on this forum with all kinds of important advice, from things as simple as driving on the right side (perhaps a good reminder for those coming from the UK and some former British colonies, plus Japan, Indonesia, and a few other places), shutting off one’s car motor, speed limits, respect for pedestrians, rules for rotaries (they are everywhere !) and the like. http://www.myswissalps.com/ca r/trafficregulations However I see nothing about safety when driving in tunnels.
There are approximately 1800 tunnels to be found all over Switzerland. Most people are familiar with the 57 km Gotthard Base Tunnel, and perhaps the 27 kilometre circumference of the LHC tunnel at CERN, in the Geneva area, with a large part under neighbouring France, but I am concerned with the roughly 470 road tunnels in Switzerland, which totaled 403 kilometres in length as of 2011. You can’t drive very far without going through a tunnel. The longest is the Gotthard at just under 17 kilometres in length. The longer the tunnel, the more you should be aware of safety rules.
I looked at the Touring Club Suisse website to see what they say about safety while driving in tunnels. It is in French, German, and Italian. No English. But here is a summary of the important points, plus a few I have added from personal experience.
If you are going through a long tunnel, like the Gotthard of the Grand St.Bernard, make sure your fuel needle is not near empty. Don’t wait to the last minute to do this ! As you approach, remove your sunglasses.
For all tunnels, respect all the signs, including illuminated ones. These are usually overhead and often tell you which lanes you are allowed to drive in as well as speed limits. Make sure your running lights are on. Keep a safe distance behind the vehicle in front of you. Do not exceed the maximum speed limit. Never make a 180 degree turn !
If your car breaks down, turn on your four-way emergency flashers. If you can, pull off into one of the safety areas (a “niche de secours“* in French), and if one of these is not there, park as close as you can to the right curb. Put on a safety vest (if you have one) and carefully leave your car, and walk to the nearest SOS phone, this being preferable to using your own mobile phone. In the French part of Switzerland, the nickname for a mobile phone is “natel” and in the German part it is “Handy“. Once you have called for help, walk carefully back to your vehicle, and wait for help to arrive. *TCS uses the expression “niche de secours” but I prefer “une aire de stationnement d’urgence”.
In the case of an accident, all the above applies as well, with the addition of trying to help anybody that has been injured.
If you see a traffic jam ahead (a “bouchon” in French) put on your four-way emergency flashers, and slow down as soon as you can and stop, keeping a good five metres behind the vehicle in front of you. All vehicles should stop as close to the curb (left or right if there are two lanes) to allow emergency vehicles to pass. Turn off your motor as soon as you are stopped, and stay in your vehicle. Listen to traffic information on the car radio (it won’t be in English).
If there is a vehicle somewhere ahead of you that is on fire, turn on your four-way flashers and stop as soon as you can, keeping your distance as much as possible. If you see a niche de secours that you can pull into, do so. Otherwise, park as close as you can to the curb. You should never attempt to do a 180 turn or put your vehicle in reverse. If it is your vehicle on fire try to roll to the end of the tunnel. If this is not possible, try to roll into a niche de secours. Shut off the motor and leave the key in the ignition. Immediately call for help, preferably from a SOS box. If the fire is just starting, try to extinguish it with a fire extinguisher (if you have one). If not, get out of the tunnel through one of the emergency exits (“sortie de secours” in French and “Notausgänge” in German) helping anybody that needs help.
NEVER FORGET: Fire and smoke can be deadly. Save your life rather than your car and personal effects. Obey all instructions from safety personnel and signs.
Accidents can happen in tunnels, often with heartbreaking results, even in Switzerland, which we like to think is so safe. Many of us remember the bus accident, back in March of 2012, in a tunnel on the A9 near Sierre (Valais) when 28 people, including 22 schoolchildren, mostly Belgian, perished when the bus they were traveling in crashed into the far wall of an emergency pull-off area.
Pour ceux qui peuvent lire le français, voici le lien TCS: Conduire dans un tunnel
Wenn Sie Deutsch lesen können, hier ist der TCS-Link:Fahren im Tunnel
It’s also available in Italian ! Guidare in Galleria
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Hi Peterli-
Thanks. Good idea.
The newer tunnels often have separate tunnels for the two directions. And, good ventilation and frequent safety areas for pulling off the roadway. The older ones, such as the 17 km Gotthard, are quite stressful for me to drive.. If i recall correctly from many years ago, there is no physical separation between the traffic moving in the opposite direction. Makes me nervous in a long tunnel..
Slowpoke
Hej,
I remember, when I was only twenty, going from Martigny up to the the Grand St. Bernard on a motorcycle in a snowstorm in January, with a friend. When we got up to the tunnel, it was such a relief to be out of the snow. It was dark by then and but we were out of the cold. As we zoomed along, we could feel it getting warmer. When we came out on the Italian side, there was no snow (what a difference less than 6 kilometres can make), and so the drive down to Aosta, even though it was still pitch dark, was a piece of cake.
When I drove back to Switzerland from Milano a few years ago (this time in a car) I didn’t use the tunnel. I made it to the top, in the dark, and stayed there for the night. I went back out to my car and there was snow on the windows. When the next morning arrived there was no snow and I drove down to Martigny. That was in early October and they closed the road the very next day for the Winter. My advice to you, if you are uneasy in the tunnels with two way traffic, is to go over the top ! It’s much more fun, and the scenery is obviously better.
As far as I know, all the tunnels on the autoroutes (like the A5 in Neuchâtel) have two tubes, one for each direction, this unless they are doing repairs. I’m sure you are aware of the state of the road and tunnels from Bienne to La Neuveville !
Thanks for posting this detailed and very useful information Peter, much appreciated!
Hi Slowpoke,
The Gotthard road tunnel still has one tube only for both directions. The traffic is pretty well regulated, but there is indeed oncoming traffic. A second tube will be constructed the coming years.
Thanks Arno –
<<“The Gotthard road tunnel still has one tube only for both directions.”>>
I only did it once or twice, but that memory is not pleasant. I recall that the ventilation is not what one might hope for, as well.
Peterli had a good suggestion. I should try the old road.
I’m thinking about the series of tunnels alongside the Walensee. My memory won’t provide a clear picture, but I think they also have a single tunnel with two-way traffic.
May, maybe, also along the Sarnersee, under Sachseln.
The short ones are not too bad, but the length of the Gotthard road tunnel contributes to the unease.
I suppose that a barrier between lanes is not practical, but I always wonder.
Slowpoke
I meant to add that if you feel a shaking in your car it might be a flat tire. In such a case, slow down and try to pull into one of the safety areas (“niches de secours“). It’s better to ruin a tire than to get rear-ended.
Attached is a a document from the TCS website, called “Les anges gardiens dans le tunnel” or The Guardian Angels in the Tunnel. Again, I am sorry that this is not available in English. However, it’s pretty easy to figure out the labels beside each of the photos.
Attachments:
<< I’m thinking about the series of tunnels alongside the Walensee. My memory won’t provide a clear picture, but I think they also have a single tunnel with two-way traffic. >> The tunnels on the A3 on the south side of the Wallensee are all double, with the westbound one usually a bit lower in elevation than the eastbound one. You will like the attached image (one of my favourite lakes). My experience has always been that when traveling on major Autoroutes, there will be two tunnels. This is definitely not the case when it comes to secondary roads, and also the Sachselntunnel on the A8 on the east side of the Sarnersee. The second attachment shows the tunnel one drives through just west of Le Locle to go to France. It is only about 100 metres long but is always busy with frontaliers coming from France to work in Le Locle and La Chaux-de-Fonds and Neuchâtelois going over to Morteau in France to shop !
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