Gotthard

8 Highlights of the Gotthard Massif

• The postbus travels between Airolo and Andermatt in 1.5 hours, offering a scenic journey across the Gotthard Pass. You can hop off here and get back on later.
• The Gotthard Museum “Sasso Gottardo” features exhibitions about the Gotthard, including parts of the old fortress inside the mountain.
• The pass summit is considered a power spot, and you'll find several small and larger lakes here.
• The Gotthard Pass is 26 km long and connects various mountain peaks along the ridge.
• The hospice at the Gotthard Pass has not only a restaurant but also hotel rooms if you want to stay longer.
• Hiking in the Gotthard Massif is very popular. You can find mostly moderate to difficult hikes here due to the elevation differences.
• The Gotthard road tunnel is 16.9 km long and accommodates between 17,000 and 34,000 vehicles daily.
• The 57 km long Gotthard Base Tunnel also crosses the Gotthard Massif, used by the Gotthard railway. It is the longest railway tunnel in the world.

The Gotthard Pass

Already in the 13th century, the Gotthard Pass became one of the most important Alpine crossings. The Schöllenen Gorge was made accessible with the construction of the Devil's Bridge. Back then, it existed as a mule track, which was already three meters wide in some places. However, there were always bottlenecks and dangerous sections in other areas. At that time, around 12,000 people crossed the mule track each year. It was continuously expanded and improved.

At the top of the pass, at an altitude of 2,091 m above sea level, a chapel and a goods transfer point were built. Later, an inn and a refuge (hospice) followed. The Gotthard Pass continued to develop, first with post coaches, then the Gotthardbahn, and finally cars.

Today, the Gotthard Pass serves as a direct transportation route across a mountain ridge, connecting a series of mountain peaks of the Gotthard massif. These peaks are merely separated by mountain saddles and passes. The Gotthard Pass is 26 km long.

Bus trip over the Gotthard Pass

Between Andermatt and Airolo, you have the chance to take the postbus over the Gotthard Pass. The journey lasts about 1.5 hours, and the postbus on line 110 runs several times a day along this route. It’s worth getting off at the pass summit to visit the Sasso San Gottardo Museum or simply enjoy the nature and the view.

• Gotthard Postbus ride between Andermatt and Airolo

You can also take a 4-pass bus trip that takes you over the Grimsel, Nufenen, Gotthard, and Susten passes, climbing more than 10,366 meters in altitude.

Seen at Gotthard Pass and Hikes Around Gotthard

On both sides of Gotthard Pass, you’ll find several lakes. A lovely hike takes you to five mountain lakes in about 4 hours and 30 minutes.

These are:

• Lago di Lucendro
• Laghi della Valletta
• Laghi d'Orsirora
• Lago d'Orsino
• Lago della Piazza.

Another hike includes an additional lake. In the southern part of Gotthard Pass, you’ll discover some beautiful viewpoints like Punto Panoramico San Gottardo. You can see the winding Tremola street, and later on, you’ll have a direct view into the Bedretto Valley.

Some Hiking Trails at Gotthard

Hiking Trail	Length (km)	Duration (hrs)	Elevation Gain (m)	Difficulty	Route
Lake Hike	13.3	4:30	489↑	medium	Gotthard Hospiz - Lago di Lucendro - Lago d'Orsino - Lago die Orsirora - two larger and several smaller lakes - back to Lago di Lucendro
From Gotthard to Capanna Piansecco	15.1	4:30	373 ↑	medium	Galleria Banchi bus stop on the Gotthard Pass road - Alpe di Cavanna - Gotthard Pass road
Gotthard Pass 6-Lake Hike	13.2	4:10	643 ↑	medium	Summit - Lago di Lucendro – Cassina della Gana (2232 m) – Laghetto – Laghi della Valletta (2468 and 2432 m) – Larghi d’Orsirora – Lago d’Orsino – Cassina di Giacobbe – Mottolone – Gotthard Pass
Airolo - Hospental	17.2	6:00	967↑	hard	Airolo - Gotthard - Hospental
Hospental - Gotthard Pass	8.8	3:10	656↑	medium	part of the old post coach road and ancient mule path

At Lago della Piazza, you'll also find the entrance to the museum and the St. Gotthard Hospiz. If you want to stay a bit longer, you can grab a bite to eat or even spend the night at the hospiz.

Four Springs at Gotthard

Four springs originate at Gotthard and later form great rivers:

• Rhine
• Rhône
• Reuss
• Ticino

A five-day hike takes you to the five springs, starting from Oberalppass. The tour ends at the Rhône Glacier. Along the way, there are SAC huts where you can stay overnight.

Hiking Stage	from	to	Overnight	Distance (km)
first stage	Oberalppass	Rhine Spring	Vermigel Hut	14.5
second stage	Rhine Spring	over Giübin to Gotthard Pass	Hospice, Albergo, and group accommodation	13.0
third stage	Gotthard Pass	Reuss Spring	Piansecco Hut	21.5
fourth stage	Reuss Spring	Ticino Spring Area	Hotels in Ulrichen or Obergesteln	20.0
fifth stage	Ticino Spring Area	Rhône Spring	Hotel Glacier du Rhône in Gletsch	17.0

The Sasso San Gottardo Museum

In the once top-secret fort Sasso da Pigna, you'll find the Sasso San Gottardo Museum today. Built during World War II, this fort was primarily designed to protect against attacks from Italy. The kilometers of tunnels and caverns hide deep within the mountain. There are two sections here: the "historical fort" section and the "exhibitions" section.

Exhibitions Section

The exhibitions section includes the following parts: |Exhibition| Special Feature| |--------------|---| |Caverna Grande with image machine 'Reduit' by Tullio Zanovello|Moving paintings tell the old legends and myths of the Gotthard for 30 minutes| |Giant Crystals |1.5 tons of pure, up to meter-high rock crystals | |Wonder Room| Exhibition about making jewelry with quartz crystals from the mountain cantons | |The Gotthard Myth| The different phases of the Gotthard myth: naming, Goethe's Gotthard myth, the Tell saga, to the Reduit of General Guisan, whose centerpiece was the Gotthard fort. | |Goethe at the Gotthard|Highlights of his travels through Switzerland; he traveled to the Gotthard three times; here Goethe intensely engaged with the Tell saga | |Light Show Watershed Gotthard|At 3025 m above sea level, there is a tabletop-sized rock slab. At this point, precipitation splits into three significant watercourses: the Rhine, the Rhone, and the Ticino.| |Energy Cavern|The original diesel generators produced the fortress's energy needs|

A special feature is the use of the rest tunnel. If you’ve booked a ticket for a small or large tour, you can enjoy the tranquility in the tunnel in a deck chair. You’re welcome to bring a sleeping bag and pillow.

Metro del Sasso

You reach the Metro del Sasso through a long connecting tunnel. You cover the 80 m with an inclined lift. Previously, soldiers used a staircase with 475 steps. It takes you directly down to the "historical fort" section.

Historical Fort

Deep inside the mountain, you can visit the former troop shelters, gun positions, and ammunition depots. Everything is preserved authentically. From here, a side tunnel leads you to a panoramic platform with a wonderful view.

You can reach the museum on foot, 300 m from the postbus stop "Gotthard Passhöhe". If you’re driving, there are free parking spaces at the entrance.

Gotthard Tunnel

There are actually two Gotthard Tunnels: the Gotthard Base Tunnel and the Gotthard Road Tunnel.

The Gotthard Base Tunnel

The Gotthard Base Tunnel has been in operation since 2016. It partially replaced the 1882 railway summit tunnel. Its length is 57 km, making it the longest railway tunnel in the world. Up to 65 passenger trains and 200–260 freight trains pass through the tunnel daily.

The Gotthard Base Tunnel is part of the Gotthard railway and crosses the Alps in a north-south direction.

The Gotthard Panorama Express between Lucerne and Lugano does not go through the Gotthard Base Tunnel, but rather through the old mountain tunnel.

The Gotthard Road Tunnel

The Gotthard Road Tunnel is used by cars and trucks. It is 16.9 km long, making it the longest road tunnel in the Alps. Between 17,000 and 34,000 vehicles pass through it each day.

Mountain Peaks of the Gotthard Massif

The Gotthard Massif is home to several mountain peaks. Here are the most notable ones listed from west to east: |Mountain Peak| Height (m a.s.l.) | |--------------|------| |Pizzo Gallina| 3061 | |Pizzo Rotondo| 3192 | |Pizzo Lucendro| 2963 | |Pizzo Centrale| 2999 | |Piz Blas| 3019 | |Piz Gannaretsch| 3040 | |Pizzo del Sol| 2773 |

Passes around the Gotthard Massif

You can reach the Gotthard Massif via several passes. From the west, you can access it over the Nufenen Pass or the Furka Pass. In the north, there's the Oberalp Pass, and to the east is the Lukmanier Pass. The Gotthard Pass crosses the Gotthard.

Overview of the Passes at the Gotthard Massif

Pass	Location at Gotthard Massif	Height (m a.s.l.)
Nufenen Pass	Southwest	2478
Furka Pass	Northwest	2429
Oberalp Pass	North	2044
Lukmanier Pass	Northeast	1915
Gotthard Pass	Central (Airolo-Andermatt)	2106