Maria stepped off the train at Erstfeld station, checking her watch as she descended deeper underground. The platform felt otherworldly—pristine walls carved from ancient rock, air that tasted faintly metallic, silence broken only by the distant hum of ventilation systems. Above her head, cows grazed peacefully in Swiss meadows. Below her feet, she was entering what might be the most ambitious underground city ever built.
As her high-speed train whisked her through the mountain at 250 kilometers per hour, Maria had no idea she was traveling through just one small section of Switzerland’s hidden world. Most passengers see only a brief tunnel on their journey. They don’t realize they’re passing through an underground infrastructure so vast it rivals major cities above ground.
For nearly three decades, Switzerland has been quietly carving out a second country inside its mountains—and most of the world hasn’t noticed.
The Hidden City Beneath the Alps
Switzerland’s underground infrastructure represents one of the most ambitious engineering projects in modern history. What started as a plan for faster rail connections has evolved into a subterranean network that spans hundreds of kilometers through solid rock.
The Swiss didn’t just build tunnels—they created an entire underground civilization. Railway tubes stretch for dozens of kilometers, connected by emergency galleries, maintenance halls large enough to house aircraft, ventilation systems that could cool small towns, and backup facilities that ensure the network never fails.
“We’re not just moving people from point A to point B,” explains Dr. Andreas Mueller, a tunnel engineering specialist who worked on multiple Swiss projects. “We’ve essentially built a parallel transportation system that exists completely separate from the surface world.”
The crown jewel is the Gotthard Base Tunnel, stretching 57 kilometers through the heart of the Alps. But that’s just the beginning. Add the Lötschberg Base Tunnel, the Ceneri Base Tunnel, connecting passages, emergency systems, and support infrastructure, and you’re looking at an underground network that dwarfs many surface cities in both volume and complexity.
The Numbers Behind Switzerland’s Underground Marvel
The scale of Switzerland’s underground infrastructure becomes clearer when you look at the raw numbers. Engineers have moved mountains—literally—to create this hidden world.
| Infrastructure Component | Length/Scale | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Gotthard Base Tunnel | 57 km | World’s longest railway tunnel |
| Lötschberg Base Tunnel | 34.6 km | High-speed rail connection |
| Ceneri Base Tunnel | 15.4 km | Completes north-south axis |
| Total excavated rock | 50+ million tonnes | Enough to fill 20,000 Olympic pools |
| Construction timeline | 1990s-2020 | Nearly 30 years of continuous work |
The construction required removing enough rock to build several mountain ranges. Workers used tunnel boring machines the size of apartment buildings, laser-guided drilling systems, and precision blasting techniques that could split rock within millimeters of their targets.
But the tunnels themselves are just part of the story. The Swiss underground infrastructure includes:
- Emergency escape galleries running parallel to main tunnels
- Massive ventilation systems with underground power stations
- Maintenance facilities carved into mountain sides
- Underground water management systems
- Backup communication networks independent of surface systems
- Climate-controlled storage areas for equipment and supplies
“When people think of Swiss tunnels, they imagine a simple tube through a mountain,” notes Elena Rossi, a infrastructure planning consultant. “The reality is we’ve created underground cities with their own power grids, air systems, and emergency services. Some of these facilities are larger than the towns sitting above them.”
How This Underground World Changes Everything
Switzerland’s underground infrastructure isn’t just an engineering marvel—it’s reshaping how an entire country moves, works, and thinks about transportation. The impact reaches far beyond faster train rides.
For travelers, journey times across Switzerland have been cut dramatically. A trip from Zurich to Milan that once took over four hours now takes just under three, with most of that time spent gliding silently through mountain tunnels at speeds that would be impossible on surface routes.
But the real changes go deeper. The underground network has shifted economic patterns across central Europe. Freight that once crawled over mountain passes now moves efficiently through the Alps, making Switzerland a crucial link in European supply chains.
“We’ve essentially moved a significant portion of our transportation system underground,” explains Thomas Weber, a transportation policy researcher. “This frees up surface land for other uses while creating transportation capacity that’s virtually weather-independent.”
The tunnels operate regardless of snowstorms, avalanches, or other weather conditions that regularly shut down surface routes. During severe weather events, the underground network becomes a lifeline, keeping Switzerland connected to the rest of Europe when surface transportation fails.
The environmental benefits are substantial too. By moving traffic underground and enabling more efficient rail transport, Switzerland has reduced vehicle emissions and preserved pristine Alpine landscapes that might otherwise be scarred by expanded highways and rail lines.
Local communities have discovered unexpected advantages. Towns that were once bypassed by slow mountain routes now sit on high-speed corridors. Remote areas have gained better connections to major cities, while tourist regions maintain their unspoiled appearance because the transportation infrastructure is hidden underground.
“The psychological impact is huge,” notes Dr. Sarah Klein, who studies infrastructure psychology. “When you’re traveling at 250 km/h through a mountain, you’re experiencing something that feels almost futuristic. It changes how people think about what’s possible.”
The network continues expanding. New tunnels, upgraded systems, and additional underground facilities are constantly under construction. Switzerland has essentially committed to building its future transportation system inside its mountains, creating a model that other mountainous regions are beginning to study and replicate.
FAQs
How long did it take to build Switzerland’s underground infrastructure?
The major tunnels were built over nearly 30 years, starting in the 1990s and continuing through 2020, with some projects still ongoing.
Is it safe to travel through these long tunnels?
Yes, the tunnels include extensive safety systems including parallel emergency galleries, ventilation systems, and emergency stations every few kilometers.
How much did this underground network cost?
The total investment exceeded 20 billion Swiss francs (about $22 billion USD) for the major rail tunnels alone.
Can regular people visit these underground facilities?
Most of the infrastructure is accessible only to authorized personnel, but some facilities offer guided tours, and travelers can experience the tunnels by taking regular train services.
Are other countries building similar underground networks?
Several countries are studying Switzerland’s model, but none have attempted anything quite this comprehensive. Norway and Austria have significant tunnel projects, but not at this scale.
What happens to all the rock that was excavated?
The excavated material was used for construction projects throughout Switzerland, including building materials for surface infrastructure and land reclamation projects.
About the Author
