Great St Bernard Tunnel
Encyclopedia
The Great St Bernard Tunnel is a road tunnel complementing the Great St Bernard Pass, linking Martigny (in the Swiss
canton of Valais
) with Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses
(in the Aosta Valley, in north western Italy
).
There is a toll to use the tunnel, payable in full even for drivers who already display on their vehicles a Swiss Autobahn vignette. The tunnel comprises a section of the E27
route linking Belfort
with Aosta
.
For most of its 5,798 metres length the tunnel runs in a straight line, but incorporating a gentle slope. The northern end is 1918 m (6,292.7 ft) above sea level while the southern end is only 1875 m (6,151.6 ft) above sea level. At both ends, the approach road to the tunnel is covered by a gallery / avalanche shelter in order to minimize the risk of access to the tunnel being temporarily blocked during bad weather. Any frontier formalities are handled at the tunnel's north end, although the actual national frontier is 2938 m (9,639.1 ft) from the Swiss tunnel entrance and 2860 m (9,383.2 ft) from the Italian entrance.
The name of the tunnel comes directly from that of the Grand St Bernard Pass, and thereby indirectly from the saint
who in 1049 founded the hospice high above the tunnel, that also bears his name. Tourists on the Swiss side additionally find themselves reminded by road side billboards of the saint's association with St Bernard dogs.
The tunnel was opened to traffic on 19 March 1964, having been under construction since 1958. It became the longest road tunnel in the world, replacing the Vielha tunnel
which was opened in 1948.
The approach roads have been progressively improved, and most recently the avalanche covers extended on the southern side. The Mont Blanc
tunnel tragedy of 1999 prompted a major review of road tunnel safety in several countries including Switzerland, and significant safety upgrades are planned for the Grand St Bernard Tunnel. A speed limit of 80 km/h (50 mph) is already in force inside the tunnel.
and Martigny are only single carriageway roads, and for most big city destinations in Switzerland
and Italy
the toll free St Gotthard Tunnel
and Simplon Pass
offer more direct or at least faster routes. This and the toll ensure that the Grand San Bernard Tunnel rarely suffers from the levels of holiday season congestion that plague the more popular Alpine crossing routes, however.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
canton of Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
) with Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses
Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses
Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses is a village and comune in the Aosta Valley region of north-western Italy.-Product:The spicy, PDO recognised pork product Vallée d’Aoste Jambon de Bosses is produced here...
(in the Aosta Valley, in north western Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
).
There is a toll to use the tunnel, payable in full even for drivers who already display on their vehicles a Swiss Autobahn vignette. The tunnel comprises a section of the E27
European route E27
The European route E 27 is a road in Europe, part of the United Nations International E-road network, running from Belfort, France to Aosta, Italy...
route linking Belfort
Belfort
Belfort is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France and is the prefecture of the department. It is located on the Savoureuse, on the strategically important natural route between the Rhine and the Rhône – the Belfort Gap or Burgundian Gate .-...
with Aosta
Aosta
Aosta is the principal city of the bilingual Aosta Valley in the Italian Alps, north-northwest of Turin. It is situated near the Italian entrance of the Mont Blanc Tunnel, at the confluence of the Buthier and the Dora Baltea, and at the junction of the Great and Little St. Bernard routes...
.
For most of its 5,798 metres length the tunnel runs in a straight line, but incorporating a gentle slope. The northern end is 1918 m (6,292.7 ft) above sea level while the southern end is only 1875 m (6,151.6 ft) above sea level. At both ends, the approach road to the tunnel is covered by a gallery / avalanche shelter in order to minimize the risk of access to the tunnel being temporarily blocked during bad weather. Any frontier formalities are handled at the tunnel's north end, although the actual national frontier is 2938 m (9,639.1 ft) from the Swiss tunnel entrance and 2860 m (9,383.2 ft) from the Italian entrance.
The name of the tunnel comes directly from that of the Grand St Bernard Pass, and thereby indirectly from the saint
Bernard of Menthon
Saint Bernard of Menthon , Born in 923, probably in the Château de Menthon near Annecy, in Savoy; died at Novara, 1008. He was descended from a rich, noble family and received a thorough education. He refused an honorable marriage proposed by his father and decided to devote himself to the service...
who in 1049 founded the hospice high above the tunnel, that also bears his name. Tourists on the Swiss side additionally find themselves reminded by road side billboards of the saint's association with St Bernard dogs.
History
Before the tunnel was constructed, the frontier was passable here only using the Great St Bernard Pass. The pass remains an option in summer, but is normally closed by snow between October and May, and sometimes for longer. The tunnel is intended to be usable for 365 days every year.The tunnel was opened to traffic on 19 March 1964, having been under construction since 1958. It became the longest road tunnel in the world, replacing the Vielha tunnel
Vielha Tunnel
The Vielha tunnel is a road tunnel in north-west Catalonia, connecting Vielha, the capital of the Val d'Aran valley, with the Alta Ribagorça comarca. It is part of the N-230 road and consists of 2 parallel tunnels...
which was opened in 1948.
The approach roads have been progressively improved, and most recently the avalanche covers extended on the southern side. The Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc Tunnel
The Mont Blanc Tunnel is a road tunnel in the Alps under the Mont Blanc mountain, linking Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France , and Courmayeur, Aosta Valley, Italy . It is one of the major trans-Alpine transport routes, particularly for Italy, which relies on the tunnel for transporting as much as...
tunnel tragedy of 1999 prompted a major review of road tunnel safety in several countries including Switzerland, and significant safety upgrades are planned for the Grand St Bernard Tunnel. A speed limit of 80 km/h (50 mph) is already in force inside the tunnel.
Access and popularity
The tunnel itself, and most of the connecting road between AostaAosta
Aosta is the principal city of the bilingual Aosta Valley in the Italian Alps, north-northwest of Turin. It is situated near the Italian entrance of the Mont Blanc Tunnel, at the confluence of the Buthier and the Dora Baltea, and at the junction of the Great and Little St. Bernard routes...
and Martigny are only single carriageway roads, and for most big city destinations in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
the toll free St Gotthard Tunnel
Gotthard Road Tunnel
The St. Gotthard Tunnel in Switzerland runs from Göschenen in the Canton of Uri at its northern portal, to Airolo in Ticino to the south, and is just under in length below the St. Gotthard Pass...
and Simplon Pass
Simplon Pass
Simplon Pass is a high mountain pass between the Pennine Alps and the Lepontine Alps in Switzerland. It connects Brig in the canton of Valais with Domodossola in Piedmont . The pass itself and the villages on each side of it, such as Gondo, are in Switzerland...
offer more direct or at least faster routes. This and the toll ensure that the Grand San Bernard Tunnel rarely suffers from the levels of holiday season congestion that plague the more popular Alpine crossing routes, however.