Grimseltunnel.

A plus for the Goms.

An innovative, future-oriented project

The idea of a rail tunnel on the Grimsel turned into a concrete project a few years ago. This involves the construction of a 22-kilometer tunnel from Oberwald to Innertkirchen. This would close the gap in the narrow-gauge rail network and connect the Zentralbahn with the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn. In addition, the renewal and expansion of the Swissgrid high-voltage line over the Grimsel is imminent. For these two reasons, there is an opportunity to combine both infrastructures in a joint tunnel facility and to exploit synergies.

long tunnel

rail network spanning the entire Swiss Alpine region

overcome by the Grimseltunnel from Innertkirchen to Oberwald

less travel time between Meiringen and Oberwald

are dismantled

estimated construction time

estimated investment costs

can be saved approximately annually

which way through?significance for tourism rail & electricity combined Timeline

A tunnel from Oberwald to Innertkirchen

Which way through?

The rail line through the Grimsel Tunnel connects Meiringen (BE) and Oberwald (VS). The new line is planned as a single track. It starts from Innertkirchen and leads to the Guttannen stop (laterally open gallery). The tunnel then continues to the underground Handeck stop, which is about 30 meters below ground, and then on to Oberwald station. Over a length of 21,8 km, the Grimseltunnel overcomes 718 meters in altitude. On the stretch from Meiringen and Oberwald, only 0,9 km have to be newly built in the open countryside, the rest is led underground.

Significance and advantages for tourism

The merger opens up great potential

The Grimsel Railway sets new perspectives for the development of the central Alpine region. The tunnel connects the Goms with the Bernese Oberland and shortens the travel time between Meiringen and Oberwald by 2,5 hours. This will create attractive and sustainable tourism offers: Excursion and travel destinations are quickly accessible all year round and guests travel comfortably with organized luggage transport to the cross-country skiing, hiking and cycling paradise of Goms. The railroad connection Montreux - Bernese Oberland - Goms - Zermatt - St. Moritz could save about 4 million car kilometers and about 1'000 tons of CO2 per year. In addition, working in Goms and living in the Bernese Oberland or vice versa would become interesting. The Grimseltunnel is a huge plus for the mountain population and sustainable tourism.

The current report from the Tagesanzeiger (24 October 2022) can be found here: Railway project between Bern and Valais

Rail & Electricity combined

A real innovation

Infrastructures take up space and in some cases interfere with the landscape. The power pylons block the view of the Alps and are highly endangered by avalanches in winter. The Grimsel Tunnel will restore the view of the Alps by removing 121 power pylons. Such a multifunctional tunnel with rail and cable line of the top grid level, and this over a long distance, is a first time for Switzerland.

Publication in the Federal Gazette, Official Gazette Bern and Valais
Feedback of the municipality to the Department for Spatial Development / Statement of the municipality
Transmission of the report of the participation and hearing procedure in the canton VS to the SFOE

In spring 2023, Parliament approved a motion instructing the Federal Council to include the multifunctional Grimsel Tunnel in the expansion programs as part of the dispatch on the status of the rail infrastructure expansion programs and the 2050 perspective and to allocate the necessary credits for the project planning. This has now been done in the corresponding dispatch of August 16, 2023.

Parliament can approve the project planning credit in the 2024 spring session.

Construction start Grimseltunnel

Opening Grimseltunnel