Simplon Tunnel

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Simplon tunnel from the Italian side

The Simplon Tunnel is an Alpine railroad tunnel that connects the Swiss town of Brig with Domodossola in Italy, though its relatively straight trajectory does not run under Simplon Pass itself. It actually consists of two single-track tunnels built nearly 20 years apart. For more than half a century it was considered to be the longest tunnel in the world (see World's longest tunnels).

Simplon tunnel was finally completed in 1906. The Italian king Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and the president of the Swiss National Council Ludwig Forrer opened the tunnel at Brig on May 10, 1906. The builders of the tunnel were Hermann Häustler and Hugo von Kager and the tunnel was 19.7 kilometers (12 mi) long. The second tube of the tunnel was opened in 1922; it was 19,824 meters (65,039 ft) long.

The tunnel was subject to major structural renovation works from 1985 to 2003 following the goal to increase its structure gauge by lowering the trackbed to accommodate rolling highway trains transporting heavy goods vehicles (HGV).

Over the weekend of 20-21 May 2006, festivities were held in the two cities principally joined by the Simplon Tunnel, Brig and Domodossola, to commemorate the centenary of the tunnel. The SBB issued special fare tickets for the journey to and from Brig from any point in Switzerland for people wishing to come for the celebration. Despite overcast weather, thousands came. There were displays of historic trains along the whole length of the Brig railway yard, including the modern incarnation of the famous Orient Express, the VSOE, which still operates along this main line from Paris to Vienna by way of Venice as a luxury tourist train. Free rides through the Simplon Tunnel were given every half hour and, additionally, special rides over the Simplon Pass by Postbus were also given, all arriving in Domodossola where that town was holding equivalent celebrations. The Swiss Post Office issued a commemorative postage stamp for the centenary and collectors were able to get a special cancellation of the stamp on the First Day Cover.

[edit] Car Carrying shuttle Trains

In December 1959 a car carrying train service through the Gotthard Tunnel was introduced. The trains travelled between Brig and Iselle di Trasquera, in Italy.

Improvements to the road alternatives, including the Simplon Pass itself which was systematically upgraded in the 1970s and 1980s, coinciding with an increase in motor vehicle engine power, led to a steady decline in use of the rail shuttle option, and the service was withdrawn in 1993.

However, the car carrying train service was reinstated in December 2004: the journey time is twenty minutes and trains currently operate during working hours approximately every 90 minutes.