Due to holiday travel, Federal Roads Office (ASTRA) warns of long traffic jams and other significant disruptions on Switzerland’s motorways over the Easter period.
From Wednesday, April 1st, “longer travel times should be expected, particularly at the northern portal of the Gotthard road tunnel and on the San Bernardino road,” ASTRA said.
Significant bottlenecks are also anticipated on Easter Monday, as as well as the following weekend, as people return either from the holiday weekend or the school break.
Which roads will be most congested?
A1, Geneva (including the Bardonnex border crossing)
A1/A3, Zurich
A1, Härkingen – Wangen a. A.
A1, Kirchberg – Schönbühl
A2/A3, Basel (including border crossings with France and Germany)
A2, Belchen Tunnel – Härkingen
A2/A14, Lucerne region (from Stans-Nord / return journeys)
A2, Erstfeld – Biasca (Gotthard Road Tunnel)
A3, Walenstadt – Reichenburg
A4, Axenstrasse
A8, Interlaken – Spiez
A8, Sarnen – Lopper Interchange
A1/A9, Lausanne
A9, La Veyre/Vevey – Bex-Nord
A12, Châtel-St-Denis – La Veyre/Vevey
A13, Sarganserland – Rothenbrunnen
A13, Andeer – Mesocco
Border crossings on the A9 (Vallorbe, VD), the A2 (Chiasso-Brogeda, TI) and the A24 (Gaggiolo, TI)
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Main roads
Spiez – Kandersteg (departures)
Gampel – Goppenstein (returns)
Brunnen – Flüelen (Axenstrasse)
Göschenen – Andermatt
Bellinzona – Locarno
Additionally, traffic will be heavy on main roads in the Bernese Oberland, Graubünden, and the Valais side valleys.
Will the road closures complicate the flow of traffic as well?
ASTRA said this won’t be the case.
On the Simplon Pass road (A9), the single-lane traffic in place for the Casermetta section will be lifted.
The usual nighttime closures (Sunday, 10 pm to Monday 6 am, and Monday to Friday from 8 pm to 6 am) on the A3 for the Kerenzerberg Tunnel renovation will be suspended until April 12th, 10 pm.
During this period, all lanes will be open.
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Relieve congestion in towns and villages by staying on the highway during traffic jams
Often, when traffic jams form on motorways, some motorists take secondary roads instead.
However, “this phenomenon puts a significant strain on residents of towns and villages along national highways and can lead to further traffic gridlocks,” ASTRA pointed out.
“Local private and business traffic, as well as public transportation on cantonal and municipal roads are consequently disrupted, and the risk of accidents increases.”
ASTRA therefore asks all drivers to “stay on the motorway during traffic jams and avoid using secondary roads, if only out of respect for the residents of the surrounding towns and villages.”
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The Gotthard Tunnel
During the peak travel times, this tunnel, a major north-south link, is heavily congested, with wait times sometimes lasting for hours.
In view of the Easter traffic, the canton of Uri – located on the northern end of the tunnel – is tightening up its congestion management.
From March 28th and until the opening of the alternate route, the Gotthard Pass (probably in mid-May), several measures have already been put into place to manage the flow of traffic.
For instance, as soon as the traffic jam extends to several kilometres, the freeway entrances in Göschenen and Wassen will be closed to prevent vehicles from driving back onto the highway from the cantonal road.
At the same time, certain time slots will remain in place during which the entrance to Göschenen will be open four times for 15 minutes each: 6:45 am – 7 am; 8:15 am – 08:30 am: 5.15 pm – 5:30 pm; 6:45 pm – 7 pm.
Reduced speed
In addition, the speed on the section between Altdorf and Amsteg will be reduced during long traffic jams in order to stabilise the flow of traffic and lower the risk of rear-end collisions.
Traffic will also be controlled at the exits.
In Erstfeld and Amsteg, police will intervene depending on the situation in order to control the load on the surrounding roads.
