The Old Dog Warns: If You Are Claustrophobic Beware of The Gotthard Tunnel
I had never suffered from Claustrophobia until I entered the 17 km (10.5 mile) Gotthard Tunnel.
Definition of Claustrophobia: "abnormal dread of being in closed or narrow spaces"
There seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel! It appears to go on to infinity!
If you are travelling to Italy from most places in Europe then chances are you'll be driving through the Gotthard Tunnel. The first time I did so I thought that the drive would never end.
The pollution was overwhelming, the heat unbearable and the monotony was hypnotising. I was actually starting to get panicky and that's a feeling that I had never experienced in my entire life! The drive seemed that it would never end and it took super human concentration to cope with the mesmerising effect of the oncoming traffic.
The fact that I travel often from Ticino in Southern Switzerland to the north of Switzerland or to Germany or France means that I take the tunnel often. Over the years I've driven this tunnel hundreds of times and I have gotten used to it but if I have time I prefer to take the pass over the mountain. It takes about 20 minutes longer but it is closed in the winter and there is no other alternative.
Entering The Tunnel
The entrance to the tunnel at Airolo. We roll down the windows to get fresh air before entering!
Before entering the tunnel there are signs asking you to tune your radio to a certain frequency so that you can listen to important information. An announcements is then made in French, Italian, German and English and it says the following:
"Welcome to the Gotthard Road Tunnel. Keep your radio tuned to this frequency for the latest police announcements. If necessary fire escape shelters may be found every 250 meters along the tunnel. We wish you a pleasant journey."
It all sounds so official, so ominous and frankly a little scary!
How High Does The Temperature Get Inside The Tunnel?
One thing that always amazes me is the rise in temperature inside the tunnel. If you enter and it's below zero Celcius outside once you're at the mid point inside the tunnel it's often close to the mid 30's Celcius!
Notice my temperature gauge before entering the tunnel is at 6°C or 42.8° F.
At about the half way point the temperature gauge is reading 29.5°C or 85.1°F Further on it was even hotter!
Facts About The Gotthard Tunnel?
- When it was constructed in 1980 it was the longest in the world at 17 km or 10.5 miles.
- It is one of three tunnels but the other two are rail tunnels.
- The tunnels bypass the Gotthard pass which has been an important trade route since the 13th century.
- Prior to opening the road tunnel cars had to be loaded on trains and cross through the mountain using the train tunnel.
- It is a single bore tunnel with one lane going in each direction.
- The speed limit in the tunnel is 80 km/h (50 mph)
- It takes 15 minutes to drive from one side to the other.
- There are often long traffic lines up to 10 km especially during holiday season.
Can you see how the narrow tunnel with the oncoming headlights could mesmerise you or is it just me?
A Terrible Collision And Fire
On October 24th 2001 2 trucks collided in the tunnel igniting a fire which killed 11 people and injured many more. The tunnel remained closed after the accident for 2 months in order clean and repair it. After the fire a new law came into effect which allows a maximum of 150 trucks per hour to enter the tunnel.
A Change In Culture And Language in 2o Minutes!
One thing that never ceases to amaze me when I drive through the tunnel is the fact that on one side everyone speaks Italian and 20 minutes later on the other side everyone speaks German! The Architecture is also completely different with typical Italian stone villas on one side and the famous Swiss style Chalets constructed largely of wood on the other.
Typical stone architecture on the Italian speaking side of the tunnel. pixabay.com
On the Swiss German side of the tunnel not only does the language change but so does the architecture. Pixabay.com
What Do You Think?
- Would it surprise you to find a different language after a 20 minute drive?
- What about a different culture and architecture?
- Would the tunnel make you feel claustrophobic?
I hope that you enjoyed this article about the Gotthard Tunnel.
Until next time,
@kus-knee (The Old Dog)
Remember, All of my posts have rewards! "The Old Dog is Throwing You a Bone" is the program that I use to reward the best comment(s) on all of my posts! So please re-steem and follow so that we can spread the wealth!
This has been one of my very favourite post of yours so far. Great job! Can you imagine being stuck in the tunnel with the traffic, on a hot summer day, during holidays!?! NO WAY!!!
I'm glad to read you are usually taking the mountain pass road instead. Good for you. Reading your post reminded me about the incredible pollution found straight from the outskirts of Los Angeles. I couldn't help but think how it would be somehow natural for people to have brain problems and the issuing effects being immersed in such pollution. No wonder you felt the way you did while being in there!
I'm not one to feel scared by claustrophobia, but I sure don't like the chemicals, heat and other people's stress bath I'd be soaking in while being in this tunnel. If I could, I'd stay away from the tunnel like the pest!
Thanks again for a very good post, namaste :)
Thank you professional encourager!
There are traffic signs in front of the gates of the tunnel. There will be no stucking in the tunnel except there is an accident.
Very interesting article and observations.
I know your feelings. We have mines after limestone mining. We often went there with friends earlier. We were interested and scared. Tunnels stretch for many kilometers. There are even dumps. Here are my few old photos.
The place of collapse.
Somebody's graffiti.
Claustrophobia sometimes happens only in dreams :) . Probably after walks in the mine. Thanks for the interesting topic @kus-knee.
Very cool! That's worthy of a post by you!
Thanks! Be sure to make interesting photos and write a post.
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Thank you Old Dog. My friends are with you, they like to participate in this and me, too. Well done.
Great to have you on Steemit!
Thank you, Old Dog! It's always pleasant when new and clever people come to your life - your new friends. I'm also very glad that Steemit will unite us.
Hey.
As swiss, with grandparents in the southern part of the country, I used to drive through this tunnel several times a year. I can totally understand your posting. The most annoying is the monotony of the light, the passing cars, the white lines....
One time I was behind a driver who drove 50 instead of 80/km/h. It was so horrible, because like that it took more than the common 20 minutes. It was more than half an hour. I was really angry and thinks, the government should state a minimum speed in this tunnel.
And don't forget to push the button for inside circulation of the air in the car. Otherwise you have a lot of exhaust gases in your cabin.
Temperature is also very funny. Even in winter is very warm inside. Outside lays snow and there inside 25-30 degree fahrenheit.
@eric-boucher
Is not possible to be stuck in the tunnel, because outside are traffic signs. But in summerholidays weekends you will stand for about 1-3hours in front of these traffic signs.
Hey wow thanks for the comment. Another Swiss person on Steemit. Awesome!
I recently traveled to France and Germany. We spent most of the time in France but drove into Germany for the day. It is so strange that Europe does not have borders because of the Schengen Agreement. Driving from France into Germany was so simple you didn't even realize you were in new country until you started to see the architecture change slightly. It is amazing to think that only a few decades ago in WW2 this border was militarized with the Maginot line. Both countries were enemies and many lives were lost...and now you can just walk across freely to either country. I am glad we have made peace and moved forward. It will be interesting to see how European borders are in the future...also I am working on an article about the EU and cryptocurrency...and want to ask European steemit users a couple of questions....If you live in the EU and would like to help, please comment, Thanks and Thank you kus-knee for another good post!
Yes it is amazing that you can travel in the Eurozone. I look forward to your article!
I would be so excited to see both cultures and I'd probably take many pictures in both places! But ehm... that tunnel seems a bit scary if it's that long. I can definitely understand that you'd be mesmerised by all the oncoming traffic in such a tunnel. For 15 minutes, bah. I'd want to take the longer (and probably more scenic!) route aswell.
Yes the pass is beautiful and I take if I possibly can!
I'm not sure how it feel driving through a tunnel that long, but sure looks interesting!
Thanks for the visit @papa-pepper! Yes it's very interesting!
Interesting post with lots of information. Good to see that photos were taken from the passenger side of the car.
I don't ming tunnels. I have mostly gone through short tunnels. We play a game of holding our breath until we are through the tunnel :)
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WOW, what a nice surprise to come home to. I just went on a little spring break trip.
Thanks for the visit. If you played your holding your breath game in this tunnel you'd turn blue and faint! :)
LOL, Yes, only play the game when you can see the light at the end of the tunnel!
Ach du liebe, das ist molto bene! Bellissima photographica!
Hey man, I didn't know that you could write German and Italian. You never cease to amaze me!
Being a fundamentally honest guy, I have to admit I just exhausted my entire vocabulary (except some cuss words). I took one semester of German in college and picked up Italian on the streets.
Italian on the streets? Where? In the USA?
Yep, in the North End of Boston...it used to be the Italian section (slum). Now the Yuppies have taken it over and all the Italians have moved to Revere. It's funny, it's the oldest residential part of Boston where each immigrant group has lived. Now it's gone condo and a studio on Fleet st. (where I lived) went for $450,000 !!!
Wow amazing. I visited Boston way back in about 1989! Don't tell me you were a fan of the Big Bad Bruins! Great team!
The Old Dog is Throwing You a Bone For Your Nice Comment!
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Why thank you my friend!
Not me lol!
Is that Brad Marchand? No no it's Bergeron!
I saw Bobby Orr live in Toronto once.
Pat Bergeron. I used to have season tickets back when Bobby played (back when a normal person could afford them). I always try to get Pat for my fantasy team because he wins almost all of his faceoffs.
I have claustrophobia, but sometimes I have to make choices and suffer a little. Beautiful photos, a lot of useful information, may be useful to someone
I don't have claustrophobia but in there..... it does take getting used to. Thanks for the visit and the comment!
The longest tunel in Bulgaria is 5812,16 m so not so scary !
Good to know thanks!