A3 | |
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Location of the A3 within Switzerland
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Route information | |
Length: | 180 km (110 mi) |
Major junctions | |
From: | A35 at French border |
To: | A13 |
Highway system | |
Motorways of Switzerland |
The A3 is a motorway in northeast Switzerland, running diagonally from France toward the southeast border, and passing by Zurich on the way. The total length of the A3 motorway spans roughly 180 kilometres (110 mi), but parts of the road share sections of the A1 and A2 motorways.
The A3 belongs to the Swiss motorway network. It starts at the border in Basel, where it connects to French motorway A35. From the Wiese Motorway Fork, the route is shared with the A2.
At Augst, the motorway splits, with the A2 branching off and the A3 continuing past Rheinfelden and Frick. After the Bözberg tunnel is the Birrfeld Motorway Fork, near Birmenstorf. Here, the A1 and A3 share the same route as far as Motorway Interchange Limmattal, where the A3 goes towards Urdorf and the Uetliberg Tunnel which was opened on May 4, 2009. After Zurich the motorway weaves through the hills of the south-east bank of Lake Zurich. It continues along the Walensee (Walen Lake), and on to Mels where it ends at a junction with the A13.
The A3 represents (together with a section of the A1) the most important connection between Basel and Zurich, and (together with a section of the A13) the most important connection Zurich–Chur.