Simplon Tunnel
Simplon Tunnel from the Italian side
|
| Overview |
| Official name |
German: Simplontunnel, Italian: Galleria del Sempione
|
| Line |
Simplon line, (Lötschberg railway line) |
| Location |
Traversing the Lepontine Alps between Switzerland and Italy
|
| Coordinates |
46°19′26″N 8°00′25″E / 46.324°N 8.007°E / 46.324; 8.007 (Simplon Tunnel, northern portal) – 46°12′25″N 8°12′04″E / 46.207°N 8.201°E / 46.207; 8.201 (Simplon Tunnel, southern portal)
|
| System |
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS) |
| Crosses |
Lepontine Alps (Wasenhorn massif) |
| Start |
Brig, canton of Valais, Switzerland 683 m (2,241 ft) |
| End |
Iselle di Trasquera, Piedmont, Italy 633 m (2,077 ft) |
| Operation |
| Work begun |
22 November 1898 (east tunnel), 1912 (west tunnel) |
| Opened |
19 May 1906 (east tunnel), 1921 (west tunnel) |
| Owner |
SBB CFF FFS |
| Operator |
SBB CFF FFS |
| Traffic |
Railway |
| Character |
Passenger, Freight, Car Transport |
| Vehicles per day |
Passenger: , Freight: unknown
|
| Technical |
| Length |
19.803 km (12.305 mi) (east tunnel), 19.823 km (12.317 mi) (west tunnel) |
|
No. of tracks
|
Two single-track tubes |
| Track gauge |
1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) (standard gauge) |
| Electrified |
since 1 June 1906, 15 kV 16.7 Hz since 2 March 1930 |
| Highest elevation |
705 m (2,313 ft) |
| Lowest elevation |
633 m (2,077 ft) (south portal) |
| Grade |
2–7 ‰ |
