The Kerenzerberg Tunnel, also known as the Kerenzer Tunnel, is a nearly 6 km long road tunnel that runs through the Kerenzerberg mountain along Lake Walen (Walensee). With a length of 5760 meters, the Kerenzer Tunnel is the fifth longest road tunnel in Switzerland. The Kerenzer Tunnel is usually only used in one direction - from Zurich towards Sargans/Chur. It is part of the A3 motorway from Zurich to Sargans and relieves the Walensee road, which runs along Lake Walen in both directions. In the opposite direction, the A3 goes through six smaller tunnels directly along Lake Walen. The Kerenzer Tunnel runs parallel to the Kerenzerberg Railway Tunnel, which is nearly 4 km long and was opened in 1960. Currently, the Kerenzerberg Tunnel is undergoing a complete renewal and will receive, among other things, a safety gallery.
The Walensee is a mountain lake located in the cantons of St. Gallen and Glarus in Switzerland and is a popular tourist destination. With a length of 15.5 km and a width of 2 km, it is the twelfth largest lake in Switzerland and is often referred to as the Riviera of Eastern Switzerland. Due to its clear water and a maximum depth of 150 meters, the Walensee is especially popular among scuba divers, but it also offers beautiful hiking trails and a charming lake and mountain landscape. Travelers can easily reach the Walensee via the A3 from Zurich.
The Kerenzerberg Tunnel is currently undergoing renovation. This is the first major renewal since its opening in 1986. The renovation works are planned from 2020 to 2026. As part of the renovation, a safety gallery running parallel to the tunnel is being added. The tunnel breakthrough for the safety gallery was successful in September 2022. After the completion of the gallery, extensive renovation works are planned, and the overall renovation is expected to be completed by 2026. During the construction, the Kerenzer Tunnel remains accessible during the day, but at night (usually on weekdays between 8:00 PM and 6:00 AM), a full closure of the tunnel is necessary. Time-limited full closures may also be ordered during the daytime. Information on Kerenzerberg Tunnel closures can be found on the official website.
The Kerenzerberg Tunnel is part of the A3 motorway/national road from Zurich to Sargans. A separate vignette or toll for the Kerenzerberg Tunnel is not required, but a general vignette for using motorways and national roads in Switzerland is needed. The vignette can be obtained as a sticker vignette, for example, at petrol stations or as a Digital Vignette conveniently through vignette-online.ch.
The Kerenzerberg Tunnel is 5760 meters long.
The Kerenzerberg Tunnel remains open during construction work. It is closed at night from 8 pm to 6 am, and daytime full closures may be ordered. For more information, visit the official website.
